AS part of an ongoing Somerset Day celebration, two tourist boards – Visit Exmoor and Visit Somerset – are hosting their first ever virtual tourism festival tomorrow.

It will include music, culture, food, drinks and hiking via Zoom and live-streaming on the Visit Somerset Facebook page. 

Among those taking part in the Somerset and Exmoor Livestream Festival, billed as the “biggest ever virtual tourism experience”, are Dulverton Farmers Market, Allerford village and Porlock Oysters.

Streamed live via the Visit Somerset Facebook page until 6pm, the festival will be opened by Thatchers at 3pm with a tour of its orchards and a special ‘knowing your cider’ experience.

This will be followed by food demonstrations and tips from Yeo Valley and Porlock Oysters, market-inspired meals from Dulverton Farmers Market, a tour of Allerford village and ‘flavours of Somerset’ cocktails and cheese. 

Also live is a walking tour from Wild About Exmoor, dancing from Bridgwater Quayside Festival and a musical performance by Kitty Macfarlane.

John Turner, CEO of Visit Somerset, said: “The line-up looks fantastic and, for the county of festivals, it is a great way to remind people what we have to offer so that we are right up there at the top of the list for visits when the time is right.”

Emma Thomasson, Visit Exmoor director of strategy and operations, said the festival profiles the beauty of Exmoor and across Somerset. “We want to thank visitors for not coming to Exmoor at this time and this festival is the perfect way to do this,” she added. “We are bringing a little bit of Exmoor to our audience in their homes and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the area when it is safe to do so.”