THE Mayor of Melksham, Cllr Adrienne Westbrook, has launched the 2018 Melksham Food & River Festival by announcing the event’s main sponsors.

They are Leekes, Waitrose and McCarthy & Stone, while Melksham Town Council is providing a cash grant of £2,500 to support the festival.

Leekes is sponsoring the main activity and providing a kitchen facility for the cookery demonstrations, while Waitrose is providing a £1,000 cash grant plus food-related demonstrations in the main marquee, as well as taking a stall.

McCarthy & Stone is providing a cash grant of £500, as well as taking a stall at the two-day event on September 1 and 2, while the Box Steam Brewery at Holt will be providing the festival bar as one of the sponsors.

Cllr Westbrook said: “I am delighted to announce the names of the main sponsors. Without their help, the event could not go ahead.

“We have also launched a Golden Ticket competition for someone who can design us a new front cover for the festival brochure.”

The fun family festival will take place in King George V park and on the nearby River Avon. Entry is free.

Families will be urged to come along and enjoy a fun-filled day out. Entry is free.

The festival will cater for the whole family, including boat trips, canoeing on the River Avon, a children’s funfair, face painting, rides on Frankie the canal horse and cookery demonstrations.

Cllr Westbrook added: “We also have live music and many artisan food and produce stalls to browse plus plenty of hot food and drink stalls and an on-site bar for whenever you need some refreshment.”

The 4th annual Melksham Food & River Festival is a not-for-profit collaboration between Melksham Food & Drink Festival and the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust (Melksham, Calne & Chippenham Branch).