THE country’s biggest celebration of food and drink is coming back.

The Foodies Festival promises to make May Day Bank Holiday weekend a flavourful one.

Hove Lawns will play host to more than 30 street food stalls, prosecco and parmesan masterclasses, chocolate-making workshops and more gastronomical treats.

This year, there will be a live music stage for the first time with headliners Toploader and The Hoosiers.

They will be joined by emerging bands and solo artists.

The stage is supported by Musicians Against Homelessness, an organisation which raises money for Crisis, a charity which helps people out of homelessness.

Festival founder Sue Hitchin said: “We have been coming to Brighton and Hove for nine years now.

“I am really excited about the live music stage as it is such a step up for us.

“It is great to be working with bands with amazing summer sounds and Musicians Against Homelessness.”

Alan McGee, patron of Musicians Against Homelessness, said: “Foodies Festival is the UK’s largest food and drink festival and with such fantastic summer events it seemed a natural link to partner with a festival that reaches the hearts of so many local communities.”

Sophie Faldo, Great British Bake Off 2017 winner, will be cooking up a storm in the Chefs Theatre, along with Great British Menu 2017 winner Michael Bremner, who runs multi-award winning Brighton restaurant 64 Degrees.

They are joined by Michelin-starred chef for Ockenden Manor Stephen Crane, Great British Bake Off 2017 finalist Steven Carter Bailey and author of Sesame and Spice Anne Shooter.

YouTube star Zoe Sugg and her boyfriend Alfie Deyes will also be making their Foodies Festival debut with their own gin bar.

Each year, there is a chilli eating competition where daredevils go head to head to see who can eat the hottest chillis.

Shahina Waseem, from London, is the competition’s reigning champion.

She will compete again this year to defend her crown as Chilli Queen.

The children’s zone has now been extended with pre-loaded Super Soakers, a bouncy castle and a Kids Cookery Theatre run by SuperChefs.

Children and adults alike can also try their hand at cream pie throwing in a new competition for this year.

Children under 12 go free until 4pm and adult tickets are £24.

Tickets are on sale at www.foodiesfestival.com.