Un-brie-lievable scenes as cheese festival marks fifth year - in pictures and video
There were un-brie-lievable scenes as thousands flocked to a market square for the fifth anniversary of a cheese and ale festival.
The Stafford Cheese, Ale and Food Festival returned to the town and saw cooking demonstrations from special guests – including Great British Bake Off star James Hillery who gave demonstrations and dished out recipes.
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Hundreds of cheeses and ales from breweries including Stafford-based Titanic were on offer as the festival came back with new organisers Cocker Hoop Creative.
Organiser Jon Arrowsmith, managing director at Cocker Hoop Creative, said: "We primarily organise Lichfield Food Festival and what we noticed there is people now aren't afraid to try different foods, try cooking different meals and they have found the ability now to go into the kitchen and not be afraid of the utensils and products.
"These sorts of festivals are great because they are able to buy the quality products at that point, take them home and experiment. It is just nice to see full streets because if you have full streets they will then go into local businesses."
James Hillery, who starred in the Great British Bake Off last year, took to the stage to demonstrate making his cheese and beer scones with a cheese and beer dip.
Mr Hillery, who was visiting the festival for the first time, said: "I tried to pick something that people could make at home.
"Cooking can be really fancy, especially some of the stuff we did in the tent, whereas people want to be able to go home and make something quick.
"I think they [festivals] are great, it makes things accessible. There was a chef on earlier that cooked some fish and vegetables in fifteen minutes – quicker than you can get a takeaway."
Scores of traders lined the streets, including Steve Howard, 54, from Burntwood, who was selling more than 130 cheeses.
Mr Howard, who has been running The Cheese Cavern for 34 years, said: "They [festivals] are massively important because you can't go to a normal shop and see them stocking so many cheeses. The festival is fantastic."
And for those visitors helping pack out the town Anna Adams, 37, from Stafford, said: "If these kinds of events mean more people coming to the town then that is great really."
Calls also came for a similar style of festival to come to Wolverhampton.
Ken Argyle, 67, from Wolverhampton, said: “It is amazing. It is a place to come and be educated.
"Wolverhampton is crying out for this. It needs something like this that gets people out. If it gets strangers to the town then that’s hugely beneficial."
