Foodie festival returns in new home

The fifth annual Taste of Shetland festival got underway this morning (Saturday) with the celebration of local produce now taking up residence at a new venue.

A somewhat scaled back incarnation of the foodie festival has found a new home at the Islesburgh Community Centre.

But despite the smaller venue (previous festivals took place at the Clickimin Leisure Centre) there remains the usual tantalising array of exhibitors offering tasty samples and products to take home.

The centre’s ground floor plays host to a bustling market place for the duration of the two-day festival, with produce ranging from ice cream and cakes to local meat and fish on offer.

Both established businesses and new-starts are in on the act, with some long-standing companies taking the opportunity to test new products on the festival’s attendees.

After visitors have had their fill of the mouthwatering delights in the market they can take a gander upstairs where rooms on Islesburgh’s first floor offer talks, workshops and cooking demonstrations.

The popular cooking competitions also make a return this year, with the senior Muckle Bites competition taking place on Saturday evening. Bairns will then get in on the act with the Peerie Bites contest on Sunday.

• For a full report, including results of the cooking competitions, see next Friday’s Shetland Times.