IT is almost time for one of the highlights of the culinary calendar.

The Colchester Food & Drink Festival is once again set to take over Castle Park with more than 150 stalls across two days on Saturday June 23 and Sunday June 25.

Thousands of people flock to the annual event where a whole host of delicacies are available to taste and buy.

The Colchester Food and Drink Festival is now in its 17th glorious year.

With more than 150 different stalls, this is a record year, and makes it the largest and most prestigious of its kind in the region.

Don Quinn, who is behind the event, says its setting in more than nine acres of parkland is another massive draw for visitors.

He says : "The range of food and drink is brilliant, from all over the world as well as local produce.

You can eat food from Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Indian sub continent and from the town itself.

"There is hot food, cold food, food to take away, paellas, vegetarian and vegan food, meat grills, curry, chillis, burritos, hog roasts, cheese, spices, chutney, ham, jam, bread, sausages, pies, cakes galore, fudge, chocolate, sweets, wine, beer, cider, cordials, spirits the list goes on."

Don and his team have also made it their mission to embrace the town's food history, resurrecting a number of its forgotten recipes and traditional fare.

Gazette: Cheers - prosecco is among the beverages on offer to try

They are hoping visitors this year will give the Colchester biscuit a try and also learn how to make the Colchester pudding.

With its crumbly, oaty texture, the biscuit is thought to have been a forerunner for the Hob Nob and Abbey Crunch biscuit and has been revived after Don made an appeal for a recipe, long-forgotten to be brought forward.

A kind-hearted Gazette reader quickly obliged and now the biscuit has been revived - and also combined with gin for a new flavour.

Don adds: "You can learn how to make the Colchester pudding and the other recipes in the Celebrity Chef's Kitchen which will once again be overseen by popular Colchester giant of the culinary world, Malcolm Long."

Malcolm has a wealth of experience, both in teaching cookery but also running his own successful restaurant.

Visitors to the festival will also be able to sit in a specially arranged picnic area, to eat the food they have bought.

Don says: "This year, as well as having more stalls, we also have the 'Beggars Banquet Gin Bar' and 'The Prosecco Palace' with the best Prosecco imported from Italy.

"You can try Prosecco with the exotic hibiscus flower imported from Mexico."

The new bars will be set up right outside the famous Pikestaff Inn real ale bar with lager, buckets of bottles, Pimms and soft drinks also available.

A new cocktail bar, playing music, is also be introduced this year, explains Don.

With the festival also combining the historic Rose and Horticultural Show, there will also be stall in the the Rose Marquee this year with Gardeners Question Time also returning by popular demand.

It will be chaired by Skinny Jean's Gardener and television regular Lee Connolly with local expert Agne Hogbin and renowned national forager Mitch Mclean on the panel - this will taken place between 11am and 12noon on each day.

Don explains music will again play a large part in the festival with two full days planned, including Funky Voices choir and a Salsa team offering the chance to learn a few moved at no extra charge.

Parking is free in Kings Meadow and tickets, £4 for adults, are available on the door for the festival.