GROCERY giant Tesco is set to showcase Northern Ireland food and drink at its latest Taste Festival in Belfast.
The now annual free festival will be taking place at Custom House Square from September 16-18.
This year, the festival is taking the theme ‘Our Tastiest Yet’ and is expected to attract thousands of visitors across the weekend.
It will feature more than 60 exhibitors, and back-to-back activity throughout the weekend including producers sharing food skills at a special FoodNI cookery theatre, while the Ark Open Farm’s petting zoo will also make an appearance alongside a climbing wall and guest appearances from mascots Mr Tayto and Mr Morelli.
Tesco NI marketing manager Caoimhe Mannion said the event was the showpiece in the ongoing Tesco Taste NI campaign citing its importance in the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink.
"The Tesco Taste Festival forms part of our 2016 support programme for Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink, valued at half a million pounds," she said.
"But every year, we assist food producers and suppliers in a wide variety of ways via artisan programmes, multi-store sampling, food fairs, listing opportunities, in-store promotion and more.
"The Tesco Taste Festival offers a rare chance for producers to interact directly with the public and visitors can sample local produce at its best for free and of course favourites can be found at Tesco throughout the year."
The Tesco Taste Festival is currently in its eighth year and is organised annually by Tesco in partnership with its local suppliers.
It seeks to honours the quality, diversity and wholesomeness of locally and regionally produced fresh food and drink and celebrate the provenance of food and drink by highlighting and promoting the north’s abundant, quality produce to the world.
Festival opening times are 2pm to 8pm on September 16; 10am to 6pm on September 17 and 10am to 5pm on September 18.
