Huge crowds swamped Huddersfield town centre to celebrate the first day of a tantalising global feast.
Thousands of people from around the country have already been lured into the 15th Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival by the striking smells and sights of delicacies from Russia, Malaysia, Cote D’Ivoire, Greece, the USA and many more.
St George’s Square has again been transformed into a four-day car-free haven for food and drink lovers, who have come to sample cuisines and drinks from 90 different stall holders and take in the party atmosphere that is bringing people of different cultures and ages together.
Read more: The stalls, bars (and prices!) at Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival 2015
And there is a greater variety of cuisines on offer than before, from Carribean curry and Asian fried plaintains to Portugese tarts and water buffalo, in order to embrace people’s appetite for new food adventures.
One reveller from Newcastle, Sarah Garay travelled down to experience the event with friends.
Between them they had already sampled US hot dogs and paella and their children were looking forward to trying their first curry.
She said: “There is such a variety of food and there’s a lovely, friendly atmosphere.”
Other new additions this year include the relocation of the food demonstration stage, manned by Jamie’s Ministry of Food, to the middle of the square in a bid to get more people cooking back home.
Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival 2015: Everything you need to know
And wooden cabins have replaced the old marquees to make the event look smarter than before.
Sue Mellor, from Barnsley, said: “We come every year and it gets better–there’s a lot on offer.”
Another big draws is the new festival area on Northumberland Street, which has helped to increase the number of vendors from 70 last year.
Steve Jones of Cossack Cuisine, has thrown his traditional Russian cakes, pies and potato snacks into the mix.
He said: “It’s not a cuisine many people have tried so we wanted to give people the experience of it and it’s going down really well.”
Read more: Jamie's Ministry of Food inspires Food and Drink Festival — have a go at a tasty chicken and prosciutto recipe
However, several vendors on the street are unhappy that they have to pay the same rates as those in St George’s Square.
A Spokeswoman, from Dapur Malaysia, said: “I didn’t have a choice as to where I was put and I think they should have allowed us on the street to pay less because we won’t get the same footfall.”
Karen Hobson, one of the festival organisers, said that she did not think the traders would be affected.
She said: “It shouldn’t just be about St George’s Square, the festival is the festival no matter which street it’s on.
“We’ve tried to lay it out as best we can and I’ve had really positive feedback from lots of people so far, who like the new look.”
She hopes that at least 100,000 people will descend on the event over the weekend.
She said: “We wanted to make it even bigger for our 15th anniversary and were key to put the food demonstrations in the spotlight because before they were at the back of the festival before.
“By putting them in the centre we hope people will go away having tasted the amazing food but also having the confidence to go and cook it themselves back home.”
The festival will run 10am to 10pm Friday and Saturday and from 11am to 4.30pm on Sunday.
