BOLTON is gearing up for a smashing summer — with a whole host of events planned to keep the town entertained.

Preparations are well underway for Bolton Food and Drink Festival while Ironman UK and the Bolton Community Half marathon will bring a sporting flavour to festivities.

Boltfest is back with a bang for its second year and both Race for Life and Midnight Memories will ensure plenty of money is raised for good causes.

Cyclists can get on their bikes as Sky Ride returns to the town in May and Bolton Pride will bring the curtain down on summer with three days of events planned for the last weekend in September.

Bolton Food and Drink Festival, organised by Bolton Council, is now in its 11th year and will take place from Friday, August 26 to Monday, August 29.

The annual event will see celebrity chefs delivering cookery demonstrations in the town centre, amid a backdrop of artisan food stalls, children’s activities and free street entertainment.

The line-up of celebrity chefs will be announced this month and the council has secured sponsorship for the event.

Supermarket chain Aldi has been lined up as the headline sponsor.

The University of Bolton is a 'premier' sponsor and other main sponsors are The Market Place Shopping Centre and Stateside Food.

All the sponsors provide funding towards the costs of staging the festival.

Cllr Akhtar Zaman said: “We’re delighted to have such an excellent line-up of sponsors hosting our festival.

“Aldi returning as a headline sponsor is a real show of confidence in the event and Bolton, and the University coming on board is a great addition.

“We are thankful for the support of all of our sponsors and partners who all help to make the event a success.

“We will be announcing our celebrity chef line-up very soon. Also each year we try and do something a bit different with the event, and behind the scenes our festival team is working away to make sure it’s another festival to remember.”

Other partners for the event this year include the Arts Council; Bolton College; Bolton Market; KRO; Octagon Theatre; Slattery, and Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club.

To keep up to date with the latest news on the festival visit www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com, follow the Bolton Food and Drink Festival page on Facebook and @boltonfoodfest on Twitter.

SUMMER EVENTS CALENDAR 2016

Boltfest — May 28 to 29

Sky Ride Bolton — May 29

Midnight Memories — June 18

Race for Life — June 19

Ironman UK — July 17

Bolton Food and Drink Festival — August 26 to 29

Bolton Community Half Marathon — September 4

Bolton Pride — September 23 to 25