Food glorious food – festival proves a sizzling success in Morpeth

7 October 2014

A packed day of foodie fun was on the menu at the weekend as Morpeth hosted the town’s second annual food Festival.

Featuring 120 stalls at venues right across the town the annual event also gave local chefs the chance to showcase their skills with a theatre kitchen running cookery sessions throughout the day on the market place.

Delicious local produce, chocolate demonstrations as well as wine, beers and spirits all pulled in the crowds and a special appearance by the band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was also organised as part of the packed programme of events on Saturday (October 4th).

Visitors enjoyed cheese and wine matching sessions as well as food tastings and the hunt to find a “Morpeth Jam” was won by Sarah Taylor who created a delicious raspberry jam which impressed the judges.

Despite a damp start to the day footfall at Sanderson Arcade – where a sausage and ale festival was staged – was up by five per cent on last year’s Festival and plans are already underway for the 2015 event.

Centre Manager at Sanderson Arcade, Medi Parry, who helped organise the event, said: “We had more stall, more attractions and even more venues involved this year and the feedback we have had was fantastic – it’s even been suggested that we could run the Festival as a two day event.

“We’ll be meeting up over the next few weeks to look at how we can build on the event and continue to make it a success for future years. It really has been a huge team effort and it’s great to be part of something where the whole town pulls together.”

The event was hosted by Jonathan Miles from BBC Newcastle’s mid-morning show and the Morpeth Gadgie was also on hand throughout the day.

The event is completely self-funded and supported through sponsorship as well as the sale of More in Morpeth shopping bags – it’s organised by the Morpeth Chamber of Trade, Sanderson Arcade, Morpeth Town Team, Morpeth Markets Advisory Group and Northumberland County Council.

Mayor of Morpeth Cllr Nic Best said: “The Festival brought a lot of visitors to the town, including many who hadn’t been to Morpeth before or hadn’t visited for three or four years and more.

“The feedback I heard was great – with praise not only for the Festival but for the attractiveness of the town itself. I’ve a feeling we’ll see a number of them come back to have a better look round long before next year’s Festival. My congratulations to everyone involved in bringing it all together”

For more information about events in Morpeth visit www.moreinmorpeth.co.uk

Pictures shows scenes from Saturday's Food Festival.

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Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
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Email: admin@dransfield.co.uk