Taste Cumbria Cockermouth
Hungry crowds pack Cockermouth’s Taste Cumbria festival!
Photo credits - Carlos Reina Photography
More than 2,000 Scotch eggs, over 2,200 sausage rolls, three quarters of a tonne of Cumberland sausage, and 2,500 scones – just some of the crazy sales statistics from stallholders and town businesses combined after another fabulous Taste Cumbria festival in Cockermouth.
The streets were packed throughout Saturday and Sunday as people ate, drank, shopped and listened to live music. There was some great family fun too, with a fairground, street entertainment and face painting, while some great community groups took the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for charity.
The event showcased some of the county’s brilliant Michelin-starred dining too – with a Supper Club created by The Cottage in the Wood and Low Hall the Lakes, and a free demonstration from Chris Archer at The Pentonbridge Inn.
Market Place was the setting for another Street Party where all the businesses came out on the pavements with their own stalls. The pubs, cafes and restaurants also did brisk trade all around the town. Over in Memorial Gardens car park, there was a lively atmosphere in the Tractor Shed Brewing drinks tent with loads of acts on the main stage.
The festival also saw a book launch by Keswick chef Peter Sidwell, a Comedy Night at Cockermouth Cricket Club and a Brush and Tipple arty class at The Vicky shared workspace.
The Taste Cumbria festivals are free to attend, are organised by Cumberland Council and boost the local economy by millions of pounds. Event manager Ellie Jones, of Cumberland Council, said: “I cannot thank everyone enough for supporting another amazing Taste Cumbria festival – particularly the local residents and visitors who came from far and wide.
“There are also our sponsors, the Cockermouth businesses who get so excited about the event bringing tens of thousands of people to their door and the traders who clamour to take a stall, to the musicians who ask to appear on our stages and the demo chefs who give up their time to showcase their skills. Huge thanks also to the event team made up of Cumberland Council staff, trusted contractors and enthusiastic volunteers – we really couldn’t do this without them rolling up their sleeves to make sure everyone has the best time.”
Joe Murray, manager of The Children’s Society Shop on Main Street, and co-chair of Cockermouth & District Chamber of Trade, said: “I went round loads of the shops on Sunday to see how trade had gone. So many said they had seen an increase in sales, some selling hundreds of pounds more stock than their usual weekends, others saying they’ve had the best weekend in their years of trading.”
“Taste Cumbria brings so many different people to the area who travel for the day or stay for the weekend. What an atmosphere! It all shows that the more people know about our fabulous little town the better.”
Taste Cumbria in Cockermouth is sponsored by Cockermouth Town Council, The Coffee Kitchen Bakery and Milburns Solicitors, and supported by Cumberland Council and RockWith.
And the Taste Cumbria fun isn’t over for 2024. On Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 November, the food festival is joining forces with Carlisle’s fireworks extravaganza, hosting a market in the heart of the city, then in December it’s time for festive food at the Taste Cumbria Christmas in Cockermouth on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8.
Live Music
Saturday 28 September
Main Stage – Wakefield Road Car Park
11am Cockermouth Ukueles
12:30pm Char
2pm Phil Lewthwaite and Graham Bell
3:30pm Bruin & Lewis
5pm Funbus
6:30pm Antics
Market Place
11am Annie Jackson-Elliott
12:30pm Dale Stephenson
2pm Katota Club
3:30pm Logan Paul Murphy, The Beatles Boy
5pm Paul Nicholson
6:30pm Southbound band
Sunday 29 September
Main Stage – Wakefield Road Car Park
11am A66
12pm Supersonic
1:30pm Miss Pearl
3pm Melaphobia
Market Place
11am Luke Matear
12pm Ged Hagen
1:30pm Katie Keeling
3pm Miss Pearl
The Taste Cumbria Demonstration Stage
Saturday 28 September
10:30am – 11am – Chris Archer, head chef of the Michelin-starred Pentonbridge Inn
11:15am – 11:45am – Peter Sidwell, TV chef, of Peter Sidwell’s Kitchen
Noon – 12:30pm – Warwick Bridge Corn Mill and Bakery
12:45pm – 1:15pm – George Psarias, Greek chef and veteran star of Channel 4’s Too Many Cooks and Food & Drink with Jilly Goolden
1:30pm – 2pm – Demo, book launch and Q&A – Peter Sidwell, TV chef, of Peter Sidwell’s Kitchen
Sunday 29 September
11:45am – 12:15pm – Blokey Bloke Kitchen, with new cookbooks for sale in aid of the Alzheimer’s’ Society
12:30pm – 1pm – Peter Sidwell, TV chef, of Peter Sidwell’s Kitchen
2pm – 2:30pm – Cocktails with the Three Wheel Gin Company
Matt Reed
Louise Young
Ryan Kenny
Brennan Reece
Taste Cumbria Cockermouth Comedy Night
In need of a laugh? Get yourself to the next Taste Cumbria Comedy Night in Cockermouth. There’s a great line-up of comics at the event. The compere is Matt Reed, who will be a familiar face to Taste Cumbria regulars.
Location – Cockermouth Cricket Club
Other 2024 dates for your diary
Taste Cumbria Christmas in Cockermouth – 7 & 8 December 2024
TRADERS: YOU WILL BE RECEIVING AN EMAIL TONIGHT (THURSDAY) WITH NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR LEAVING THE FESTIVAL AT THE END OF THE DAY ON SATURDAY.
It’s a date fixed in every food lover’s calendar – the flagship Taste Cumbria festival is back in Cockermouth on Saturday 23 September 2023.
A great range of attractions are on the menu, giving visitors the chance to eat, drink and explore.
There will be all the things you’ve come to expect from the biggest Taste Cumbria event which has been a firm favourite in the county’s event calendar since 2010. It was created to keep Cockermouth on the map following massive floods which devastated the town centre.
Here’s a taste of the fabulous festival line-up – all of this is FREE to attend and details of two ticketed events – a Supper Club and Cocktail Masterclass – are below.
- Stalls
- Street party on Market Place
- Drinks tent and outdoor picnic area with live music all weekend
- Hot food court
- The demo stage with some great local chefs
- Fairground rides
- Children’s activities
Images copyright Tom Kay Photographic. phototom@gmail.com
The September 2022 Festival Fast Guide
Saturday 24th September
10:00am – 5:00pm – Main Street – Producers’ Market
10:00am onwards – Market Place – Street Party
10:00am – 8:00pm – Memorial Gardens Car Park – Tractor Shed Brewing Bar, Kindred Spirit Cocktails and Hot Food Court with live music
10:00am – 8:00pm – Memorial Gardens – fairground rides
10:00am – 5:00pm – The Vicky, High Sand Lane – children’s activities with Rainbow Wishes Foundation
6:00pm – Quiz Night with Steffen Peddie
6:00pm – Supper Club @Cockermouth Cricket Club
Sunday 25th September
10:00am – 4:00pm – Main Street – Producers’ Market
10:00am – onwards – Market Place – Street Party
10:00am – 4:00pm – Memorial Gardens – Tractor Shed Brewing Bar, Kindred Spirit Cocktails and Hot Food Court with live music
10:00am – 4:00pm – Memorial Gardens – fairground rides
10:00am – 4:00pm – The Vicky, High Sand Lane – children’s activities with Rainbow Wishes Foundation
Children’s Activities, September 2022
There’s always fun for all the family at Taste Cumbria in Cockermouth.
All day on Saturday and Sunday, The Vicky shared workspace on High Sand Lane (down the side of The New Bookshop) will host foodie crafts and games with Rainbow Wishes Foundation.
Then, over on Memorial Gardens Car Park, next to the Tractor Shed Drinks in the Festival Marquee and Hot Food Court, there will be fairground rides from Wilmotts Funfair, and there will be crazy street theatre all around the town.
Childrens’ crafts, dressing up and games with Rainbow Wishes Foundation
FREE
The Vicky, High Sand Lane – down the side of The New Bookshop, look for the red door
Street theatre, September 2022
FREE
All around the town
Fairground rides with
Willmotts Funfair, September 2022
Memorial Gardens Car Park
Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 September – 11am – 4pm
Cocktail Masterclass
with Cumbria Distilling Co.
Learn to make four fabulous cocktails with the expert team from Cumbria Distilling Co. Learn the tips of the trade in this hands-on masterclass – and drink your tasty creations too!
Location – Cockermouth Kitchen Company, Market Place
Live music @ the Acoustic Stage, Market Place, September 2022
Acoustic music corner with local acts sourced by ‘Rock With’. See times below:
Saturday 24th September
11am – Ella Grayce
12pm – Ryan Davidson
1pm – Alex Freitas
2pm – Phil Lewthwaite
3pm – Rina
Sunday 25th September
12pm – Ella Grayce
1pm – Alex Freitas
2pm – Ryan Davidson
3pm – Joe Lush
Live music @ the Festival Marquee, Memorial Gardens Car Park, September 2022
Saturday 24th September
11:00am – Chelsea Reynolds
12:30pm – Pecker
2:00pm – Logan Paul Murphy, The Beatles Boy
3:30pm – Gary Jackson
5:00pm – Peter Wilson
6.30pm – Harry Stephenson
Sunday 25th September
12:00pm – Chelsea Reynolds
1:30pm – Phil Lewthwaite
3:00pm – The Mustangz
Special thanks to our event sponsors
... and thank you to our event supporters
Getting here
The nearest mainline train station is Penrith. Connecting buses take about an hour to transport you to Cockermouth. Alternatively, arrive via Carlisle Railway Station, then take the train to Workington, then the X4 or X5 bus, or a taxi. If you are travelling by car, leave the M6 at junction 40, take the A66 west and you should be here in 40 minutes. For bus timetables throughout Cumbria click here.
Parking
If you’re coming to our festivals by car, here’s a handy link to some of the car parks in Cockermouth. If you’re parking on the street, please check local signs for restrictions. You’ll need a timing disc to park at the roadside – these are available from local businesses. A new festival ‘Park & Stroll’ is available on land adjacent to Lloyd BMW, and at the rear of the Lakes Home Centre, on Low Road – postcode CA130HH. (Please don’t use the store car park as it is reserved for their customers.)
Explore
Why not make a weekend of it by booking some accommodation? There is an excellent range of places to stay – from hotels, campsites and glamping, to B&Bs and self catering – in and around Cockermouth, and throughout the entire Cumberland area. You can also find out more about the area and discover the wealth of independent businesses on the Cockermouth Town website. Eat, drink, shop and explore!
Free fun on offer
Most of the attractions at the Taste Cumbria festivals are free to enjoy. There is no charge for the expert demonstrations on the Demo Stage, or for the street theatre, children’s activities and arts and crafts workshops. A small number of events are ticketed and there is a also charge for the fairground rides. Keep up to date with everything that’s happening on Facebook or Twitter, where you can also discover the other Taste Cumbria festivals.
Insider information
