Organisers of this year's Norfolk Food and Drink Festival are making it even easier to find out about the events in your area with the launch of a new QR code.

The 'quick response' code can be scanned using a smartphone or tablet and allows food lovers to access the latest festival news, event information and details of promotions and discounts being offered by the county's food and drink outlets.

This year's EDP Adnams Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, in association with Norfolk County Council, will officially begin on Saturday September 1 and this year runs for a full six weeks, ending with the popular Aylsham Food Festival on October 5, 6 and 7.

Last night, festival chairman Richard Woolliams said: 'We want to make sure as many people as possible can find out about the many events, activities and promotions taking place during the 2012 festival to help make it the best year ever.

'The new QR code will allow food and drink lovers from Norfolk and beyond to get the latest festival news, find out about newly-added events, and take advantage of some special offers from our fantastic food and drink providers across the county.'

The QR code will be available to access on the festival's revamped website, on a host of promotional material, and on 50,000 Norfolk Food and Drink Festival beer mats being handed out across the county.

The 2012 food festival is set to focus on six key weekends of events covering the length and breadth of Norfolk.

Beginning with the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival on September 1 and 2, it will also include a city celebration in Norwich, the Brecks Food and Drink Festival, the Produced in Norfolk Taste the View weekend, a brand new weekend celebrating the Broads, and the annual Aylsham Food Festival.

Other popular favourites will include the Lloyd Addison's Moveable Feast for Parkinson's UK, the Battle of the Bangers, the Institute of Food Research's tallest jelly competition and the Norwich and Norfolk Curry Festival.

Mr Woolliams said: 'It's now just six weeks until the start of the festival and there is still time to organise your own Norfolk Food and Drink Festival events, tell us about them, and have them featured on our website and in our wider festival promotion.

'The sooner you tell us about them, the sooner we can start telling our thousands of festival supporters.'

To make the most of the festival promotion, contact Clare Millar, food and drink festival co-ordinator, on 01603 881939.

For more information go to www.norfolkfoodfestival.co.uk.