Great British Bake Off chef Frances Quinn will be a showstopper at this year's Melton PieFest

PieFest will be held at Melton’s Cattle Market on July 29 and 30 and visitors will enjoy all things pie-related including sampling, buying, eating and even learning how to make their own pies.

Frances will be appearing in the ‘Pie Theatre’ at 1pm on Saturday and Sunday to demonstrate one of her favourite, classic pie recipes to PieFest visitors.

Frances Quinn, from Market Harborough, is best known as the winner of the fourth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2013. Her first book was ‘Quintessential Baking’ and she has made many appearances on TV and radio in the UK.

Frances Quinn said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have been invited to this year’s PieFest in the heart of Melton which has to be the country’s pie pedal. The opportunity to show the audience my bake is a true honour. Of course, working with Mary Berry on The Great British Bake Off means I’m only too aware of how important it’s to avoid a soggy bottom!”

A number of the UK’s awarding-winning pie makers will be at the event selling their pies including past Supreme Champions of the British Pie Awards. There will also be a Pie Kitchen where visitors can eat hot pies - baked to perfection with mash, vegetables and a variety of accompaniments.

The Pie Theatre programme also includes talks on ‘How to Rate a Pie,’ a demonstration of hand raising a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, a Pie Panel that will discuss your pie and pastry woes and queries, plus one idiot’s attempt to find the perfect pie in ‘A Life of Pies.’ There will also be cheese, beer, cakes, wine, chutneys, cider and more, plus entertainment.

Matthew O’Callaghan, from the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership and organiser of PieFest, said: “We’re delighted that Frances can join us at this year’s PieFest to join our fascinating programme of talks and demonstrations in the Pie Theatre. We have a wide range of pie makers from all over Britain exhibiting at the event so as a star baker, Frances will be in really good company.”

PieFest will run from 10am to 4pm on the weekend of July 29 and 30. All stands will be undercover. The event is being sponsored by Dickinson & Morris with support from Melton Mowbray Market.

Admission is £3 (in advance), children under 16 free. For more information or to book tickets, visit www.ukpiefest.co.uk