Ticket sales are up significantly for this year's three-week Fall Flavours food festival that kicks off Friday across the Island.

So far, the festival has sold more than twice as many tickets for its Culinary Events compared to the same period last year.

Jan Holmes, program officer for the festival's marketing arm Culinary Alliance, said one reason for the surge in sales is that promotion of the festival started earlier this year.

"We really revised our marketing plan to get more information into peoples — Islanders and tourists — hands earlier," Holmes said. "To be able to get them to buy more tickets earlier as well."

Tickets went on sale in May for Fall Flavours, which is a month and a half earlier this year.

Holmes also believes ticket sales are stronger this year because there are more events for people to attend. She points to the North Lake Bluefin Tuna Dinner and Mussels by the Bay as a couple of popular new offerings.

Ticket sales as of Aug. 20 show sales for Signature Events are up about 15 per cent over the same time last year.

Tickets sales for Culinary Events show an impressive increase with sales up 119 per cent over the same time last year.

The festival will host a star-studded lineup of guest chefs including Food Network Canada's Chef Michael Smith, Anna Olson, World's Weirdest Restaurants host Bob Blumer, as well as an Iron Chef America competitor and many others.

The festival runs Sept. 7 through Sept. 30.