A town was “absolutely heaving” for the return of a food and garden festival at the weekend.

Letchworth Food and Garden Festival took place in the sunshine on Saturday and yesterday (Sunday) with more than 60 food and drink stalls, celebrity cooking demonstrations and a community garden project on display.

The free festival, organised by Love Letchworth, saw Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch co-presenter Simon Rimmer as well as Great British Bake Off finalist Cathryn Dresser demonstrate their culinary talents on stage.

Letchworth town centre manager Lee Boswell said: “The Letchworth Food and Garden Festival proved an incredibly popular start to our Garden City summer campaign. The town was absolutely buzzing. Stallholders sold out, consumers really enjoyed experiencing all the sights, smells and tastes that were on offer and the kids enjoyed the cookery school, sow and grow and bicarb rockets.

“The demonstrations were excellent, particularly the cook-off between myself and Comet editor, Darren Isted. I think Darren would have won but for mixing up his dill and parsley!

“The town was absolutely heaving with new visitors experiencing Letchworth for the first time and hopefully keen to come back. The weather obviously helped but the event proved that if the offer is right people are prepared to travel – so we’ll be making sure that there is more of the same on the menu next year.” Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation representatives also attended to discuss its partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society to create three new showcase gardens in The Wynd and run a major community Grow Your Own Project.

The fun took place in Leys Square, Garden Square Shopping Centre, Eastcheap, The Arcade and The Wynd over the two days.

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