Popular prosecco festival set to debut in Portsmouth at the Pyramids Centre in SeptemberÂ

The Prosecco Festival is expected to draw hordes of drinkers when it descends on The Pyramids Centre in Southsea on Saturday, September 1. 

Off the back of a sell-out tour in 2017, the fixture will treat the city to more than 40 types of prosecco, cava, spumante and pink fizz over two four-and-a-half-hour sessions, at 12.30pm and 6.30pm. 

There will even be a selection of prosecco-based cocktails on offer, stemming from the traditional bellini to in-house, mixologist-designed specials '“ including a Snow White, which combines the popular bubbly with white chocolate. 

Jo Roberts, who was born in Portsmouth, is the festival's national events manager. 

Reflecting on the rise of prosecco in recent years, she said: '˜The popularity is huge now, that's the exact reason the festival is able to exist '“ and it doesn't look like it's going away anywhere soon. 

'˜I think people like it so much because it can come in such a vast spectrum of ways, it's versatile.' 

The festival won't just cater for the preference of prosecco lovers, with Italian favourite Peroni set to be on-tap. 

And for those look to address their appetite, quintessential Venetian nibbles '“ known as cicchetti '“ will be readily available. 

All this, with live musical performances and a dance floor in-tow, will unite to '˜dispel' the 2017 fear that '˜prosecco was running in short supply'.  

Festivalgoers will be given a branded flute to take home when they arrive and tills will take tokens, equivalent  to £5 a drink, as opposed to cash or card. 

Entry is £12.50, visit proseccofestival.co.uk