The UK’s biggest food festival is set to start with a bang this bank holiday weekend right here in Bolton – we have complied some of the best family-friendly events taking place to ensure a weekend of fun for you and your little ones!

This year’s festival, which was postponed yesterday due to bad weather, is set to be bigger and better than ever with a range of events to suit all ages across Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Events include  a mix of celebrity and regional chef cookery demos, including special guests James Martin and Ainsley Harriott, two special events, more than 200 market stalls, flamboyant street entertainment, two live music stages and plenty of children’s and family entertainment.

This year’s ‘Family Feast of Fun’ will take place at the Elizabeth Park Family Zone from 11am – 5pm. The ‘family zone’ will feature a huge sandpit, music, arts, crafts, giant puppets and games for the whole family such as ‘family bingo’ and ‘make your own carnival crown’.

Magician Mark Daniel will also be performing several family-friendly magic shows at the festival which he announced via social media.

Bolton’s Octagon Theatre will be putting on a Jungle Book themed event for the weekend with tickets currently available online.

The event, which will be taking place from Saturday to Monday, features storytelling, live performances, Octagon’s ‘famous family disco’, arts and crafts and lots of bubbles.

Brand new for this year’s festival are a number of nature-based activities for children of all ages, which will be held at ‘The Festival Garden’ in Le Mans Crescent. Youngsters can create delicious snacks with Classroom Kitchens and learn how to grow their own vegetables.

Those visiting the ‘Festival Garden’ can also build their very own bug hotel, ‘meet the bees’ and join the competition to decorate a beehive.

For teenage attendees, the Bolton Food and Drink Festival will see Oxford Street turned into a ‘Teen Zone’ for the weekend with a variety of interactive games including air hockey, table football, music, tabletop games and classic arcade games.