It's full steam ahead for a fabulous food festival this Sunday (October 3) in the grounds of The Speech House Hotel, Coleford.

The Forest Showcase will be celebrating 20 years since the event began and it will be wonderful to get back to some proper fun and feasting in the Forest of Dean, albeit in a carefully managed environment to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

The Forest Showcase is an event with a lot more going on than most food festivals...featuring the best fresh regional produce from over 100 top local and artisan producers, from gourmet burgers and handmade scotch eggs, to award-winning preserves and chutneys, fine cheeses, farmhouse ciders and speciality wines, ales and plenty of flavoured gins!. It's a great opportunity to get a real taste of the best of the area.

The cookery theatre will bring you a variety of cookery demonstrations from some of the area's top chefs designed to get you cooking with hints, tips and secrets from the experts.

The Punk Chef will be taking part, his flamboyant vibrant pink mohawk hairstyle and on-screen personality have won him legions of fans around the world. He is described as "Passionate, enthusiastic, exuberant and funny". Punk Chef's food demonstrations are unique because he expresses his passion for food through sign language and his demonstrations are translated through voice-over by a qualified interpreter.

Gareth Jenkins, head chef at The Speech House Hotel, will be showcasing salt... how to use it in your everyday cooking. Dispelling a few myths and misconceptions.

Yvette Farrell, owner of the Forest of Dean's premier award-winning cookery school will be demonstrating 'The Middle East meets the Forest of Dean'

Joe Parke will be making sourdough beer flatbreads with labneh and dukkah using freshly milled flour from the Festival's windmill and Two Tinkers beer.

Debbie from The Forest Deli will be doing an "Inspiring Flavour" demonstration, showcasing interesting store cupboard ingredients to brighten up mid-week cooking.

The talks and tastings area is sponsored by The Forest Deli and will bring some great talks from Chase Farm Ice Cream. Simon from Forest Deli will be talking about his favourite local beers, Wye Valley Meadery, and more including cheese and gin .

Also returning this year will be the very popular Parent & Child cookery classes with healthy eating advisor and cookery teacher Glyn Owen from 'Kids & Food'. This year they will be making Cheeky Chico rolls, a spring roll, filled with carrot, celery, spring greens and spring onion.

Places are limited and you can book your place on these classes on the Forest Showcase website.

After you've done your foodie shopping, you can sit and listen to some great live music whilst enjoying tasty hot food from some of the top street food vendors and a refreshing drink (or two). There are some great gins, mead, beers, wines and ciders to try.

The event will feature children's activities with entertainment throughout the day from Jitterbug Circus. There are also plenty of free food-related arts workshops. With a selection of arts & crafts on display along with green ideas on composting, tips on vegetable growing and keeping bees, this really is an event worth visiting, so come with empty tummies and promise you will be full to bursting when you leave.

The Forest Showcase will be held in the Speech House Hotel grounds,on Sunday from 10am. 

Tickets can be purchased in advance to avoid the queues from the website www.forestshowcase.org