AN ale trail and a fish feast will be among the highlights when a ten-day culinary extravaganza is held in York.

The tenth annual York Festival Of Food And Drink, which will be held in the autumn, will celebrate all that is best about Yorkshire cuisine.

Festival organiser Debbie Waite looked forward to the festival, which was first held back in 1997.

She said: "The York Festival Of Food And Drink is the biggest of its kind and we think it's going from strength to strength. There is something for everybody, every taste and every budget.

"You can browse round incredible and diverse markets, go to tasting events, watch live cookery, attend dinners and wine evenings and discover new recipes and old."

The festival will run from September 22 to October 1, and will include chefs' demonstrations, wine and food tastings, a children's day, a Yorkshire market, and ale trail and a whisky festival.

There will also be a special mutton lunch in the Bedern Hall, a Spanish evening with tapas in Guildhall, a beef dinner in the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, and a feast of fish from the Yorkshire coast.

Pupils from Westfield Primary School, in Acomb, York, will prepare and serve school dinners for parents, grandparents, teachers and visitors in Guildhall; food historian Peter Brears will tell the story of jelly in the Castle Museum; Rosemary Shrager will work with homeless charity Carecent to show homeless people how to cook on next to nothing; and train chefs will compete in the GNER Chef Of The Year contest.

Ms Waite said York's historic character made it ideal for the festival.

She said: "It's unique because we have all these amazing historical buildings we can use as venues for dinners, wine tastings and live cookery.

"This year, we will make sure there is at least one 'tasting' and two live cookery events that you can attend every single day, so even if you can only make it to the festival on one day there will be lots to see and do.

"We're proud to be Yorkshire and the York Festival Of Food And Drink is a celebration of the amazing produce that can be found in our region."

For more details of the festival visit www.yorkfestivaloffoodanddrink.com or phone 01904 466687.

Updated: 08:28 Monday, May 29, 2006