© Wilbur Dawbarn

The 14th Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival theme is ‘Food and Drink’, and cartoonists will be descending upon the picturesque market town to spread fun and laughter wherever they go.

On Saturday 22nd April, for example, The Square will be populated by the finest talents these islands can offer.

The caricaturists line-up boasts an outstanding array of talent, namely: Alex Hughes, Steve Bright, Jonathan Cusick, Helen Pointer and John Roberts, all of whom will delighting locals and visitors alike with their portraits.

Alex Hughes. Caricaturist par excellence, goggles wearer nonpareil

Then there are the ‘Big Boards’, theme-related gag cartoons drawn on a gargantuan scale. This year’s Big Guns will be: Rupert Besley, Steve Best, Noel Ford, Clive Goddard, John Landers, Roger Penwill, Royston Robertson, Bill Stott, William Rudling, Wilbur Dawbarn and Tony Husband.

Rupert Besley goes big

If you’re feeling peckish you can visit Glenn Marshall’s Fast Food Takeaway Van – also in the Square – to order your cartoon food and have it drawn and delivered on a plate, instantly! (See quick appetiser below.)

© Glenn Marshall

And this year’s Melodrawma (to be performed in the afternoon) features secret culinary connections to well-known historical figures and will be illustrated by Royston Robertson, Wilbur Dawbarn and Hunt Emerson, narrated by Roger Penwill, with musical accompaniment by Noel Ford.

Sadly, the Slade reunion will not be taking place this year

Tony Husband will also be at the Unitarian Church on Friday 21st April, giving a talk on ‘From a Dark Place’, a book he has co-written with his son, Paul. This starts at 8pm. The following day you can catch Hunt Emerson at The Central, and his talk gets underway at 1.30pm.

For a full list events visit The Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival site.