A rum and reggae festival will descend on Colchester this weekend.

The event, which takes place at Charter Hall, will be on Saturday.

It is one of 19 venues across the UK being visited for the event.

Guests will be taken on a rum journey around the world, hosted by the Reggae Sound System, as they taste rare and special craft rums from the West Indies, South America, Australia, the Philippines, Mauritius and other surprise locations.

With carnival dancers, cocktail demonstrations and Caribbean food, the Rum & Reggae Festival is set to be a colourful and tantalising affair.

What can I expect on the day?

On entry at the Rum & Reggae Festival, guests will be handed a Rum Atlas – a pocket-sized guide detailing the fine selection of hand-picked and exciting rums available from all corners of the globe.

From exotic fruits and dark aromatics to well-rounded aged rums and young blends, guests will be spoilt for choice.

They include the award-winning La Hechicera that’s aged up to 21 years; the best-selling high proof rum in the world Wray & Nephew; the first release from Scotland’s Dark Matter Distillers, Dark Matter Spiced Rum; and Pineapple Rum - never intended for resale and a tribute to the esteemed Reverend Stiggins whose favourite drink was the “pineapple rum” in the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.

Both sipping and mixing rum-lovers are catered for at this event.

Available to purchase will be 25ml test tubes or full bottles of favourite tipples plus festival goers can order their favourite Rum of the Day and have it posted after the event has finished.

The Rum & Reggae Festival also features a rum cocktail bar and there will be cocktail demonstrations as the experts share their secrets.

For those who want to enjoy the reggae without the rum, a new bar offering Jamaica’s very own Red Stripe beer and a range of other spirits has been introduced for the 2019 tour.

Will there be entertainment?

Infectious entertainment is the epicentre of every Rum & Reggae Festival and the new-look event has some huge talent lined up, as well as another headliner and tour DJ to be confirmed shortly.

Acclaimed live act, Laid Blak, will bring their distinctive good-times vibe via a melting pot of urban reggae, funk and jazz.

The collective bounced up playlists on BBC 1Xtra, Kiss FM and Choice FM with their first 12” record ‘Scream and Shout’.

The Global Reggae Band, the crowd-pleasing 7-member band from Birmingham who wowed Rum & Reggae guests on last year’s tour with their sunshine-soaked reggae vibes will be returning.

Alongside the music, the 2019 tour features even more performers, with choreographed dancers showing off their Caribbean carnival moves in spectacular outfits.

What about food?

And when it’s time for refuelling, guests can get their jerk chicken, curried goat, and rice and pea fix from the traditional Caribbean food stalls, with tasty treats cooked up by the Pirates From The Caribbean Kitchen chefs.

How do I get tickets?

Tickets cost £14.50 and the event is for over 18s only.

Visit www.rumandreggaefestival.com.