Broadstairs Food Festival returns next weekend with an abundance of produce for visitors to get their teeth into.

From gourmet sausages and handmade chocolate to chutney and cheese, foodies will find a little bit of everything to tantalise the taste buds over the weekend of October 4,5 and 6.

This year's event will be the biggest yet, with more than 100 independent producers, primarily from Kent, and a theatre marquee which will play host to a series of workshops, including sessions on knife skills, olive oil tasting, Meet the Food Writers and a masterclass in how to create the perfect cheeseboard.

There will also be a vintage-style tea parlour and a main festival bar.

Children can enjoy face painting all weekend and on Sunday, the theatre becomes the festival's very own arthouse, with colour-in tablecloths and table mats and a story-teller to keep the smallest members of the family happy.

Parents will also be able to buy tickets to the hugely popular Broadstairs Halloween Trail from the Chamber of Commerce stall - the only place to buy the tickets this year.

The trail takes place during half term on Friday, October 25, at 2.30pm.

This year, festival organisers are introducing a deposit scheme for re-usable drinking glasses as part of a move to drastically reduce the amount of waste generated on site.

“We are getting drastic with plastic,” said Broadstairs Food Festival event organiser Jo Scott.

"With additional exhibitors this year, the organisers and local businesses sponsoring the festival are extremely passionate about waste and plastic recycling.

"Our traders are encouraged to use paper packaging, paper straws and recyclable plastics.

"We’ll be introducing a deposit scheme with re-usable cups for our alcohol sellers and encouraging people to bring their own coffee cups.”

The festival is at Victoria Gardens and Promenade from Friday to Sunday, October 4, 5 and 6.

Gates open at 10am closing at 6pm on Friday and Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.

Entry is free with ‘Pop a Pound’ buckets for people to donate.

New for 2019 is the festival’s support for Thanet Food Link, a community food resource to which a percentage of the collection will be given.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet