THIS weekend's Abergavenny Food Festival Christmas Food and Drink Fair promises to have something for everyone from top tips to a parade of carol singers which everyone is invited to join.

The main event takes place on Sunday, December 14 (10 – 5pm), but there's a run-up event on Saturday, December 13 at Homes of Elegance (Abergavenny) to get you in the party mood.

Lindy Wildsmith, award-winning cook and food writer, will make festive drinks based on recipes from her new book 'Artisan Drinks' (£25 hardback/Jacqui Small Publishing) so you'll have plenty of opportunity to sample the results. How about artisan punch, an elegant liqueur, or a glamorous cocktail?

Come Sunday morning the Food and Drink Fair will showcase over eighty hand-picked speciality exhibitors over three venues. Alongside the markets there's a rolling programme of seasonal demonstrations with top culinary talent. Shop, then take a rest whilst getting tasty tips. If you're lucky there might be some food to sample too.

This year there will be traditional decorations with an historic twist. In the Market Hall there will be a giant ball of mistletoe with ruched red fabric swags and festoon lighting; plus fir swags between the pillars with festive fruits such as pomegranates.

Enter the venue through Tudor kissing boughs. At the gates to the Priory there will be swagging, and other foliage and bare branch decorations in the first courtyard.

The chef dem line-up in the Market Hall includes Adele Nozedar (pictured above) and Karl Cheetham (Gliffaes Hotel) who will conjure up wickedly delicious festive sweets; and Iain Sampson (The Bear, Crickhowell) will pair up with Jim Hamilton (Kings Arms, Abergavenny) to make twelve savoury canape/finger foods.

The final dem of the day will be given by Arun Kapil (pictured below), founder of Green Saffron Ltd. The spice specialist will turn left-over turkey into a superbly aromatic dish, then magic up 'snowman on a stick' from left over Christmas pudding. See the full line-up at abergavennyfoodfestival.com.

If you'd like to try out some of the recipes that will be demonstrated then take a look at the Festival's blog (see main menu 'news and updates').

Take your children to the Secret Treats workshops. Activities include 'Chocs Away' (filling and decorating sweets); Althea's Gourmet Marshmallows (buy mini-sized mallows and pick & mix sizes for children); Randomz peppermint cream workshops; Rebecca Buck's sugar mice workshops (and see her make a Narnian Aslan and child out of sugar); soap-making with different shapes and scents; and jam jar lantern workshop for the Christmas Musical Feast procession.

To round off the day the whole community is invited to join in a Christmas musical feast with a procession starting at Market Hall with Abergavenny Town Band (4.15 to 4.45pm), finishing at Priory Church of St Mary where there will even more carol singing - accompanied by mulled wine, tea or coffee and mince pies as well as a free Christmas concert featuring Gwent Youth Strings and School Choirs (4.45 to 5.40pm) and food-themed Evening Service (6.00 to 7.00pm).

Everyone - whether or not you've been to the Food Festival - is invited to join in with the carol singing and the procession which will be led by Abergavenny Borough Band.

Buy stroller wristbands (£5.00) and event tickets online, through the Borough Theatre (tel: 01873 850805) or on the day from the ticket point outside the Market Hall and Priory Centre.