The Aylsham Cittaslow Community Events Committee in conjunction with Slow Food Aylsham are organising a Food Festival, to be held over the weekend of Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October 2006.

The Aylsham Cittaslow Community Events Committee in conjunction with Slow Food Aylsham are organising a Food Festival, to be held over the weekend of Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October 2006. The Food Festival coincides with the end of the British Food Fortnight, a national celebration of the delicious diverse range of British produce.

On Saturday 7th October, as an expansion of our regular FARMA accredited Farmers Market in Market Place, we shall be having additional stalls in Red Lion Street offering a tempting range of local produce. Both the regular farmers market and those located in Red Lion Street will be open for trading between the hours of 9am and 3pm. Dave Doughnut, a professional children's entertainer will be entertaining the children with a traditional Punch and Judy Show. Dave will be performing two shows at 10am and 12.15pm in the Green Room at Aylsham Town Hall. Budgens Stores, who have a branch in Aylsham, have kindly sponsored the Punch and Judy Shows. The store will also be celebrating British Food Fortnight. Admission to the shows will be free of charge.

The organisers have a limited number of pitches still available. If you are a food producer and are interested in taking part in the Food Festival, please contact Annette Palmer, Cittaslow Admin Support Officer on 01263 733354 between the hours of 9.30am and 12.30pm for an application form. Pitches, which do not include a table, but are under cover of a marquee, cost £10.50 with electricity available at an additional £6.00.

There will be displays and information about Cittaslow, FARMA and Slow Food in the Town Hall and Creative Arts East, in conjunction with Broadland Life, will be bringing the Village Screen to the Town Hall with the showing of 'Babette's Feast', which has been given a 'U' Certification. 'Babette's Feast' is a French film with English subtitles written and directed by Gabriel Axel, from a short story by Out of Africa's Isaac Dense. This Oscar-winning film offers an irresistible mixture of dry wit and robust humanity, and in keeping with the weekend, has a “food” theme. Admission is free but to guarantee comfort and safety numbers are strictly limited and entry to the Town Hall will be by ticket only. The film starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from J B Postle & Son in the Market Place, Aylsham on a first come, first served basis. Refreshments will be available during the interval.

On Sunday morning, Slow Food Aylsham will be hosting the third Big Slow Breakfast. The Big Slow Breakfast will use locally made produce and provides the opportunity for everyone in the community to join together for a leisurely start to a Sunday morning. There will be two sittings, at 9am and 11am and the menu will include the traditional elements of an English breakfast as well as freshly baked croissants, juices, coffee and tea and a selection of Sunday newspapers. Everything will be bought from local suppliers.

Liz Jones, leader of Slow Food Aylsham said “modern life rushes along at a hectic pace and it is easy to try and save time by buying processed food and eating it on the move. The Big Slow Breakfast will be a chance to rediscover the pleasures of eating good food in good company”.

Admission to the Big Slow Breakfast will be by advance ticket sales only.