BLAENAU Gwent's first Christmas-themed food and culture festival, Festive FaCE, is taking place this weekend.

The team behind Blaenau Gwent's first ever food and culture festival, Valleys FaCE, announced in October they were launching a Christmas version of the popular event.

Festive FaCE is expected to draw in crowds of around 10,000 this weekend on November 23 and 24 at Festival Park, Ebbw Vale.

Organisers of the not-for-profit event hope it will be just as successful as the inaugural festival which took place in July. Both events aim to celebrate local producers and crafters.

Jaime Devine, managing director of Tudor Brewery in Llanhilleth, is one of the founding members of FaCE.

He said: “We’re holding it this weekend to kick off the festive season. We have a massive marquee done out like a winter palace, we have Santa in a Grotto, Christmas music, and 50 stalls again. A lot of people who had stalls last time have signed up again.

"We just want to show off local businesses and produce.”

Mr Devine, along with fellow members James Carver, Neil Roberts, Amy Heally and Wayne and Verity Lewis, hope Festive FaCE will be give local businesses a boost.

The team are expecting between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors over the course of this weekend.

He added: “We want to give people the chance to show off their businesses, no matter how small, and showcase the talent the valleys has to offer.”