More than 20,000 free tickets have been snapped up for City of Wolverhampton's Festival of Food and Drink.

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The weekend festival on Saturday 7 July and Sunday 8 July (12pm to 8pm both days) is the flagship event of this year's packed 'Enjoy Wolverhampton' visitor programme.

Tickets for both days can be booked online in advance at Type=links;Linkid=8559;Title=Wolverhampton Festival of Food and Drink;Target=_blank;.

If people choose to arrive without a ticket on either day, admission may not be possible. 

Admission without a ticket - if capacity allows - will incur a small charge of £2 on the gate, with £1 going to the Mayor of Wolverhampton's chosen charities and £1 to event costs.

The festival will take place on Wulfruna Street, the Civic Centre Ceremonial car park, St Peter's car park and the pedestrian area outside the University of Wolverhampton's Ambika Paul building.

A new addition to the Saturday programme is the live screening of England's World Cup quarter final with Sweden (ko 3pm).

Visitors on the Saturday can also enjoy the spectacular sights and sounds of a commemorative Royal Air Force flypast.

A C47 Dakota from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) team will makes three passes above the city centre event at around 2.20pm.

William Power of Street Banquet and Director of E11EVEN GROUP has staged events across the country and is again delivering the Festival of Food and Drink.

He said: "Last year's event was regarded as one of the UK's best street food festivals of the year. The 2018 edition will be bigger and better."

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: "We were delighted with the success of last year's inaugural festival and, following feedback from people that attended, this year it is back with even more to offer.

"Wolverhampton is a vibrant, thriving city with plenty to offer every day of the year.

"The Enjoy Wolverhampton programme has even more on offer - and this festival is a great event all the family can enjoy."

More than 18,500 people attended the inaugural festival and this year's offer is even bigger and better, with around 80 different food and drink outlets.

Partnerships and collaborations with the likes of Digbeth Dining Club will see award winning street food and drink traders making their City of Wolverhampton debuts.

There will be a wider range of food and drink traders, artisan stalls, and exhibitors, alongside live music, an open-air cinema, Prosecco bar, guest appearances, family area and traditional fairground games.

Enjoy Wolverhampton is 22 days of exciting events (26 June to 17 July), activities and special offers for everyone to enjoy, brought by businesses in the city working together. View the full programme at Type=links;Linkid=6522;Title=Enjoy Wolverhampton;Target=_blank;.

  • released: Thursday 5 July, 2018