Thousands of visitors are expected at a gastronomic celebration of top chefs, delicious street food, cocktail-making masterclasses and live music at Oxford’s Foodies Festival in South Parks this weekend.

The three-day bash has not been able to go ahead since 2019 because of the pandemic and organisers are predicting a glorious comeback with MasterChef and Bake Off champions plus pop acts Scouting for Girls and Toploader on the menu.

A limited number of tickets are still available to feast your eyes on MasterChef champions, Michelin-starred and top local chefs cooking up a storm and sharing signature summer recipes in The Chefs Theatre.

Treats include award-winning GBBO 2020 Finalist Dave Friday, MasterChef: The Professionals champion 2020 Alex Webb, MasterChef finalist 2020 Sandy Tang and MasterChef finalist 2021 Madeeha Qureshi.

And Michelin-starred chef patron Mike North of the Nut Tree Inn at Murcott and Nick Galer at The Miller in Mansfield in Goring will be showing off their talents.

You can sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails in The Drinks Theatre, eat delicious street food from around the world, taste new flavours, meet artisan producers and challenge yourself with the famous chilli eating competitions.

Kids join in the fun at The Kids Cookery Theatre run by SuperChefs where they can learn to create scrumptious recipes with a Teddy Bear Picnic theme and this year the Kids Zone and Crafts Tent have been extended so everyone can enjoy the day out.

Foodies Festival began in 2004 and was rapidly dubbed the ‘gastro-Glastonbury’.

The musical menu is just as sumptuous as the rest of the offering with the platinum-selling Scouting For Girls performing crowd-pleasing hits including She’s So Lovely, Heartbeat and Elvis Ain’t Dead.

Festival favourites Toploader will ensure that Dancing In The Moonlight is on the cards and top-ranked Lady Gaga tribute act, Maybe Gaga, will bring to life the star’s biggest hits.

More than 50 bands and artists will take to the stage across the long weekend while over 150 exhibitors will showcase their produce at the Covid-safe event, providing festival-goers with a fantastic opportunity to sample the best of Oxford - and to try a huge selection of delicious food and drink from around the world.

Director Sue Hitchen said: “I am so pleased that we are returning to Oxford this year, bringing top chefs to cook live and big name music acts to our stage.

“There has never been a better time to support local restaurants and food producers and we are all ready to enjoy a fun day out with friends.”