AFTER threatening rain, the sun came out and shone on the Ledbury celebration – a festival of local food and drink with poetry and music organised by Ledbury Food Group and Ledbury Poetry Festival, with support from Ledbury Town Council and local businesses.

Held on July 12, the celebration marked the last day of the Ledbury Poetry Festival in fine style with over 30 food and drink stalls selling all kinds of local food and drink.

Good traditional local food was on offer, but there were new twists with Polish style pierogi (pasties) and Spanish style empanadas, made with local ingredients, alongside scotch eggs of all kinds of flavours, jams, preserves, chutneys, freshly baked bread, delicious cakes, cherries, granola and, of course, very local ice cream. For contrast, the Ledbury Library Development Group offered a flavour of the middle ages with tastings of medieval food, and recipes to take home.

After the food shopping, many stayed for a local "street food" lunch and to enjoy the range of local ciders and perrys, wines, beers, fruit drinks and even local gin on offer while listening to an entertaining variety of local musical acts and poets.

Away from the stage, the puppetry of the Fetch theatre and the mystery of the CowGirl Parlour provided popular attractions throughout the day with young and old.

The Mayor of Ledbury, Cllr Annette Crowe visited the event and was impressed by the market setting.

Catherine Every, organiser of the event for the Ledbury Food Group, said, "We are very pleased that again the Ledbury celebration with its blend of food, drink, music and poetry has brought pleasure to so many people. We thank everyone who helped make the event such a success."

Phillippa Slinger for Ledbury Poetry Festival said, "The festival is thrilled that we put on a stunning array of poets and musicians, from the irreverent and hilarious Johnny Fluffypunk, to the Baltic melodies of Flatworld, as well as local poets and musicians showing off their home grown talent. The variety and quality of the performers capped off a wonderful collaboration with the Ledbury Food Group"

To find out more about Ledbury Food Group visit their website at ledburyfoodgroup.org.

Additional contacts: Phillippa Stringer, Ledbury Poetry Festival – 01531 634156.