The Huntingdonshire Food and Drink Festival starts this month and the festival is highlighting the variety of tasty food available at certified farmers’ markets in the district. 

Local food producers will be offering tasters and giveaways at markets in Huntingdon, St Neots and St Ives. The first farmers’ market leading up to the festival is in St Ives on Saturday 6 September, then in Huntingdon on Friday 12, again in St Ives on Saturday 20 followed by one on the Friday 26 in Huntingdon and the final one of the month in St Neots on Saturday 27 September. 

At Huntingdon Farmers Market locally-grown apples and taster jars of local preserves made by five regular farmers' market producers will be given away to customers on both Friday 12 and 26 September. The market is open from 8am – 2pm and taster and giveaways will be available between 10am – 12 noon.
 
At St Neots Farmers Market on Saturday 27 fresh local produce and specialities will be on offer with the delights of live music by Eel Pie.  The market is open from 9am – 1pm.

Cotton recyclable shopping bags will be given away at St Ives Farmers Market on 6 and 20 September to help reduce the number of shoppers using plastic bags. The market is open from 8.30am – 1.00pm.
 
Huntingdon, St Ives, Ramsey and St Neots all regularly hold certified farmers’ markets, which mean that they are independently verified as meeting national standards.  At certified farmers’ markets the food sold must come from the local area and be sold by the person who produces it.  Bought-in produce is not allowed. 

Corrine Garbett, Sustainable Economic Development Manager, said; “Each year over eighty certified farmers’ markets are held in Huntingdonshire and the two markets that fall within the festivals days are a great way to highlight the district’s strength and variety of local food producers.  Buying directly from the person who has grown or made the food helps ensure that the customer gets really good value and that their money stays in the local economy.”

Full details of the markets can be found using the link on the right.