• It’s that time of year again when foodies gather in South Parks to celebrate all that’s good in the world of food and drink.

Foodies Festival runs from Saturday, August 24 to Monday, 26 and this year’s new features include the Cake & Bake Theatre, Chocolate Theatre and BBQ Arena.

Top chefs from the local area, including 2013 MasterChef finalist Larkin Cen and ITV’s Food Glorious Food contestant Bini Ludlow will join Michelin-starred Gary Jones from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Alex MacKay author of Everybody Everyday, TV chef and writer Sophie Grigson, Michael North of The Nut Tree, Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi of The Caldesi Cookery School and Max Mason of The Big Bang, who will cook their signature summer dishes live in the Chefs’ Theatre.

Now in its seventh year, Foodies Festival’s new features include a spectacular Cake and Bake Theatre incorporating a ‘bake-along’ with members of the audience invited to participate.

This year the Chocolate Theatre is launched to showcase the world of chocolate and confectionery with daily demonstrations, chocolate and wine matching as well as chocolate tasting. In an effort to bring new and innovative produce to their events, Foodies Festival has also enrolled Custom Creams, the world’s first ‘create your own’ liquid nitrogen ice-cream. The specially-designed BBQ Arena features hourly BBQ classes and Man vs Meat competitions where contestants cook their own chicken wings, ribs, sausages and burgers and are then given 60 seconds to eat as much of their creations as possible with the crowd judging who made the best effort.

There is also a Wine Village, bringing together producers from across the world. The new market section Homeware Village offers visitors the chance to shop for kitchenware and gadgets.

Food-lovers will enjoy the new dining and VIP area serving signature dishes from pop-up versions of top local restaurants. The bar area has had a countryside makeover complete with hay bales and a focus on British cider and ale. There is also a wide variety of tent and pagoda bars throughout the site selling cocktails, wine and champagne.

The extensive producers’ market sells a vast array of artisan produce from the local area, while Street Food Avenue means Oxford’s crowds can enjoy the huge selection of ready-to-eat hot and cold food from around the world including hog roasts, exotic meats, tapas, churros, burritos, Moroccan tagines, South American prime beef, Jamaican and Thai street food.

And not to be forgotten, this year’s Children’s Cookery Theatre will be operated by local cook school Kiddy Cook.

Go to foodiesfestival.com for more details