Large crowds braved the poor weather to attend the opening day of this year’s Dundee Food and Flower Festival on Friday.
The annual event attracts visitors from far and wide to the city’s Camperdown Park and Lord Provost Bob Duncan was there to officially begin the festivities.
And the city had another reason to smile through the rain when it emerged Dundee had won the city category in the Beautiful Scotland Awards.
Celebrity guests this year include chefs Nick Nairn and Paul Rankin who will be putting on cookery demonstrations today and Sunday, and with Saturday getting off to a beautiful sunny start organisers expect another large turnout.
The lord provost said: “We have a programme that’s jam-packed full of fun things to do and I’m certain it’s going to be the best yet.
“There’s a host of events that have become firm favourites with the festival-goers over the years but it’s always nice to add a new flavour to the event.
“We have managed to attract celebrity chefs Nick Nairn and Paul Rankin, along with Beechgrove Garden stars Jim McColl, Carole Baxter and George Anderson.”
The first day of the event saw judging taking place in many of the competitions including flowers, produce and for the first time a Dundee cake competition.
Organised by the Baker Trade of Dundee, the competition was won by Sharon Dickie of Dundee.
Martin Goodfellow, one of the organisers, said he was pleased with the response to the inaugural competition.
He said: “To have 23 entries for the first year we’ve held the competition is pretty good and we had a lot of good entries.”
He said the judges were looking for a nice orangey flavour to the cake, almond decoration, a good distribution and a cake it that is not too heavily fruited, but most important is the taste.
Another first for this year is the Food Discovery Marquee which is being organised by Dundee Science Centre.
Deputy environment convener Vari McDonald said the first day was a big success and the weather didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits.
She said: “The first day has gone really well and we are delighted with the number of people who came along.
“Obviously Friday is a popular day for the school children to come along and many people who are not at work today.
“It’s a good day today as all the judging is going on and it’s a very lively atmosphere.
“There was some tension in some areas but I am thrilled to be here and to take part.
“As well as all the other events we have going on this year, we have the Dundee Science Centre coming along and they are going to be doing DNA extraction from strawberries for children and there will also be the children’s marquee, so there is lots going on.”
The festival continues all this weekend.