HIVE Beach is the place to be this weekend as Spring Tide, the Jurassic Coast’s annual food festival, makes a welcome return.

The festival is being extended this year with local arts and crafts joining the wide range of Dorset food and produce on show.

The popular West Dorset outdoor food event offers the chance to meet and buy from a range of the region’s talented producers. Among the Dorset produce on show will be a full shopping list of items including spring vegetables, fresh fish and local meat, artisan bread, cheeses and a selection of locally made wines, beers and cider.

Taking place at Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, Spring Tide kicks off the National Trust West Dorset’s Food Glorious Food season in style, focusing on the pleasures of growing, producing, cooking and eating local food.

Caroline Richards, the National Trust’s outdoor experience manager, said: “We are incredibly lucky to have such a fantastic choice of high quality local products which are truly ‘home grown’.

“We believe that locally grown products are particularly special and we think that they deserve extra recognition and promotion.

“Buying local products supports those producers that are farming the beautiful Dorset countryside and nearby and looking after it for future generations.” At Hive Beach the National Trust will be setting up a food pavilion in a dedicated marquee where food displays will be swinging to the rhythm of live music to keep the crowds entertained.

As well as food, there will also be live music and the chance to meet local artists and businesses.

One of the more unusual attractions at the festival will be a see-through plastic dome housing Dorset-based Transparent PR.

Company manager Catherine Lain will be on hand from tomorrow until Sunday offering help and advice, as well as champagne and canapes, to local businesses.

Artwey, Weymouth’s artists’ co-operative will also be at the festival to promote this year’s Open Studios event, which will run in homes, galleries, coffee shops and studios all over the town from May 28 to June 12.

A taster exhibition will be running at the Hotel Rembrandt in Dorchester Road between 11am and 5pm every day except Sunday and Wednesdays, where you can see work of most of the artists taking part, pick up a brochure and plan a trail with a friend or family member by foot, bike or car to enjoy a great day out.

The Spring Tide Food Festival is on Saturday, May 21, from 10am to 3pm with the Spring Tide Arts Festival the following day. See spring-tide.org.uk for further details.