A mostly sunny Dartmouth last weekend resulted in another busy and successful food festival across the town.

Royal Avenue Gardens hosted a wide variety of street food vendors offering everything from dim sum and bao buns through to Persian flatbreads and gut healthy bowl food.

And an additional 80 stalls spilled down the Embankment and into the Old Market Square with an abundance of locally-produced, high quality ingredients including award winning cheeses, hand-made preserves, delicious breads, wild game and artisan chocolate.

Dartmouth Food Festival Chair Julie Graham said: “I’m delighted with the way things went. I’ve have a huge amount of positive feedback from both traders and visitors alike.

“It was a pleasure to see so many smiling faces over the weekend.”

The festival’s Demo Stage was again home to a wide range of national and local chefs sharing their knowledge and expertise with an enthusiastic audience. Matt Tebbutt, Jane Baxter, Elly Wentworth, Richard Bertinet and Thomasina Myers all drew in the crowds as did festival patron Mitch Tonks with his friend and festival buddy Mark Hix.

It was standing room only for many of the Food Matters conversations, including Professor Tim Spector’s session on why eating more than 30 different plant species per week is key to a healthier life.

The Upper Deck of Dartmouth Yacht Club played host to wine experts Susy Atkins, of the Sunday Telegraph; Will Lyons, of The Times; and The Guardian’s Fiona Beckett who informed audiences with their tutored tastings.

The Royal Castle Hotel featured local gin and rum masterclasses, and Browns Hotel hosted an “eclectic” series of talks and tastings from Sharpham Cheese, Rare and Pasture charcuterie and Forest Fungi.

For those preferring a more hands on approach; and Coastal Cooking from Ilfracombe held a series of practical workshops on sushi and pasta making.

Julie added: “The Festival is run by a dedicated team of locals who work hard throughout the year to put on the event and there is an even bigger band of volunteers who work tirelessly over the weekend behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly. We also couldn’t do what we do without the financial support of our sponsors to whom we extend a huge thank you.

“Next year is the 20th anniversary of the Festival so expect an even bigger and better event!”

Dartmouth Food Festival started off small in 2004 and has grown to become one of the most prestigious and longest running food festivals in the South West. It welcomes around 20,000 visitors each October

To celebrate next year’s anniversary event festival organisers are compiling a commemorative book containing recipes, stories and images from the last 20 years,