The Surbiton Food Festival returns to showcase all that the town has to offer this weekend - including the suitably unique sardine festival.

The festival begins on Saturday, with two events. For a genteel start to the fortnight of fun and food head to the orchard in Kingston Permaculture Reserve with a picnic at midday, and learn how the allotments are run.

Donate to a good cause as people can give items such as instant mash, dried noodles and sugar to the Surbiton foodbank during an event dubbed 'mash up target', at the YMCA in Victoria Road from 9am.

A now much anticipated event, is the sardine festival which celebrates Surbiton's ancient tradition of sardine fishing in the River Thames on Sunday, May 1.

Sardines were fictionally introduced back into the river in 2005 and since then people have returned each year to toast sardines with a large haul of the fish, music, a parade and a BBQ in Claremont Gardens.

The festivities start at 1pm before moving at about 3pm to Queen's Promenade on the riverside to collect the sardines, before a parade - of course, Surbiton loves a parade - brings the fish back to the gardens, led by the mascots of Seething, the guinea pigs.

The Surbiton Food Festival returns with mystery pasties, foodie films and more

The Kingston Pound can be used at the festival. Businesses can sign up to use the local currency at the festival.

Chair of Surbiton Business Community said Alison Persson said: "The festival is a big help in starting up people in food businesses, who try out an idea and go along to the event and then are able to set up successful businesses.

"I'm just looking forward to the sardines, I just love the sardines."

A few of the events to look out for throughout the fortnight:

  • Butchery and Blues: Monday, May 2, 5pm
  • Drink and Draw with wine tasting: Tuesday, May 3, 7.30-10pm
  • Sugar paste roses with Surbiton Sugar Craft Guild: Friday, May 6, 7.30-9.30pm
  • The Surbiton Village Fete: Saturday, May 7, 12-5pm
  • Children's pizza making workshop: Sunday, May 8, 10.30am-1.30pm
  • Food and Drink Quiz: Tuesday, May 10, 8.30pm
  • Cheese and wine pairing: Wednesday, May 11, 7pm
  • Supper Club: Saturday, May 14, 9am-6pm
  • Seething Community Sports Day, picnic & fun dog show: Saturday, May 14, 12-4pm
  • Mad Hatter's Tea Party, in aid of Creative Youth: Sunday, May 15, 2.30-4.30pm

For more detailed information on the entire programme for the Surbiton Food Festival and locations of all events visit surbitonfoodfestival.org.