Birmingham Food Fest is firing up with the announcement that train operator London Midland has come on board as the event's main sponsor with University College Birmingham, Arcadian Centre, Gastro Card, Pommery Champagne, Brindleyplace, Bibendum Wines and the Wine Tasting Co. also lending support as festival partners. With just five weeks until Birmingham's newest gastronomic celebration descends on the city the partnership with London Midland offers the perfect opportunity for visitors to travel to and from the festival.

As the timer counts down, an interactive website has also been launched to help foodie fans get a taste of what's on the menu over the 10 day event, taking place from 14 - 23 October. Birminghamfoodfest.com is the hub for all information on the festival with downloadable voucher offers that visitors can redeem at participating restaurants.   After stocking up on discounts from Birmingham's hottest restaurants, visitors to the website can browse the festival programme, a map of events, check out the chefs taking part and catch up on the latest festival news.

Emma Gray, Director of Marketing Services at Visit Birmingham, the team behind Birmingham Food Fest said:

"With over 100 events and 80 offers, Birmingham Food Fest has a lot going on and the website has been designed to help visitors planning a trip to Birmingham find out what's on offer in easily digested bite sized chunks.  Visitors can browse the many different restaurant offers and extensive festival event programme before making their selection on what to do and see - and of course, are welcome to come back for second helpings throughout the festival!"

Birmingham Food Fest is set to whet the appetite  - over 80 restaurants are taking part in the gastronomic celebration with everything from Michelin star eateries Simpsons, Purnell's and Turners of Harborne to fine dining restaurants like Loves, run by husband and wife partnership Steve and Clare Love. Quirky, independent venues like vegetarian favourite The Manic Organic Café and the intimate Thai restaurant Sabai Sabai in Moseley have also joined the line up, offering a unique flavour of the city's culinary scene.

Add to the mix an eclectic fringe programme of over 100 food and drink themed events throughout Birmingham Food Fest including Brindleyplace's hotter than hot Birmingham Chilli Festival taking place on 21 - 22 October, which will see live cooking demonstrations by local chefs, stalls selling chilli-related produce and street entertainers as part of the fiery line up.

Wander down to Digbeth and you'll find Edible Eastside's Concrete Garden at Warwick Bar, the first edible park in the city centre dedicated to the production of edible plants and vegetables in an urban industrial context, launching on 22 October. For something a bit meatier, Opus Restaurant will be hosting a Scotch Beef Dinner on 18 October with Aberdeenshire cattle farmer Willie Ritch as part of their acclaimed dinner series, or visit the Villa Midlands Food restaurant based at Villa Park for an evening of Caribbean cuisine on 22 October.

David Whitley, Head of Marketing for London Midland, said:

"Food Fest is a fantastic new reason to visit Birmingham  - and getting here by train is a great way of avoiding  the stress of driving and parking. With £90 million of new trains and a network of routes spreading across the region, London Midland really is the perfect partner and we're proud to support our city's economy."