THE FINAL day of the Dales Festival of Food and Drink saw visitors soaking up the festival atmosphere and enjoying the sunshine.

The festival, showing off the best of the region’s produce, has been based in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, since it began in 2002. 

Festival administrator and spokesperson Sandy Carter said: “It has been a fabulous weekend and has really felt like summer today with people turning up in shorts and tee-shirts.

“We have enjoyed blue skies all day and it has really brought people out.

“Numbers so far have been great, and we were still getting people though the gates at 3pm even though we closed at 5pm – but we don’t know exactly how the numbers compare to last year yet.”

Ms Carter said the last of the day’s events included a cupcake decorating competition and a sheep shearing demonstration – and said lots of children and families had taken part in the activities.

Bank Holiday Monday’s events included a packed-out talk by author Gervase Phinn, who said prior to the event: “There is no better way of spending the May Day Bank Holiday weekend than a visit to beautiful Wensleydale for there is something for everyone at this varied and colourful pageant and the hospitality is of the very best.”

Reeth Brass Band, Black Sheep Morris Men and the New Orleans Wriggle Jazz Band also performed, and there were demonstrations in bee-keeping, wood-turning and cheese making.

The first Dales Festival of Art ran alongside the food and drink festival, with stalls and workshops with hand-crafted jewellery, original artwork and an art trail around Leyburn.