About 20,000 visitors are expected to make their way to Bristol's harbourside this weekend for the ninth Organic Food Festival.

But few of them will realise how close the festival – one of Bristol's most popular events and Europe's leading organic festival – came to being cancelled this year.

Organisers have put the festival together in a whirlwind three months instead of the usual eight after the event was nearly scuppered: first by the economic downturn and then when Bristol City Council refused permission for the festival to go ahead.

The original event planner, which usually ran the festival for the Soil Association, had pulled out of this year's event after deciding it could not afford to take on the risk in the credit crunch.

But the company that took over was unable to satisfy the council's health and safety committee, explained festival organiser Sarah Weiner: "It didn't have the manpower to produce the risk assessments to the council's satisfaction."

It was only after Soil Association director Patrick Holden "begged" the council for another appointment that Bristol City Council agreed to meet them again a few days later.

"We had about 72 hours to put everything together to satisfy the council regarding the safety and soundness of the event," said Sarah, 29, who took over as festival manager on June 12.

Lack of time was not the only problem facing the festival – the economic downturn meant sponsorship was in somewhat short supply.

However, the festival is seen as so important that the wider organic community has rallied around to support it.

The main sponsor, North Somerset-based Yeo Valley Organic, had already allocated its marketing budget for the year but immediately agreed when asked to help.

Chef Barney Haughton of Bristol's Bordeaux Quay restaurant said that cancelling this year's festival would have sent a terrible message to the organic community.

He said: "For me, the Organic Food Festival is the most incredible, and the most exciting festival of its kind in Europe. To have lost it because we could not afford to put it on would have been terrible.

"It's also a confidence thing – producers have been badly hit in the last year and we have to say, 'we're behind you'."

Patrick Holden said that he was delighted the Organic Food Festival was going ahead despite the recession.

He said: "People are talking about downtrading in the supermarkets – going from Waitrose to Aldi and so on – so that's putting even more pressure on the small and artisan producers who are doing exactly the right thing.

"So the fact that the Organic Food Festival is going ahead despite all those conditions is just so important and so right, and I think it is a symbol of resilience of our movement in difficult times, so I'm thrilled."

Around 160 exhibitors of organic food, wine, clothing, home and beauty products will be at the Bristol festival at the harbourside this weekend.

New this year is the street food bazaar, which will be celebrating the best of world food, and a festival fringe area featuring live music and dance performances and African and Asian dance workshops.

There will also be gardening and cookery workshops, a children's tasting pavilion and a Wallace and Gromit flour competition.

● The Organic Food Festival is on Saturday September 12 (10am-6pm) and Sunday 13 (10am-5pm) at Bristol harbourside. £5 entry (children and Soil Association members free).