THE Sussex Gin and Fizz Festival, which launched last year, returns to Lewes on Saturday June 16.

Celebrating the best of local sparkling wine and gin and organised by Lewes District Council, the festival will once again be held in the walled Southover Grange Gardens in Lewes from 11am until 6pm

Serving up their own fizz will be seven local producers ranging from Rodmell-based Breaky Bottom, one of the oldest vineyards in the UK, to Divergent, from Worthing, who have a brand- new product made in the same method as prosecco.

New to the event is the Bolney Wine Estate while Wiston Estate, Plumpton College and Charles Palmer Vineyards are all making a welcome return.

The event’s nine gin producers include Chichester-based The Nodding Donkey Distillery and Generation Distillers from Chailey, who will be unveiling brand new gins, and Seven Sisters Gin, made from the remains of grapes pressed for wine, by Rathfinny Estate in Alfriston.

Tom Cat Gin from Crowborough will be revealing its new Blueberry Gin, and well-known local names Slake Spirits, from Shoreham-by-Sea, Cabin Pressure, from Horsham, Harley House from Seaford, Chilgrove Spirits from Chilgrove, near Chichester, and Brighton Gin will also be at the event.

Other exciting exhibitors include: Folkingtons (locally made tonics and juices); Fierce Botanics (a new tonic made in Lewes); Noble and Stace Chocolatiers (chocolates flavoured with Sussex gin and fizz); Miall’s (alcoholic sorbet) and the Great British Wine Tours, a Brighton-based company.

Go to wwwsussexginandfizzfestival.com for more details.