THERE were mouth-watering delights for the palate on offer at Holsworthy’s Food, Drink and Music Festival, which was held in Stanhope Park in bright sunshine on Saturday, August 13, writes Christine Williams.

Held in a fenced off area of the park the stalls and bars were arranged in a circle with a stage at one end and tables and chairs in the centre where people could relax, sample the scrumptious food and drink on offer and listen to the music.

On one side, were the food stalls where visitors could sample, and maybe purchase, locally produced pies, pasties, sausages, burgers, hog roasts and home-grown vegetables and chutneys.

For those with a sweet tooth there were celebratory cakes, cupcakes, ice cream and one stall displaying 24 flavours of fudge, ten nougats, five Turkish delights and nine gourmet popcorns.

At the bar visitors could sample 14 different beers, ales and ciders from Sharp’s Brewery of Rock.

If you preferred wine there were bottles of white and rosé from Uphill Vineyard, Ashwater, where since 2014 up to 1,000 bottles per year have been produced.

For something stronger there were spirit drinks ingredients such as blackberry gin and coffee rum made from simple natural ingredients.

For the children there was a ‘Kidz Play Zone’ with inflatables and crazy golf.

Meanwhile throughout the day until 11pm there was a variety of musical entertainment by local artists: Cover singer Lee Marshall was first on at lunchtime, then acoustic singer and song writer Cameron Mills, the Helen Rimmer Jazz Quartet from Bideford, young, up-and-coming band ‘180 degrees’ and Tim Minchin tribute act Thomas Marples of Bude with Bradworthy based rock and blues band Iguana Sunset bringing the day to a close.

Holsworthy’s Mayor, Cllr Jon Hutchings, the event coordinator, said the aim of the Festival, now in its third year, was to promote local producers and bring people to the park for a family fun day out.

In both respects it was a successful day.