WELLINGTON shops and restaurants are preparing to make the town come alive on Sunday, September 9, with open days and exhibitions, special menus and a jazz brunch, as part of the Wellington Food Fair and Festival.

While Saturday, September 8, will see thousands of people visiting the town for the first action-packed day of the event, Sunday is shaping up to be a leisurely shopping and eating experience that will be a first for the town.

"We wanted the Food Fair and Festival to last longer than just a day, and the town's shops and restaurants have really thrown themselves into the spirit of the event, laying on all kinds of treats for visitors," said John Cottrell, chairman of the Wellington Food Town Steering Group, which is promoting the event.

Mike Davies, well-known chef from the Bindon House Hotel, will be cooking brunch in the Fabulous Food Tent that hosted cookery demonstrations and a curry and beer night, the day before.

Jazz will be provided by local singer and restaurateur Sarah Cunningham.

But all tastes are being catered for with a wide variety of other Sunday food, all with an emphasis on local products, as well as food tastings and other events ranging from circus skills sessions to sugarcraft demonstrations.

Jan Hart, of Hart and Craft in the town's Fore Street, which supplies materials and expertise for artists and craftspeople, is laying on special exhibitions and demonstrations in painting and sugarcraft.

King's Cycles is holding an open day, with special festival promotions, while other shops simply offer gentle Sunday browsing, following what is expected to be a vibrant day before when the High Street will be closed to traffic and lined with 60 stallholders, plus a raft of events from chef demonstrations to bands, food trails and quizzes to apple juicing and children's workshops.

Please visit www.wellingtonfoodtown.co.uk for full details of the Wellington Food Fair & Festival.