Sharp's British Street Food AwardsFalmouth’s Events Square will come alive with colourful cuisine this weekend when the British Street Food Awards roadshow rolls into town.

Featuring beers from Sharp’s Brewery, the event, from Saturday, August 29, to Monday, August 31, will see 13 of the best street food traders from the South West cook their signature dishes in a heat of the national awards.

As a main sponsor of the awards, Sharp’s is providing a free-half pint for early birds (the first 50 people at each stand), as well as bringing its secret bar for adventurers to discover.

The free entry festival in Events Square will see locals and visitors tucking into a variety of street food from, among others, Cornwall’s Truly Crumptious, Inkie’s Smokehouse and The Shellfish Pig, and Devon’s Tea N Toast.

The festival will also see new artists from Universal Music’s family of labels, performing alongside local talent. Part of the Festival invites visitors to vote for the best street food vendor, paving the way for them to potentially win in the national final of the British Street Food Awards.

The winners of the regional heats are determined by attendees at the Festival who can vote for their favourite at the event by downloading the British Street Food app. Thus far, the public has chosen Happy Maki, in Oxford, Patagonia, in Cardiff, and Riley’s Fish Shack, in Newcastle. The winner of the South West heat will be announced on Monday, August 31, at 2pm. Winners of the vote, plus a few wild cards, will then go through to compete for a life-changing prize at the finals in London in September.

Ed Hughes, Sharp’s Brewery’s beer sommelier, said: “The South West’s street food scene is becoming increasingly reputable, with sensational produce and some amazingly creative chefs in this region. The British Street Food Awards are the perfect events to showcase the culinary talent that we’ve got going on here and we’re as proud as punch to have played a key role in bringing this awesome event to Cornwall.

“We’re excited about people pairing our award-winning beers with these gastro delights on our home turf as well as giving them all the opportunity to discover our Sharp’s Secret Bar. We have been present at every heat and they have all been fantastic, but, nothing beats having a presence in our home county.”

Richard Johnson, founder of the British Street Food Festival and Awards, said: “I founded the British Street Food Awards to show that British street food is hot stuff. Street food has been a massive trend abroad for years, from Bethlehem’s hole-in-the-wall falafel shacks to Italy’s street pizza providers and the fish offerings on the Mandalay, but it’s only recently picked up force here in the UK.

“It’s a privilege to hold the South West heats in the gorgeous town of Falmouth. Falmouth is a foodie Mecca, with so much culinary creativity and an abundance of quirky little eateries. We can’t wait to see what’s on offer in this phenomenal part of the country.”

He added: “People should come along this bank holiday weekend to Falmouth with a big appetite and eat all you can — we’ve asked traders to do special £3 tasters to help with the sharing. And remember to download the British Street Food app on iPhone and Android for your smartphone before you leave the house, so you can vote for the People’s Choice while you’re on site.”