THOUSANDS of foodies will be flocking to the town centre this weekend for this year's Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival.

The free to attend, annual ten day event got underway yesterday with a host of street food stalls from around the world, local farmers' markets, cooking demonstrations and live music.

Today at 2pm in The Square, Bournemouth Echo editor Andy Martin will go up against BBC Radio Solent presenter Steve Harris in a People’s Kitchen cooking challenge while Bournemouth’s new mayor and mayoress, Cllrs Lawrence and Elaine Williams, will be battling it out at 12.30pm with Bournemouth west MP, Conor Burns.

Hosted by professional chefs Des Burke and Andy Chu, the People's Kitchen invites people from all walks of life to try their hand in quick fire cooking contests.

New for 2017 in the People’s Kitchen will also be audience challenges.

Chef Andy Chu, a consultant of Wah Hing Chinese Supermarket and executive chef of Mr Lee's Noodles Company, said: “We will be inviting members of the public to come up and learn a new technique, or how to prepare a simple dish.

“When I say simple of course, I mean simple for me.”

Tomorrow there will be The Kids' Kitchen from 12 noon, a Conker Gin Masterclass from 3pm to 4pm and Cocktail Cabinet Concoctions from 4pm to 5pm.

On Monday from 7pm to 9.30pm, there will be a bartenders' competition, followed by a talk on English wine on Tuesday from 6pm to 7pm and the Wagamama Experience from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday.

There will also be free to attend live music every day including tribute acts, acoustic, folk, blues as well as comedy pianist Matt Black, displays by the First Position School of dance and performances by the Funky Little Choir.

All events will take place in the festival hub in The Square. For full event details, visit bournemouthfoodanddrink.co.uk/