A new Beer and Cider Festival will join a tasty line-up for this summer's Kent County Show, as organisers put food and drink high on their priority list this year.

The Kent County Agricultural Society, which runs the annual show at the Kent Showground in Detling, is bringing local produce and food into the spotlight.

They say showgoers have told them after the livestock at the event, food is next on their list of importance.

The festival will join the large Food Marquee, Cheese and Wine Tent, and Produced in Kent area, plus the many mobile street food caterers, the Why Farming Matters in Kent Cookery Theatre and several unusual local and international food producers across the showground.

Show manager Lucy Hegarty said: "This year we are incorporating a new Beer and Cider Festival. Kent is such an important county when it comes to beer and cider, and it is only right that visitors to our show can sample some of the best refreshments in the UK."

It is being co-organised by Orpington-based The Craft Beer Man which has knowledge of the brewery and cider production in Kent.

Also at the show, Produced in Kent will have a large area dedicated to local artisan producers who will sell local goods, and talk to visitors about ingredients and their products.

Each year the show hosts the National Cherry and Soft Fruit Show with commercial growers from across the country. The winning entry of cherries are always sent to Buckingham Palace as a present for The Queen.

Why Farming Matters in Kent shows visitors local produce with cookery demonstrations from local chefs; farmers and growers on hand and a professional cookery theatre which will be home to the Kent is Delicious children’s cookery competition, run by The Diocese of Canterbury and supported by the Kent County Agricultural Society.

Now in its fifth year, the contest features primary school children where children develop their cookery, confidence and team building skills.

The show will will be held on Friday, July 8, Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10, from 8am to 6pm.

A family ticket (two adults and two children aged five to 15) costs £43.20 in advance or £48 on the gate. Children under 5 are free and parking is also free.

Adult tickets are £19.80 in advance and £22 on the gate, children £5.40

in advance and £6 on the gate. Multiday tickets are £50 in advance.