Visitors can get a flavour of Maryport’s past as they discover an historic Postcard Trail at the 2025 Taste of the Sea festival - and win a prize in the process.
The competition takes place over the weekend of Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 August and is designed to take people all around the town centre to explore the retailers and eateries, as well as promote the new Maritime Museum in Christ Church.
In 10 key businesses there will be posters featuring ‘A Message from Maryport…’ – postcards featuring scenes and real greetings from people who have visited the town in the past.
Visitors simply have to note the name of the business which features each of the postcards to be in with a chance of winning a Samsung tablet, a year’s family pass to the new Maryport Maritime Museum, or a Maryport print from local artist Chloe’s Chateau.
Entry forms will be available from the Taste Cumbria Info Point on the Marine Road showfield, or from Redby Coffee at 19 Senhouse Street. The deadline for entries is 3pm on Sunday 10 August 2025.
Maryport is undergoing a £12 million transformation with a wealth of regeneration projects being managed by Cumberland Council. These include a shopfront scheme designed to give help businesses and improve the street scene, and the creation of enhanced public realm with new signage and artwork. Footfall is already increasing in the town and it is hoped that the tens of thousands of visitors who come to the Taste of the Sea festival will give a further boost to the local economy.
One of the other schemes is the Maryport Maritime Museum and the council’s Maryport Regeneration Team will be at the festival encouraging people to write ‘A Message to Maryport…’ and share what they love about the town and what they’re most looking forward to when the Museum opens.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said:
“We are doing this regeneration work in Maryport to make it an even better place to live, work and visit, and hosting events like Taste of the Sea gives it another massive lift.
“The images on these postcards are a real blast from the past but one thing which hasn’t changed is the affection people hold for Maryport, as is evident from some of the greetings written on them. I hope you enjoy browsing the shops and good luck in the competition.”
For more information about Taste of the Sea visit www.tastecumbria.co.uk