Calling all ginger cat and dog owners, a unique festival wants you to shout about your beloved pets.

The fourth annual Ginger & Spice Festival will be taking place between September 23 to September 27 and celebrates all things ginger.

Kennel and cattery Quintessential Quarters, of Cotes Heath, near Eccleshall, has linked up with festival organisers to launch Best Ginger Cat or Dog Contest.

For 2020 the Ginger & Spice Festival is being held online in a virtual capacity for the first time in response to the coronvirus pandemic. The festival celebrates the culinary history and heritage of Market Drayton – known as the ‘Home of Gingerbread’ – through a series of fun and educational fringe events, activities and competitions.

This year’s festival will include an online food theatre, virtual market place, virtual trail, talks, competitions and opportunities for supporting local producers.

Entries are now open for the ‘Best Ginger Cat and Dog Contest’, with entries due to close on Friday, September 25.

Competition entrants must visit the website www.gingerandspicefest.co.uk, go to What’s On and click on ‘Ginger Cat and Dog Contest’. Entrants must then complete the online application form and submit one photo of their pet in either category.

Jacqueline Montegrino, owner of Quintessential Quarters, said: “We want ginger pet owners to send in a photo of their pride and joy, along with a brief explanation as to why they should win the competition and an interesting fact about their pet.”

“There’s a chance to win prizes including either a free groom or two-day kennel stay for the champion dog or a four-day stay in our luxury cattery for the feline champion. There’s also special treats on offer from the Life of Riley Pet Bakery and Boutique.

“We’re delighted to link up with the festival and it is part of our commitment to supporting the local communities in North Shropshire and North Staffordshire.’’

Quintessential Quarters provides boarding for cats and dogs on an extensive farmhouse site. The award winning complex also hosts a grooming service and Quintessential Wedding Day Dogs, a wedding day pet chaperone service.

The ginger cat and dog winners will be announced in October.

The Festival takes place during British Food Fortnight and has linked with a charity partner for 2020 – the Market Drayton Foodbank.

For information about the Ginger & Spice Festival, please visit www.gingerandspicefest.co.uk.

A podcast has been launched for anyone wanting to learn more about the Ginger and Spice Festival. The link is gingerandspicefest.co.uk/podcast/.

To find out more about Quintessential Quarters, please go online to
www.qqltd.co.uk.

ENDS

For media enquiries contact Nigel Howle by phone on 0776 2043436 or email [email protected]​.

Notes to Editors 

The Ginger & Spice Festival

• The Ginger & Spice Festival takes place annually during British Food Fortnight.
• The next festival will take place in a virtual capacity from 23-27 September 2020
• The festival celebrates the culinary heritage of the local area through a series of creative and fun festival fringe events.
• The festival also aims to reconnect the local community to their culinary heritage and local story, promoting great food, and the town as a destination for tourism and visitors.
• In 2017 the festival was crowned British Food Fortnight champion, which was judged by RT Hon Michael Gove, Raymond Blanc, OBE, Liz Earle, MBE, The Co-op and The Telegraph Newspaper.
• The Ginger and Spice Festival was shortlisted as a finalist for the Rural Business Award in both 2019/20 and 2018/2019 in partnership with Amazon UK.
• The festival is a Guinness World Record Holder of decorating the most amount of gingerbread biscuits simultaneously.
• To find out further information, please go to the website: www.gingerandspicefest.co.uk.
• Twitter: @gingerspicefest.
• Facebook: gingerandspicefest.
• Instagram: gingerandspicefest
• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3f0ub5L
• Spice Larder Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ginger-and-spice-festival