ABERGAVENNY Food Festival has opened for applications from stallholders to join the festival in its 20th anniversary year.

The application window will remain open until March 12 with the Festival taking place on the weekend of September 15 - 16.

Organisers state they particularly want to hear from new food businesses and those who have not been to the festival before; such as young farmers and food producers, those making raw pickled or fermented products, and craft-led artisans making cheese, charcuterie, beer and wine.

Once applications have closed they are reviewed and selected by a panel of judges including Abergavenny Food Festival founder, Martin Orbach, Italian chef Franco Taruschio, and ex-Director of Borough Market, Keith Davies.

The 2017 festival attracted more than 30,000 visitors with appearances from Tom Kerridge, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Darina Allan.

Festival chief executive, Aine Morris said, ‘In 1998 when the festival first started, it was unique because we brought together craft farmers and food producers, who often didn’t have access to mainstream retail markets.

‘The ways in which people shop for food has changed, and is continuing to change rapidly as consumers look to buy food with provenance and integrity, often via an online platform or market.

‘The challenge for us as a food festival is to ask how we can continue to innovate over time?

“To celebrate the 20th birthday edition we will be re-designing our existing market sites, adding more experiences and learning opportunities to engage our visitors in trying and tasting new things.’

Applicants for a stall for this year should go to the ‘Get Involved’ section of the festival website.