Food festival is serving up chefs with a side order of entertainment

It's one of the area's biggest food gatherings and Seaham Food Festival is back with a bang this weekend.

- by Katy Wheeler

Taking place on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, there will be more than 100 traders, as well as demonstrations from top chefs and family entertainment, from crafts to comedy, at the free festival.

Just some of those attending are Armenian Kitchen, Chicken Ting, Cocktail Bay Rum Kitchen, Crepe Expectations, Greek Street Food, Hogs 'n' Chix, Monument Coffee Company, Redheads Mac 'n' Cheese, Spud Gun Loaded Fries, The Geordie Banger Co, Three Brothers Brewing Company, Bake for the Soul and many more.

Saturday's lineup includes television chefs and social media cooking stars Dean Edwards and Chris Baber, and standout Channel 4 Great British Bake Off contestant Nelly Ghaffar.

And on Sunday, visitors can look forward to demonstrations from world-renowned chocolatier Paul A Young, reigning Great British Bake Off champion Georgie Grasso, and MasterChef Champion of Champions Ping Coombes.

They will be joined by festival favourite Chris Bavin who is hosting the cookery theatre across the two days. The menu for this weekend includes:

* Bell & Bullock: Pirates, Parrots, Sirens and Seahorses-Join Captain Bullock, Penny the parrot and Meranda the Mermaid on a quest for treasure. Saturday, 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm; and All at Sea. Fish for tiddlers with the debonair Captain Monty Montague and his waterskiing wife Minty. Sunday, 10.30am, 12.30am and 2.30pm.

* Stanley Youngman Comedy Street Theatre - Marvel as street circus performer Stanley showcases his juggling talents and other crazy antics. Saturday and Sunday, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.