SHELLFISH to charcuterie, marshmallows to water buffalo- the mother of all food festivals is coming to Poundbury.

Dorset’s top chefs and producers will be serving up the best the county has to offer at the Dorset Food and Arts Festival, Queen Mother Square, on Saturday.

The festival is being held on the weekend closest to the birthday of the late Queen Mother, which coincides with the monthly Dorset Farmers’ Market in Poundbury.

Simon Conibear, estate director for the Duchy of Cornwall at Poundbury, said: “We are delighted that Queen Mother Square will be hosting the third Dorset Food and Arts Festival.”

Stall-holders include members of Dorset Farmers Markets and the food producers group Dorset Food and Drink, celebrating its first anniversary at the festival, and two bars which will be run by Blandford brewers Hall & Woodhouse, who are also sponsors of the event, and Palmers Brewery.

The festival opens at 9am with the Dorset Farmer’s Market and stallholders and entertainment will continue all day until until 10pm.

Food and drink will be served throughout the evening from a variety of different food and drink stalls. This year the festival is offering an all-day music programme including folk musicians Howling At The Moon and Dorset’s Got Talent winner Annabel Davies.

In the evening there will be poetry from town crier Alistair Chisholm, and music from Drummer Hodge community play band and from the New Hardy Players’ production of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex Scenes.

Entry and parking are free, but visitors can use the free park and ride from Dorchester Football Club.

CHEFS STEP UP TO THE PLATE

There’s a line-up of demonstrations in the Dorset Farmers’ Market mobile kitchen by three leading chefs – the chef-proprietor of a cookery school and a butchery and charcuterie expert – all experienced and entertaining presenters.

Stall-holders include members of Dorset Farmers Markets.

The demonstrators are chefs Matt Budden of Highcliff Grill at the Bournemouth Marriott Hotel, Mark Hartstone of La Fosse at Cranborne and Brett Sutton of the White Post Inn at Rimpton near Sherborne, with chef and teacher Luke Stuart of White Pepper Cookery School at Lytchett Matravers and charcuterie expert and forager Lee Moreton of Dorset Charcuterie Co at Lytchett Matravers, all of them preparing delicious dishes.