MARK TAYLOR talks to Love Food founder and organiser of the second Spring Festival, Lorna Knapman.

More than 70 of the best food producers in the South West will join a number of the region's best chefs at this weekend's Spring Festival at Brunel's Old Station, next to Temple Meads.

It's the second Spring Festival, with last year's event attracting more than 8,000 food lovers of all ages.

The event is the largest indoor food market the city has ever seen, with a huge variety of produce for people to sample, taste and buy.

It is the latest venture by Lorna Knapman, who started her regular Love Food festivals at Paintworks in Brislington, back in May 2008.

The Spring Festival is on a much grander scale than the usual Love Food festivals, with added features such as cookery demonstrations, a larger children's area and double the amount of producers.

Lorna says: "It's a huge celebration of food, of Bristol and of the West Country.

"The venue is stunning and as it was the city's original train station, built by Brunel, it provides a great platform for such an event.

"Last year's event was great, really lovely. I had so much feedback from people saying it felt like a real community festival and how they loved the venue.

"Others said it felt very grand and a real family day – others just commented on the superb ales and food they got to taste."

Although this weekend's festival is bigger and better than last year's, the organiser has decided to drop the entrance fee and make it a free event – quite a brave move in such tough times, but clearly a decision made for the right reasons.

"I just wanted the event to be open to everyone," says Lorna, who started Love Food with help from the Prince's Trust.

"You can't put a price on someone being inspired to get into good food and it's so important.

"I was on a really tight budget when my son, Ned, was small and although I loved food, I found it hard to find the money to pay to get into food festivals and then find the money to do any shopping and eat when I was in there. It all adds up and it was a big deal.

"Good food does not need to cost a lot of money. I'd much rather people were able to buy something nice to take home and support some of the superb producers we have in the area than be put off by an entry fee.

"It has meant working very hard and I've had to work to a very tight budget but I'm thrilled with the way it's coming together.

"We hear so many doom and gloom stories in the press about the problems we face with food, we won't get anywhere until we start communicating with each other and working out solutions. Bristol is such a great city for food and this should be celebrated."

This weekend's festival features food and drink producers from all over the region, selling cheese, wine, bread, vegetables, venison, olives, sausages, cakes, cider, beer and much more.

Well-known names at the event include Trethowan's Dairy, The Bath Pig and Trealy Farm, the award-winning Monmouthshire charcuterie producers who now supply many of the best restaurants in the country.

The Cookery School will play host to demonstrations by some of the best chefs in Bristol including Ron Faulkner of new Clifton restaurant The Muset by Ronnie and Freddy Bird, head chef at The Lido.

There will be hands-on cookery classes for people of all ages and abilities and these will include how to make pasta, butter, cupcakes and sushi.

Another new addition to the festival is The Rude Health Rants tent, which will take place on both days at 1pm. Like a foodie speakers' corner, there promises to be some impassioned rants from speakers including chef Arthur Potts Dawson of The People's Supermarket in London, Dr Angela Raffle of Bristol's Food Policy Council and Phil Haughton of The Better Food Company.

Other highlights include The Taste Theatre, where you'll be able to learn about pairing food and drink and taste some of the superb produce available from producers such as Orchard Pig, Bristol Beer Factory, Trethowan's Dairy and Bristol Cider Shop.

The Children's Area promises a wide range of workshops including bread making, gardening, face painting and food doodling.

A new Love Bike area hosted by Bristol-based Boneshaker magazine will provide cycling enthusiasts and complete beginners with advice and inspiration. The Bristol Bike Project will also be on hand to provide free bike checks and advice.

Almost three years since she started Love Food, Lorna's appetite for expanding the concept appears to know no bounds.

As well as launching Love Baby in January, there will be more Love Food festivals in Bristol (including the third birthday in May) and she is now planning the first one in Bath in June.

"The last year has seen Love Food events get even busier and I think it shows that people really are making that shift towards market shopping, fresh produce, home cooking and getting more in touch with the seasons.

"Love Food has been amazing, I'm so pleased with it and it's far exceeded what I ever initially hoped I would achieve.

"However, during this time my goals have grown, I've learned far more about some of the food issues we face as a city and as a nation that I've only just scratched the surface.

"I'm very proud to be involved with the positive movement happening in Bristol. There is such a strong food community and I feel that as a city we can really lead the way in this country's food revolution."

Love Food Spring Festival 2011, Brunel's Old Station, Temple Meads, Bristol. Saturday, March 26, (10.30am-6pm) and Sunday, March 27, (11am-5pm). Visit www.lovefood festival.com/spring.html.