Britain is a nation of food lovers and festival lovers. What happens when these two passions meet? Some of the most fun, tasty and interesting weekends of the year. The following is a selection of the hundreds of annual food festivals on offer.

Foodies' Festivals

Take place over the summer in locations across the UK: Tatton Park (Cheshire, 17-19 May), Hampton Court (25-27 May), London - Clapham Common (7-9 June), Bristol (12-14 July), Edinburgh (9-11 August), and Oxford (24-26 August). There are numerous tasting and sampling sessions, restaurant tents, cooking for kids theatre, world food pagodas, produce markets and also entertainment.

ENGLAND

Taste of London Festival (20-23 June)

Fine dining is transported to Regent's Park for four days of summer eating, drinking and entertainment. The city's best restaurants dish up their finest in an unbeatable alfresco gourmet feast, while hundreds of producers provide a bounty of the best food and beverages.

Great British Beer Festival, London (13-17 August)

Held in Kensington Olympia, this is a must for beer lovers. Over 800 cask and bottled real ales, ciders and foreign beers to taste at 'Britain's Biggest Pub'. There is also plenty of food to soak it all up.

Isle of Wight garlic festival (17-18 August)

A homage to the stinking rose. Not just garlic, but all sorts of edible delights feature at this undercover festival, along with quirky bands, a zoo, classic cars and 'a few wandering celebrities'.

EAT NewcastleGateshead (24 August - 8 September)

One of the country's most exciting and fun food festivals, last year saw Britain being constructed entirely out of cake over 100 square metres - what will 2013 hold? The city buzzes with foodie fans, with live cook-off competitions, lots of multicultural stalls and a focus on chillies, plus food in 'historic and unusual spaces'.

Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival (31 August � 1 September)

The famous chef not only brings you dozens of affordable and high quality restaurants around Britain, he's now turning his hand to putting on a party to go with it! The Big Feastival takes place in the Cotswolds area of England, a beautiful and quintessentially British part of the countryside. Pop up restaurants, family fun and live music make this a food and fun-lovers treat.

Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival (29 March-7 April and 6-15 September)

Now in its tenth year, this is the largest festival of its kind, running for ten days, twice a year. With local producers, growers, restaurants, bars and food retailers firmly at its heart, it's a showcase of the fantastic food, drink and hospitality to be found in the city and the surrounding county of Sussex. It includes the Big Sussex Market, the largest free food event in the south of England, the Live Food Show, supper clubs, gala dinners and two international Chef Exchange Dinners.

Ludlow Food Festival (13-15 September)

One of the most important in the calendar, the historic little town of Ludlow has been hosting a food festival every year since 1995. It has a strong reputation as one of the best, and remains true to its original spirit of showcasing excellent local produce and suppliers. What you will find is 'an abundance of REAL food and drink - from rare breeds of meat to real ale, cider and perry, produced and sold by people who really care about what they are doing.' Great atmosphere and a haven for anyone passionate about food.\

East Midlands Food Festival (1-2 October TBC)

One of the UK's largest regional food festivals held in Melton Mowbray 'Rural Capital of Food'. Besides locally produced Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese, the festival has over 200 exhibitors featuring the best the East Midlands has to offer. Demonstrations and children's activities make it a good for both foodies and families.

SCOTLAND

The Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Edinburgh (20-23 June)

The Royal Highland Show is a celebration of Scottish farming, food and rural life. Fabulous food and drink are one of the highlights of the show attracting foodies from near and far. More than 100 Scottish food and drink exhibitors will attend alongside gourmet suppliers from across the UK. There are also cookery demonstrations and produce competitions with plenty of opportunities to sample along the way.

The Scottish Real Ale Festival, Edinburgh (11-14 July)

The annual celebration of Scottish ale where thousands gather to taste a wide selection of beers from approximately 30 Scottish breweries.

Taste of Edinburgh (20-23 June)

Taste of Edinburgh will be celebrating its sixth year in the city in 2013 and offers dedicated foodies a line-up of 15 of Scotland's select restaurants, offering delicious and innovative menus. This year there will be over 100 exhibitors sampling speciality food and drink products, as well as chef demonstrations, a cookery school and many food tastings.

Flavour Fortnight, throughout Dumfries & Galloway (31 August-15 September)

Flavour Fortnight is returning for a fourth year. Events take place across Dumfries & Galloway, from Langholm in the east to Portpatrick in the west. Some of the events visitors enjoyed last year included a wild food forage around an art gallery, a jazz themed celebration of jam, a Greek mezze made with local food and a menu showcasing Robert Burns' favourite meals.

The Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships, Inverness-shire (5 October)

A day of family filled activities celebrating Scotland's national dish with porridge enthusiasts competing to become World Porridge Making Champion.

Whisky festivals

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival (2-6 May) is four days of whisky fun in Scotland's whisky centre of Speyside.

World Whisky Day on 18 May, now in its second year, will see whisky events run all over the world but particularly in its home Scotland. 

WALES

Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells (22-25 July)

This popular agricultural show isn't just about cows and combine harvesters, but a showcase of locally produced food and craft stalls, live music and stunt displays.

Abergavenny Fine Food Festival (21-22 September)

One of the biggest events in the UK's food calendar. The Observer said "Abergavenny is to food as Cannes is to film - an annual festival for spotting rising stars in Britain's artisan food firmament", which gives some idea of the festival's fame. There are five market venues in the centre of the historic market town. A stroller ticket gives access to over 200 stalls featuring the best producers from Wales and further afield. There's also a programme of chef demonstrations, a children's food academy in the grounds of the town's ancient castle, and live music and entertainment.

Great British Cheese Festival (24-25 September)

Cardiff Castle is the dramatic setting for this festival celebrating fabulous food with Britain's biggest cheese market plus an array of artisan wine, cider, perry and beer. Cheese lovers are obviously well catered for, and Wales' reputation as the home of excellent British cheese is celebrated, though there are plenty of offerings from all over Britain and Ireland at Britain's Biggest Cheese Market. The British Cheese Awards winners are announced the night before the festival. There's also a Best of British Market, a Taste of Wales Market, and lots of live entertainment and family fun.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast Beer and Cider Festival (TBC)

CAMRA Northern Ireland (the Campaign for Real Ale) is passionate about good beer and championing the cause to make it more available. The association will be serving up the biggest bar in Ireland, selling almost 100 real ales and 20 real ciders and perries in the historic Ulster Hall. There will be live music alongside other fun and games to provide all-round entertainment.

Hillsborough Oyster Festival (5-8 September)

Fun and entertainment for all the family, now in its 21st year. The World Oyster Eating Championships, the Miss Oyster Pearl finals, a fashion show, a soap box derby, a golf tournament, a motoring event and a gala ball - this year Titanic themed - are among the varied activities on offer.