Diners signing up for one of the opening events during Devizes Food and Drink Festival could find themselves among complete strangers.

On the other hand, those buying tickets to Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner? on the July 10 launch day might even find themselves eating at their neighbours’ home.

It is another twist on the festival’s popular ‘meals in unusual places’ which has seen ticket holders being served cordon bleu cookery on top of St Mary’s Church tower and in a cell at Devizes police station.

This year buyers of the £15 tickets will find themselves directed to one of six addresses in the centre of the town for a three course meal.

Organiser Lesli Day said: “Tickets for this event will be very limited. People will not be told when they buy their ticket where they will be eating. They will be phoned close to the day and given the address.”

Food festival chairman Brian Crane said: “This year’s event is going to be fantastic. Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner is just one of a range of things we’ve got happening.”

The festival, the sixth held in the town, kicks off on Saturday July 10 with a market fair in the Market Place, where the festival’s main sponsors, Walter Rose and Son butchers, will have a marquee.

There will also be a cook-off between top chefs Howell Jones from Lucknam Park, Jonathan Furby from The Linnet at Great Hinton and Devizes’ own Peter Vaughan. The following day there is a Mad Hatter’s tea party at Plank’s Farm Shop at Lydeway, a tea dance at the community hall in Brickley Lane and a talk on the Devizes Cheesecake by Dave Buxton at Wiltshire Heritage Museum.

On July 12 there is a demonstration of Portuguese cookery by Miquel Pestano at The Bistro in the Little Brittox. There is also a foodie quiz at the Lamb.

July 14 is Bastille Day, and there is a dinner at the Bear Hotel ballroom featuring French food and a marriage of wine and food by Plank’s Farm Shop in the Cheese Hall at the town hall.

The festival continues until July 17 and culminates with a Caribbean evening, including an aperitif, meal and music in The Shambles.