A Kent town will be launching its first ever food festival this summer.

The new Ashford Food and Drink Festival will boast a packed programme of wine tastings, restaurant pop-ups, pizza making workshops and more.

Ashford Borough Council hope that the event will “showcase the brilliant businesses and producers” from the local area.

The festival will launch with a free launch at Coachworks on Friday, June 30.

The venue’s usual food and drink vendors will be open for business, as well as a temporary food market, live music and a chance to make your own pizza.

The opening weekend continues with AshFOOD, a two-day celebration of Kent’s food and drink producers at Elwick Place.

Restaurants pop-ups from Ashford and the surrounding areas will be serving their signature dishes, while bars will be offering Kentish ales and ciders, summer cocktails and soft drinks.

The event, which also features live music, DJs and children’s craft workshops, will take place on Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2.

“We are thrilled to be bringing AshFOOD to Elwick Place and supporting not only the venue’s food and drink outlets, but also some of Kent’s finest suppliers,” says AshFOOD host Samantha Ready. “It’ll be a weekend of family fun and of course, fantastic food.”

As the month continues, local food vendors will be putting on their own events as part of the festival.

Kent vineyards such as Chapel Down, Biddenden and Westwell Wines will be part of a tutored wine tasting with cheese and charcuterie boards at Revelation Ashford in St Mary’s Church on Wednesday, July 19.

Those who prefer beer can head down to the three-day Summer Beers and BBQ Festival, hosted by Curious Brewery and Wild Beer Co from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23.

The event will include small plates, BBQ classics, exclusive beers and live music.

All month, there will be bottomless brunches, food markets and wine masterclasses at Coachworks and a programme of family-friendly arts and crafts workshops from Made in Ashford.

There will also be an ongoing ‘Taste and Try Throughout July’ campaign where residents are encouraged to visit participating venues during the festival, including the Little Teapot, Leo and Sage, Low Key Taproom, Valeries, Salata, Matches, Itacas and County Square.

“We are excited to launch Ashford’s first Food and Drink Festival,” says Ashford Borough Council’s Keli Nolan-Lyons.

“We hope residents and visitors enjoy discovering something new, as well as revisiting old favourites by raising a glass or savouring a dish as we celebrate the variety of food and drink offerings we have here in Ashford.”

The full programme of events can be found online here.

The Ashford Food and Drink Festival takes place at venues around the town from Friday, June 30 to Monday, July 31.