Maryport’s waterfront was the place to be at the weekend as thousands of people turned out for the town’s sixth Taste Cumbria festival.
The Harbourside Event Space played host to The Teenage Market, acoustic stage and the Demo Stage where 200 visitors watched TV chef Rosemary Shrager make a fabulous seafood pasta.
Other local experts included the team from Underscar Winery, Raven Nest café and cocktail bar in Whitehaven and Taste Cumbria favourite, chef John Crouch. The town’s own Stuart Eve, from Maryport Born and Bread, was joined by Raf Asboth from the Panda Polish Shop to talk about the secrets of sourdough and serve an international-inspired feast.
The Marine Road Showfield was the location for the Producers’ Market, street food, the fairground rides and family fun, and the Main Stage where rock, pop and sea shanties entertained the crowds. The Maryport Round Table charity beer and rum bar also packed in the crowds all weekend.
Elsewhere in town, there was the chance to visit the Maryport Classic Car and Vintage Vehicle Show and enjoy live music in many of the pubs which were packed into the night.
The Taste Cumbria events are organised by Cumberland Council. The main sponsor is Maryport Town Council, with additional funding from The Captain Nelson Tavern, Maryport Storage, Grants Oak Smoked, Shane Taylor Welding and Milburns Solicitors.
Michael Barry, Cumberland Council’s Assistant Director of Thriving Places, said:
“What a fabulous weekend. Saturday was absolutely packed with many traders saying they were incredibly pleased with the amount of sales. To misquote one of them: ‘How many Scotch eggs does one place need?’ If it hadn’t rained on Sunday we think we were heading for record attendance.
“The weather didn’t spoil the fun though. Rosemary Shrager was a great hit, with food fans and also the stallholders she charmed as she shopped. She was hugely complimentary about the event and has even asked to come back!
“The Taste Cumbria festivals brought around £6 million into the local economy last year, and nearly £2 million of that was generated by the Maryport event. We continue to invest in these events because they are great for our communities, and for Cumberland as a whole.”
The next Taste Cumbria festival will be in Cockermouth on 26 and 27 September, followed by Taste Cumbria Christmas on 5 and 6 December.
For the latest information on all the Taste Cumbria events visit www.tastecumbria.co.uk