NORTH Cornwall is to get another major food festival next year. Following the huge success of this year's Boscastle Food, Arts, Crafts and Walking festivals, the organisers have set the first dates for the main food and craft events.

Food lovers should mark the weekend of October 3 and 4 in their diaries as once again some of the area's finest chefs will be on stage, together with what promises to be the biggest get together of food producers and suppliers anywhere in the county.

It's also hoped there will again be a major charity concert to launch the event, together with special attractions involving local schoolchildren.

This year, charities, local organisations and village projects have benefited by almost £7,500 from the ambitious programme of events which went to make up this year's Boscastle Festival.

Over the nine days, well over two thousand people turned out to walk, dance, eat or simply enjoy the attractions on offer.

The main events were organised by Boscastle Chamber of Trade and Commerce (BCTC) with help from a wide range of local organisations and the School Association, which took over the festival marquees to stage a grand charity opening concert..

"It's a great tribute to those who worked so hard to get everything ready on time," said chamber chairman Adrian Prescott. "This was the third and certainly the most successful festival we've organised and the addition of five days of walking events made it by far the longest."

The opening concert alone netted £3,500 for the Children's Hospice Precious Lives Appeal to help raise £5 million for a new children's hospice and a further £1,200 for the village school. Featuring Cornish comedian Johnny Cowling it got the festival events off to swinging start.

"We're glad the parents' association wanted to get involved," added Mr Prescott, "and we're all delighted that they managed to raise so much money. It's a truly tremendous achievement for a village the size of Boscastle."

The second event of the festival came as something of a surprise when village primary school children found themselves the centre of media attention as they watched chef Gareth Eddy prepare a plateful of sumptuous squirrel casserole.

High winds and rain on day one of the main Food and Craft Festival didn't deter the visitors and more than a thousand poured in to buy from exhibitors representing the very best of Cornish produce. Chefs from the county's best known restaurants one again proved Cornish cuisine is the best in Britain and their demonstrations delighted audiences on both days, with many queuing up to get a sample taste of what they'd seen being prepared.

On both weekend days, churches, the village hall and community centre put on special exhibitions, some doubling up as tea rooms. Two well known gardens in the village were also open to the public.

This year's Walking Week filled five of the festival's nine days, with an extended programme of walks taking in coast, countryside and moor land trails.

"I think everyone who took part thoroughly enjoyed themselves," said walk organiser Denise Tillinghast. "It was good to see local people as well as visitors and we're very grateful to the guides who gave their time to make the walks that bit more interesting and entertaining."

As well as Precious Lives and Boscastle Primary School, other local organisations taking part raised £1,300. BCTC is passing on a further £1,250 and, among other things, is paying for more Christmas trees and lights in the village for Christmas 2009.

With final accounts still in preparation the organisers are confident of finding the cash, and the sponsors, to get the 2009 festival off to a flying start.