Plans for this year's Durham Oktoberfest, which celebrates the North East's manufacturing and engineering strengths, have been revealed.
The event, operated by the new County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network (CDEMN), gives businesses a platform to promote themselves and meet potential customers and suppliers.
David Land, chairman of CDEMN, praised the region for being home to "hundreds of successful businesses" which are "helping the region establish a global reputation for excellence and cutting edge processes".
"Our supply chain within these sectors is worth billions of pounds to the region's economy and Durham Oktoberfest is the perfect platform to ensure it continues to grow.
"What makes Oktoberfest unique is that as well as enabling companies to showcase their world class capabilities, it also gives new and growing SMEs the chance to meet some of the country's biggest employers. It's a great event and on I am personally delighted to be part of."
Durham Oktoberfest show director Paul Sun said the challenge this year is to "build on what we've achieved in the past" and "drive Oktoberfest forward to become not just a regionally respected event, but a national one".
Details about speakers and meet the buyer participants will be announced in due course.
Durham Oktoberfest 2015 is being held on Thursday 22 October at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe.