New destination for foodies

ree Counties Food & Drink Festival is a brandnew event, coming to the Malvern showground on 29th-30th July. Over 160 of the best food and drink vendors from the region and beyond will be o ering culinary delights, street food and fun bars, with designer makers, garden and homewares too.

An exciting programme of have-a-go activities is promised, plus re BBQ demonstrations, live music, a chilled DJ set and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Don’t miss the Cookery eatre, with a stellar line-up of TV chefs including host of BBC’s Saturday Kitchen Matt Tebbutt and 2022 Masterchef nalist Pookie, alongside chef and restaurateur Jean-Christophe Novelli and

Roll up, roll up!

Vintage vehicle enthusiasts will be in their element at the Vintage Transport Extravaganza hosted by Severn Valley Railway on 12th-13th August. Vehicles from all eras will be displayed across the six stations along the line, including steam traction engines, tractors and buses as well as some more unusual transport. Tickets are £25. www.svr.co.uk

Oh So Sweet

•27th August, Spitfire 10k, RAF Cosford There’s a new route for this iconic 10k in the unique surroundings of RAF Cosford. For many runners, reading and sharing the story of their Battle of Britain pilot is an interesting add-on to the race. Standard entry £25, advance booking essential. 10am.

•27th-28th August, Plant Hunters Fair, Dorothy Clive Garden, Market Drayton the legendary chef Rosemary Shrager, plus Great British Bake O winner and Strictly nalist John Whaite and Dirty Vegan’s Mathew Pritchard. Chris Bavin, presenter of BBC’s Eat Well For Less?, will host the theatre demos across the weekend. Family fun includes the Cookery School, where youngsters get hands on making butter, cheese, pasta and ice-cream, or let them loose at Circus School. For adults, a range of bookable sessions includes cocktail making, barista skills (including a cheeky espresso martini), and wine and spirit tasting. It’s a great day out, with fantastic shopping and lots of foodie fun! Tickets from £12 including parking. www.threecountiesfoodfestival.com

Browse the many stalls and thousands of plants at this fund-raiser for the Garden. Get all the inspiration you need from the visiting RHS medallists and National Collection holders who are horticulturalists, designers and artisans. 10am-5pm. £5.

A Wizard Day Out

Shrewsbury Castle plays host to several outdoor theatre performances during August, including family favourite e Wizard of Oz on 10th August. Performed by Immersion eatre, expect laughter, music and plenty of audience participation. Visitors are welcome to bring chairs or rugs to sit on, as well as picnics. ere are two performances at 1pm and 4pm, tickets are £15 (child £12.50) and can be booked via www.theatresevern.co.uk

Wem is known as the home of sweet peas, thanks to plantsman Henry Eckford, who lived here and cultivated more than 200 varieties in his lifetime. Wem Sweet Pea Show on 15th-16th July celebrates these delicate owers and will see a variety of sweet peas on display in the Town Hall, as well as craft, gift and food stalls. Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-3pm. Tickets £2 (£3 for both days, children free). www.wemtownhall.co.uk

Adam Rowe, Jessica Fostekew, Tom Wrigglesworth, Clinton Baptiste, Pete Firman and Paul Sinha are among the acts con rmed for gala night at Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival. e festival runs from 13th16th July, with shows taking place throughout the town, culminating in the star-studded gala at eatre Severn. Ticket prices range from £8 to £33.50 for the gala. With some events already sold out, early booking is advisable. See www.sicfest.co.uk and www.theatresevern.co.uk ere’s lots to see and do this summer at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, ‘the grandparent of skyscrapers’. e seven-acre site in Ditherington is now fully open and e Mill exhibition and Turned Wood Café are open daily throughout the school holidays. e exhibition tells the story of the rst iron-framed building in the world, built here in 1797. As anyone who’s visited the famous Iron Bridge knows, Shropshire led the way in the use of this new construction material, solving the ageold problem of mills burning down. e ironwork for the Flaxmill was cast in Coleham, Shrewsbury, by William Hazledine (later Mayor). e exhibition uses original artifacts and modern audiovisual displays to tell this story. “Without a doubt the best exhibition I have ever visited – and I have visited a lot!” wrote one visitor.

Guided tours give the opportunity to see the ‘behind the scenes’, including the upper oors and Cross Mill, while a summer activity trail will help families explore the site. A programme of events includes a scavenger hunt with artist Jamila Walker, craft activities with Cherie Jerrard and the DRAWN collective, and afterhours opening.

DID YOU KNOW?

e Turned Wood Café is an integral part of any visit, run by the family team behind the popular former Greenwood Café at Coalbrookdale. Outdoor seating overlooks the wild ower meadow on the route of the old canal, ideal for co ee and cake on a sunny morning. e shop stocks a great range of local products, many unique to the venue and from local businesses. www.ShrewsburyFlaxmillMaltings.org.uk

During the school holidays, entry is free for kids accompanied by a paying adult