A FESTIVAL celebrating vegan food is coming to Stroud this October.

Hailed as the South West's first vegan festival, Oktoberfest will be held on Saturday, October 20 at the Malthouse Bar & Kitchen at Salmon Springs in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Starting at 2pm and stretching until midnight, with headlining entertainment acts and plenty to eat, the vegan food event is organised by the Drunk Punks Collective, an organisation offering accessible, easy-to-make, delicious vegan food, all served up with a dose of punk attitude.

The festival is set to be German-themed and will be serving lots of authentic beers from local breweries, including Stroud Brewery and Bristol-based Moor Brewery, plus an array of German style wieners, potato cakes and classic desserts to choose from on the day.

Jess from the Drunk Punks Collective said: “We’re really looking forward to putting on the first Vegan Oktoberfest in Stroud.”

“We’ve been busy putting the line-up together for the day, as well as planning the food and drinks."

Veganism - the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products in daily nutrition - is on the rise in the UK.

Growth in plant-based products rose by 62% between 2013 and 2017, according to a recent report by Innova Market Insights, with the number of vegans in Britain increasing by 360% in the last 10 years.

Of the success of the upcoming Stroud event, Jess said: “It’s great to be working with such awesome local vegans and we look forward to putting on more events in the future.”

Tickets for Oktoberfest start at £5 for entry, with a limited number of discounted early bird tickets available, and admission for children free.

For further information see www.facebook.com/events/214393542555226