Food festival feeds 25,000; Visitors flock to see best in local produce.Byline: HYWEL TREWYN A THRIVING food festival in Conwy was hailed a huge success last night after attracting an estimated 25,000 people. People from all across Wales and over the border came to enjoy the sixth annual Gwledd Conwy Feast from Friday to yesterday. They sampled produce including apples, honey, meat and fish to crabs and cheese being sold at the 140 stalls before buying some to take home. Joint organiser Jane Hughes said: "It's all gone brilliantly. I'd say it was the best ever. There were gaps in the stalls on Sunday because the stallholders had simply sold out all their produce. "We had a little rain on Saturday morning but it quickly cleared up and the weather was gorgeous." THERE'S In the past Gwledd Conwy has attracted 25,000 visitors over the weekend. Jane said: "Our ticket sales are up 40% on last year. It was absolutely heaving in the town yesterday and there were lots of events in the castle where the entrance was free and we had lots of medieval re-enactment MORE Things to do, go and where groups." Visitors bought wrist bands from the three ticket booths in the town which enabled them to browse among the marquees. A farmyard attraction on the quayside quay·side n. The area adjacent to a quay or wharf or a system of quays, especially in a port city. quayside quay n → Kai m proved popular again this year as well as the True Taste kitchen. Jane said: "Gwledd Conwy is one of the most popular food festivals in Wales and the UK. Some of the stallholders were saying that they went to the other festivals 'for the money' but that this is the one they love coming to. "We've had visitors from miles around. The publicity has been very good as well as the word of mouth." There were cookery demonstrations including ones on crab dressing, fish-filleting, bread-making, beekeeping beekeeping or apiculture Care and manipulation of honeybees to enable them to produce and store more honey than they need so that the excess can be collected. Beekeeping is one of the oldest forms of animal husbandry. , orchard and fruit tree surgery, with music to serenade serenade [Ital. sera=evening], term used to designate several types of musical composition. Opera and song literature yield numerous examples of the serenade sung or played by a lover at night beneath his beloved's window; outstanding is tipplers trying out local brews on the quay. Among the cooks showing off their culinary skills were Future Chef winner 15-year-old Luke Thomas from Connah's Quay Coordinates: Connah's Quay (Welsh: Cei Conna) is the largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying on the River Dee, near the border with England. , Bryn Williams Bryn Williams is a chef originally from Denbigh, north Wales. Early Years Bryn's interest in food began as a young child during a primary school visit to a bakery in Denbigh. from Denbigh, chef patron at the acclaimed Odette's restaurant London, Daily Post wine guru and food writer Colin Pressdee, LOTS TO SEE places to to stay manager of the Welsh Culinary Team Graham Tinsley, director and co-owner of The Castle Hotel, Conwy, and Nant Hall, Prestatyn and TV chef Dudley Newbery. Surplus food from Gwledd Conwy Feast will be distributed among the homeless. Llandudno Junction's Crest Co-operative is running a scheme as part of the UK-wide FareShare initiative, a UK charity which relieves food poverty by tackling food waste. Waste food will be brought to Llandudno Junction Coordinates: Llandudno Junction (Welsh: Cyffordd Llandudno), once known as Tremarl, is a small town in the county borough of Conwy. It is part of the ancient parish of Llangystennin, and it is located south of Llandudno. , sorted, then distributed to 20 organisations from homeless charities to church groups. Talks have started with Calon Wen, the Welsh organic dairy co-operative, and Becws Alun in Penmaenmawr to get them involved with the campaign. welshnews@dailypost.co.uk CAPTION(S): Celebrity Chef Dudley Newbury adds a final touch to his Fish dish at this year's Conwy Feast while (left) mum and daughter Nicola and George Phillips from Conwy taste a curry |
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