British Street Food Festival Awards 2015: Introducing the event where you can eat to the beat

A feast for the eyes and ears - as well as the tastebuds - awaits

Last year’s British Street Food Awards final in Leeds (Gary Calton)

And they’re off… the first heat of this year’s British Street Food Festival awards takes place next weekend. A stellar line-up of traders will be cooking up delicious dishes in the shadow of the Norman castle in the centre of Oxford to get a place in the national final later in the year. The BSFF, of which The Independent on Sunday is media partner, is in its sixth year, and will be a feast for the eyes and ears, as well as the tastebuds.

This year, foodie fans can enjoy the musical talents of artists from Universal Music; across the weekend, festival goers will get to hear some of Britain’s best young musical stars. The Shires, the first British country band to reach the top 10 in the Official UK Album chart, will be performing alongside BBC’s The Voice winner Jermain Jackman. Also taking to the stage is Kiko Bun, a Panamanian-Italian reggae and hip hop artist from London. The singer Kimberley Anne, who describes herself on Twitter as a “musical Del boy”, is displaying her inspirations that run from The Cure to Nas. And marshalling his “naughty protégés” in the naughty kitchen is the fabled music producer and food fanatic Naughty Boy.

Competitors at the central and east heat in Oxford include the Crabbieshack, offering up Old Bay battered soft shell crab burgers

On Sunday and Monday, The IoS’s editor, Lisa Markwell, will join BSFF founder Richard Johnson and guests to review the papers and to take part in a tasty twist on “Ask Me Anything” with the audience. Elsewhere there will be street-food-crazy-golf and aroma DJs.

But what about the food? Those who buy tickets will get a free pint of either Doom Bar, the UK’s number one cask beer, or Cornish Pilsner from Sharp’s Brewery to kick things off, and they can then buy sharing plates of everything from Asian buns to Jewish soul food.

Competitors at the central and east heat in Oxford include the Crabbieshack, offering up Old Bay battered soft shell crab burgers (above), with seafood sourced mainly from the Kent Coast, where chef Dougie grew up. Also in the running are the Blooms – Susan and Barry – who tweak traditional Jewish delights such as salt beef sandwich and pulled brisket brioche.

The Shires are the first British country band to reach the top 10 in the Official UK Album chart

Cheeky Italian are serving up arancini balls and fried calzones alongside their pizzas, while Rib Man Mark Gevaux is sure to have a queue for his rolls, wraps and racks, which come slathered in his (very rudely named) amazing hot sauces.

Fancy a sweet treat? The Crumble Shack has oodles of this nursery favourite, served with lashings of custard, and the Cake Doctor will be live-icing all manner of cakes and pies from his vintage ambulance…

Everyone who attends the festival can vote for their favourite vendor, and the winner go through to the national final in London in September. More details on downloading the app and how to buy tickets at britishstreetfood.co.uk. To watch a short film about what’s in store, visit vimeo.com/125828416.