FOODY EVENT OF THE MONTH: The Celebration of Food
Lovers of great British food should be swarming to the South West next month to experience the 8th annual Celebration of Food. The UK's biggest food festival is taking place all across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall for the entire month of October, made of over 200 mouth-watering foodie events.

As you'd expect for a festival held in the West Country, cider features heavily. The festivities kick off with the Cider Decider, held at Darts Farm near Exeter on 29 September. The free event features a hog roast, cider-making demos and the chance to sample some of the best cider you will ever taste, plus apple-bobbing for the kids. And that's just the beginning. Over the course of the month, you can enjoy open farm days, learn how to forage for wild food and tickle your taste buds at exclusive tasting events.

Incorporating many food festivals across the regions - including Falmouth Oyster Festival, the North Devon Foodfest and Chutfest, a brand new chutney-based fair - the Celebration of Food also gives you the chance to try out some of the finest restaurants the South West has to offer without breaking the bank with a special 'Eat out for £10' promotion.

For full details of all 230 events go to the Celebration of Food website.

OTHER AUTUMN FOODIE EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY:

Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival, Banffshire
25-28 September
A Whiskey festival held in a place called Dufftown? Indeed, and this twice-yearly festival (the next one runs from 29 April-3 May 2010) attracts whisky connoisseurs from across the country, eager to sample the goods from several of Speyside’s many distilleries. In fact, Speyside is home to more than half the whisky distilleries in Scotland.

Great British Cheese Festival, Wales
26-27 September
Held within the grounds of Cardiff Castle, this gigantic gathering of cheese lovers showcases a whopping 400 British and Irish sheep, cow, goat and buffalo cheeses, including the winners of the British Cheese Awards, which are held on 25 September.

The Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival, Nottinghamshire
8-11 October         
Held in the grounds of Nottingham Castle with panoramic views across the city, the Robin Hood festival brings together one of the largest selections of ales in the country – last year's festival offered a staggering choice of 616 different casks of real ale. As well as golden ales, fruit beers, stouts, bitters, porters and barley wines, there’s also ciders and perries plus an assortment of country wines on tap.

The Big Apple, Herefordshire
10-11 October
Now in its twentieth year, The Big Apple sees the seven parishes of Marcle Ridge, Herefordshire, come together to pay homage to the region's favourite fruit – the apple. Celebrations come in the form of cider orchard open days, apple pressing and cider making demonstrations, cider and perry trails, apple identification talks, food markets and lunches.

Cider and Sausage Festival, Dorset
24-31 October
A celebration of all things apple, sausage (and cheese) related at the Greyhound Pub (the most photographed pub in Britain, allegedly), in the grounds of Corfe Castle, Dorset.