The Brighton & Hove Food and Drink festival celebrates the best of food and drink in Sussex, and Chilli will be the star of the show at the festival’s public launch. Giant visual projections onto the cliffs, flame throwers and dramatic performance arts displays on a floating stage will open the festival at Brighton Marina on 1st September, followed by a three-day spicy food and drink market.

The North Laine will play host to a huge Festival Food & Drink Market, one of the largest farmers markets in the UK, on the 16th and 17th September, offering a weekend filled with eating, drinking and fun festival frolics, including live entertainment and competitions.

Making a return to the festival is ‘Battle of the Bars - Bar Idol’, with the best bar tenders in Brighton & Hove competing over four heats across the city, before the big showdown on September 21st at Komedia.

Another welcome return is the spectacular Regency Festival Banquet – an exclusive Regency costume, six course dinner for 120 people – held in the Banqueting Room and Great Kitchen of the Royal Pavilion and hosted by George IV himself – albeit a very convincing actor playing the part!

A city-wide children’s pumpkin growing competition will also be running over the course of the festival, with free seeds distributed in the spring and a grand finale, family event taking place at the end of September – raising funds and food for charities and the elderly.

Nick Vowles, marketing manager at VisitBrighton says: “The Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival offers a wonderful array of events, appealing to all palates - from the spicy to the more traditional! Brighton has long held a reputation, as one of the UK's most creative and culturally innovative cities and this year's Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival not only reaffirms this but continues to demonstrate the excellent produce available in Sussex.”

For details of The Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival go to www.brightonfoodfestival.co.uk or www.visitbrighton.com