A major celebration of locally-produced food and drink is expected to draw crowds into the centre of Perth this weekend.
The first Flavours of Perthshire event will take place on Saturday and, if it proves successful, could become an annual fixture.
More than 50 producers will take part in the festival at King Edward Street, which will feature cookery demonstrations by some of the area’s top chefs.
To kickstart the festivities, the city’s Caf Tabou launched its latest cocktail, which is appropriately named the Pride of Perthshire.
The show has been put together by Perth Farmers’ Market organiser Adeline Watson.
She said: “I was keen to create an event which showcased the quality of local produce and to establish links between the farmers’ market and food and drink-related businesses in the area.”
The festival has been supported by the Think Local Community Fund.
During the day, which runs from 9am-3pm, entertainment will be provided by Perthshire Brass, the Dunedin Dancers and the Ad Lib theatre group.
Cooking displays will be hosted by chefs including Graeme Pallister of 63 Tay Street, Tim Dover of the Roost Restaurant, Tony Heath, who runs his own city cook school, and Praveen Kumar of the Tabla Restaurant.
There will also be a demonstration of butchery by Moray MacDonald from Hugh Grierson Organic.
Ms Watson added: “I’m absolutely delighted that local businesses have come on board with the concept.
“The day will be a celebration of all that’s great about Perthshire food and drink.”
Also planned is a wine and chocolate tasting session hosted by Exel Wines, while delicatessen Provender Brown will be offering samples.
Caf Tabou has put Market Specials on its menu to complement the event.
Farmers’ market days were revived at Perth in modest style 15 years ago.
The concept has since been rolled out to towns and villages throughout the country.
The market was the brainchild of farmer Jim Fairlie, who said he was frustrated by the way the farming community had been lambasted by certain parts of the media following the BSE crisis of the late 1990s.
A trip to France, where such markets have always been popular, inspired him to set up the regular event in Perth.
The first market opened on a cold day in April with just 12 stalls in King Edward Street.
The event has since grown into a thriving part of community life in the city centre.