THERE’S less than a month to go until the launch of Bournemouth’s Food and Drink Festival and preparations are in full swing.

Flags and banners are popping up around town and the publicity campaign has been stepped up to highlight the wide variety of events that will take place between Friday, June 21 and Sunday, June 30.

Bournemouth’s Town Centre Rangers are being briefed about all the festival has to offer, so they can spread the word among visitors and town centre traders are being urged to get involved in publicising the festival.

Organisers are also looking for people who can act as festival ambassadors to meet and greet guests or as hosts for the demonstration kitchen.

The event started life as a small three-day trial but has now grown to become a major draw.

Bournemouth Square will be the festival hub, with a 10-day street food festival, a three-day world food market, a Mediterranean Day, a Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean Day, a Far East Day, a four-day education zone, a three-day local producers’ market and a demonstration kitchen.

Organisers have also booked award-winning acoustic duo Tinderbox to play in the festival hub at 5pm and 7pm on Monday, June 24.

It’s hoped this will increase footfall in the town centre between 5pm and 9pm.

And the action is not solely confined to the Square. Other events include the Barons of Beef Festival launch event hosted by the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, a Soul Food and Music night at the Triangle, festival menus at some of Bournemouth’s top restaurants and a food quiz at Flirt Cafe.

Full details of the festival programme are available at bournemouthfoodanddrink.co.uk.