Excitement is building ahead of a Suffolk town’s seventh sausage celebration, which for the first time will feature music and dancing to accompany the meaty treats.

East Anglian Daily Times: Visitors at last year's Great Framlingham Sausage Festival. Picture: ROSE LINGVisitors at last year's Great Framlingham Sausage Festival. Picture: ROSE LING (Image: Rose Ling)

The Great Framlingham Sausage Festival is returning to the town on Sunday, October 8, to celebrate “all that is great about the British banger”.

Thousands of visitors are expected to take part in a sausage trail around the town, sampling the creations of 15 producers all vying for the coveted “Best Banger” trophy, which will be presented at Framlingham Castle.

Organiser Jenny Stockman said several new competitors were taking part in this year’s event, with nearly half offering gluten free varieties – a popular addition to last year’s festival.

“What’s been really great this year is that I no longer need to seek out producers to take part - they are all coming to me having heard about what a great event it is,” she added.

East Anglian Daily Times: Linda Ling and David Ling taste some of Suffolk Black Pigs' pork sausages at last year's Great Framlingham Sausag Festival. Picture: ROSE LINGLinda Ling and David Ling taste some of Suffolk Black Pigs' pork sausages at last year's Great Framlingham Sausag Festival. Picture: ROSE LING (Image: Rose Ling)

“What’s also great is the enthusiastic feedback we’ve had from the retailers in the town, many of which are opening specially for the day because they know the footfall will be so good.”

This year is the first the festival has been held on a Sunday in recognition of its popularity.

As well as sampling some of the region’s finest meaty morsels, visitors will also be able to take part in a variety of workshops around the town, including ceramic painting, sausage making, dog grooming and more.

For the first time, organisers have included a musical element with live bands playing all day in the Fresh Talent performance area in Market Hill and a “silent disco” during the afternoon at the Castle Inn.

Mrs Stockman has praised the venues for working hard to “make their space a real destination on the trail”. The Railway pub is hosting a beer festival with music, while at the Station there will be cider festival.

New additions to the trail, K9 Divine Grooming, will be handing out prosecco and cake – as well as giving dachshund Teddie, the festival’s mascot, her manicure. In a sign of how successful the event has become over the years, Teddie now has her own sponsor.

“She thinks she’s quite the celebrity,” said Mrs Stockman.

Tickets for the festival, which runs from 10am-4pm, cost £5. Visit www.framlinghamsausagefestival.com for more information and to buy tickets.