Baking stars from an ever-popular TV competition have been confirmed as part of a new-look lineup for next year’s Stone Food & Drink Festival.
A different Great British Bake Off contestant will headline each of the day of the three-day festival, which marks its 20th year this time.
They will perform in on the new Culinary Showcase stage, which will also feature cookery demonstrations from top local chefs and talks and tastings sessions on a range of food and drink themes.
The event takes place on 9, 10 and 11 May at Westbridge Park.
Friday’s headliner is 2024 alumni Sumayah Kazi; Saturday will see 2023 winner Matty Edgell take the stage while on Sunday popular 2024 contestant Nelly Ghaffar, whose episode six exit sparked nationwide controversy, will entertain the crowds.
In addition to a live cookery demonstration where the contestants will chat about their time on the show, there will be meet and greet sessions after the demos and the stars will judge entries in the festival’s very own ‘bake off’, with festival-goers invited to bring along their own creations for the chance to win a great prize.
Festival spokesman, Ed Stant, said: “With this being the 20th year of the Stone Food & Drink Festival, we are keen to freshen things up and add some exciting new elements to the event. Great British Bake Off is a national institution so it seemed fitting to invite along some recent fan favourites to add some extra excitement to the cookery demo line-up.”
Other new additions to the programme include a competition stage, where visitors can take part in fun challenges and enter the baking competition, extended opening hours with bands playing later into the evening and a bigger family zone.
Free kids’ circus skills workshops will be returning and there will also be free kids’ cookery classes, a bigger fairground and other family-friendly activities.
Ed added: “We’ve also got some more surprises up our sleeve which will be announced in the New Year!”
Tickets and gift vouchers that can be redeemed against tickets are available here.
