Market Drayton hopes for food festival boost with special guests visiting from twin town in France

With activities starting on Thursday, September 28, the festival promises to be a celebration of Market Drayton's culinary heritage through a series of creative activities.

Traders in Market Drayton have been showing their support for the festival's return and have been pictured holding a giant gingerbread man, one of the symbols of the town's culinary heritage.

This year, the festival has attracted the attention of French twinners who will be arriving at the start of the week and taking part in a series of attractions and events across Shropshire.

Their visit from Pézenas will culminate in the Ginger & Spice Festival followed by a reception with the town council at the Town Hall at 4.30pm on Saturday, September 30.

Julia said: "We are honoured to have Mayor Armand Rivière and his wife Marion from Pézenas, France, grace our festival's opening.

"Their presence exemplifies the enduring spirit of friendship and the international flavour of the Ginger & Spice Festival, uniting us all in a shared love for food, culture, heritage and community."

Armand Rivière and his wife Marion will join deputy mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Byron Chapman at the opening of the festival on Saturday, September 30.

The twinning was instigated by the late historian and Market Drayton 'marketing genius' Keith Pybus in the 1980s and has been the catalyst for many subsequent visits to Pézenas and Market Drayton.

Both groups of twinners have established strong friendships and shared many recreational and educational experiences. The towns are linked through their culinary history.

Clive of India linked the two towns together after his return home from India to Market Drayton in 1767 via Pézenas.

Legend has it that while stopping off in the French town, he requested a local bakery to make him up some pies to his own recipe – a meat pie – which were not as common in much of Europe.

This led to the formation of the Confrérie du petit pâté de Pézenas in 1991 to preserve and promote the tradition of Clive of India's pies.

Chair of the Market Drayton Twinning Association, Carol Hitchen, said: “We are delighted and honoured to have the Mayor of Pézenas, Armand Rivière with his wife Marion, plus the French Twinning Association visitors, joining us for this year’s Ginger & Spice Festival.

"Armand Rivière has been mayor of Pézenas for several years and has a young family and is very excited to be visiting.

"We have a fantastic line-up of activities planned and we are all looking forward to hosting the visitors in our own homes and practicing our French.

"The 30th anniversary of our twinning with Pézenas is coming up soon so it’s quite an achievement for both towns and something we will be celebrating and we are working on plans to be announced.”