THE University of Bolton and the Market Place Shopping Centre have been revealed as two new sponsors for this summer’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival.

They join Stateside Foods and property firm Bluemantle as official sponsors of the event.

The festival, which celebrates its ninth anniversary this year, is a staple event on the foodie calendar and takes place from Friday, August 22 to Monday, August 25.

Last year, about 130,000 people flocked to Bolton for the festival, which saw celebrity chefs delivering cookery demonstrations in the town centre, amid a backdrop of artisan food stalls and street entertainment.

Chief executive of the Moorgarth Group, owner of Market Place Shopping Centre, Tim Vaughan, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting the highly successful festival, especially at the time when we have just started work to transform the Victorian vaults in the basement of the centre into family-friendly restaurants and licensed bars.

“It truly cements our vision to become a leading retail and leisure destination in the North West and there really is no better showcase than at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival.”

University of Bolton Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic), Rob Campbell, added: “This is the perfect opportunity for us to bring the university right into the heart of Bolton — with our university pop-up shop.

“We’ll be showcasing our latest projects as well as the talents of our graduates and students who will be selling their commercial creations.”

On the billing this year are Italian chef Gino D’Acampo on Saturday; celebrity Aussie chef and restaurateur John Torode on Sunday, and James Martin on Monday. The event will once again be launched by two-Michelin starred chef Michael Caines on the Friday.

The four-day foodie spectacular will also feature a speciality food and drink market in Victoria Square and surrounding streets, and free entertainment.

It is the second time Stateside Foods has sponsored the festival. The Westhoughton firm is also sponsoring the Business of the Year at the Bolton and Bury Business awards.

Tickets are available online for the celebrity chef demos from boltonfoodand drinkfestival.com.

To keep up to date with the latest festival news, visit the website and follow @boltonfoodfest on Twitter. Partners include Bolton Market, Crompton Place Shopping Centre, Kro Bar, Marriott, and The Octagon Theatre.