THOUSANDS OF visitors to Camperdown Park basked in the glorious sunshine yesterday at the first day of Dundee’s annual Flower and Food Festival.

From pansies to peas, bonsai to baking—yesterday’s opening of the festival was “blooming” lovely.

The three-day event, supported by The Courier, is likely to attract well over 20,000 people to the park this weekend, with something to tempt the green-fingered, the lovers of nature or the just plain hungry.

The festival includes one of the country’s largest displays of flowers, vegetables and crafts, with more than 700 competitive classes such as chrysanthemums, dahlias, leeks, honey, wine, baking, handicrafts and children’s classes.

Yesterday, festival-goers had a fine time indulging in the food and fun on offer.

Mabel Walker from Dundee, who attended the event with her husband Alf, was particularly impressed with the flower displays.

“The floral art is beautiful,” she said. “There really is a lot of talent there. There’s so much though, I haven’t had the chance to go round and see everything.

“It makes such a difference with this lovely weather. If the weather stays this nice we might even come back for the rest of the weekend.”

Marilyn Binnie, who works with Dundee College and was helping with the Schools SuperChef Cook-off, also enjoyed the sunshine while she tucked into her Arbroath smokie. “I look forward to my smokie every year. They’re so deliciously sweet and being able to eat it in the sunshine makes it so much more worthwhile,” she said.

“It’s been a really busy day and it has been great for all those involved with the cook-off.

“Kirklands High School were the lucky winners and (chef) Jeremy Lee presented them with the shield.”

The festival is hosting national and international competitions such as the World and Scottish potato championships and world gladioli championships.

One of the more popular stalls was that of the Tayside Amateur Winemaking Association, where numerous samples of various homemade wines were abundantly distributed.

Nancy McEwan, who had travelled up from Kirkcaldy with her two sisters, was particularly keen to visit the stall. “The floral art and flowers were beautiful but now for the most important part—the wine tasting!”

Stallholders at the Tayside Amateur Winemaking Association were merrily enjoying the festival.

Stallholder Grace McManus said, “We’ve been coming since it started and I love the camaraderie of it all. It’s great to meet up with people year after year.”

Alex Ferguson, from Newport, is also a regular at the festival with the Dundee Model Boat Club and although he finds the three days tiring, he enjoys seeing many other aspects of the festival.

“This is my fourth time here,” he said.

“It really helps when the weather is so nice.

“I’m looking forward to hearing all the live music. There are some great bands and brilliant jazz.

“We’re really lucky that our stall is always so near the stage.

“All the stands really are very good. I’ve been over to try the jams and marmalades, which are particularly yummy,” he added.

Over the weekend celebrities such as TV chef James Martin and BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Carol Klein will also be on hand to give demonstrations and offer advice.

The festival is open from 10am to 6pm today and from 10am to 5.30pm tomorrow. Tickets are £8 adults and £7 concessions, with accompanied children under 16 admitted free.

More details of the programme can be found at www.dundeeflowerandfoodfestival.com