St Ives Food and Drink Festival is back next weekend (May 13-15), kicking the summer off on Porthminster beach with a mouth-watering line-up of chef demos and masterclasses, open fire cooking and a market offering a variety of Cornish produce.

Thousands of visitors flock to St Ives every year for the festival, with its white sands and turquoise waters offering one of the most stunning festival backdrops in the country.

Forecasters at the Met Office are predicting a spell of warm and sunny weather for St Ives next weekend, meaning the festival looks set to enjoy one of its best years yet.

Some of Cornwall’s top restaurateurs will be making an appearance at the festival including Jack Stein (Rick Stein Restaurants), Emily Scott (Emily Scott Food), Simon Stallard (The Hidden Hut), Adam Handling (The Ugly Butterfly), Jude Kereama (Kota Restaurant), Jackson Bristow (Nancarrow Farm) and Andrew Tuck (St Kew Inn).

This year’s line-up also features veg growing guru Kathy Slack, BBQ master Chris ‘Chops’ Taylor, Ross Geach from Padstow Kitchen Garden and former professional rugby player, and founder of the Philleigh Way cookery school, Rupert Cooper.

Falmouth Packet: St. Ives Food and Drink Festival is free to attend during the day with chef demos and a producers market to enjoy.St. Ives Food and Drink Festival is free to attend during the day with chef demos and a producers market to enjoy.

All of these chefs will be cooking up a storm on the festival’s huge Asado Fire Pit sponsored by St Austell Brewery.

Country Fire Kitchen will be supplying the kit and cooking alongside the expert chefs over the weekend.

New for this year are a programme of masterclasses - including coffee cupping, champagne and wine tasting and foraging walks - and a St Ives Food Trail in partnership with St Ives BID showcasing the town’s food and drink businesses.

Tickets for masterclasses must be purchased via the website in advance.

St. Ives Food and Drink Festival is free to attend during the day with chef demos and a producers market to enjoy.

In the evening, the party starts, with a selection of Cornwall’s favourite foot-stomping bands taking to the stage including Malavita, Town of Cats, 3 Daft Monkeys, Pattern Pusher, Pyschadelephant, Sam Richardson and The Renegades and Maisy Grace. Tickets for evening events start at just £10 plus a booking fee.

Festival organiser Lee Bater said: "We are very excited about next weekend.

Falmouth Packet: Forecasters at the Met Office are predicting a spell of warm and sunny weather for St Ives next weekendForecasters at the Met Office are predicting a spell of warm and sunny weather for St Ives next weekend

"The Met Office is predicting a mini heatwave so visitors to Porthminster beach will be basking in the sunshine, enjoying the finest food and drink Cornwall has to offer during the day and dancing the night away when the sun goes down."

The easiest way to travel to the festival is by train on the Great Western Railway service. Catch one of the half-hourly train services from St Erth Station straight to St Ives Food and Drink Festival.

The journey enjoys spectacular views along the coast path, often considered one of the most scenic rail journeys in Britain.

St Ives Food and Drink Festival is free to attend during the day but music events are ticketed.