THE Vale of Evesham will be awash with the green green gras next weekend as it stages the country’s biggest festival to celebrate its treasured locally grown delicacy - asparagus.

Local residents and visitors from all over the country will converge on Ashdown Farm, Badsey, on the weekend of May 30 and 31 for the third annual Asparafest, which promises to be the best and biggest to date.

Festival organiser and landlord of the National Trust's The Fleece Inn at Bretforton Nigel Smith says: "Every year Asparafest is growing, and attracting more visitors. Our musical line up is exciting and the foodie element is really fantastic with some amazing chefs adding an international flavour to Vale of Evesham asparagus."

"This is a community event with local produce, like minded musicians and chefs, volunteers helping run the festival from nearby villages and as well as visitors from further afield and lots of Worcestershire folk too. Thanks go to the Worcestershire Ambassadors for their support and to everyone who makes Asparafest so much fun.”

The festival combines a local passion for the vegetable with fun, music, cookery demonstrations, real ale and cider, street food, dancing, talks, duck herding, vintage cars and much more as well as plain old English eccentricity in the form of Gus the Asparagus Man, the Asparamancer who tells fortunes with asparagus, the crowing of the asparagus king and queen and an asparagus eating competition.

"There is a great family feel, with loads for the kids as well as their parents to do. Come along and enjoy the music, food and chill in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside," adds Nigel.

There promises to be something for everyone but this year there is also an international twist to the festival with demonstrations and asparagus recipes from Japan, Poland and Italy.

On Saturday and Sunday Japanese chef Nana Hirayama, now based in Evesham, will be giving demonstrations about using asparagus in Far Eastern food.

Tokyo-born Nana has been cooking her menu of Japanese dishes since 2003. Taught by a popular chef in Tokyo, she blends her practical knowledge of cooking and her love of food together to create a variety of culinary delights.

Nana's Foods Japan is supplied by local producers from the Cotswolds area, ensuring delicious and fresh dishes while supporting local businesses.

Asparagus with a Polish theme will be delivered by Midlands-based vegetarian food blogger Anna Rose Sunday May 31. Anna has an Eastern European (Ukrainian/Polish) heritage and Poland has enjoyed an increased demand for asparagus.

She has created an alternative to Hollandaise sauce with the flavours of Poland. It is made from sour cream, dill, lemon, oil, juniper berries and horseradish – all of which are typical Polish/Eastern European ingredients. The sauce works well with hot griddled asparagus spears and would be a nice idea for an alternative dip for barbequed asparagus.

Worcestershire chef and restaurant owner Felice Tocchini has another chance to steal the show on Saturday and Sunday when he demonstrates his dishes.

An Asparafest favourite, Felice owns award-winning restaurant Fusion Brasserie at Stoulton near Worcester. Felice is passionate about local produce and spends much of his time working with growers and producers to help promote Worcestershire food and drink, especially asparagus.

Other culinary experts at the festival include Tom Court of Sticky Fig Catering. He is a former head chef with two AA rosettes to his name and will be at the festival on Saturday when people can sample his wares.

Trained by Swiss chefs, with a French influence, Tom also worked with an Italian chef for five years but he loves his traditional British flavours.

Also at the festival on both days will be Our Lizzy Cooking which is run by Lizzy Hughes who has combined her skills as a teacher and cookery demonstrator to create cookery days from her beautiful kitchen in Malvern.

For more details about the attractions and fun on offer at Asparafest visit http://www.asparafest.co.uk/