Carlisle Great Food Fair

Bank holiday event planned

Carlisle City Council is set to host the region's largest Food Fair later this month (Friday, 24 Monday, 27 August).

The city centre based festival of spectacular mouth-watering delights will include the return of the popular Continental Market throughout the four-day food fair and Made In Cumbria Farmers' Market on the Friday and Saturday.

To coincide with the event, local residents have also been given the opportunity to share breakfast with Carlisle's Mayor, Cllr Elizabeth Mallinson. As part of Carlisle's celebration of its ancient rights to hold a fair, granted to the citizens of Carlisle in 1352 by Edward III, the Mayor will be hosting a charity Great Fair breakfast in the Tithe Barn, West Walls on Saturday, 25 August at 8.30am.

After the Civic breakfast there will be an ancient Proclamation declaring the City Council's rights to hold an annual Fair. Carlisle City Council's Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Jason Gooding, will recite the Proclamation at 10am at the city centre Market Cross. The Proclamation will mark the official opening of the Carlisle Great Food Fair.

A Procession, involving the Mayor and Mayoress of Carlisle, the Sword and Mace Bearers and other civic dignitaries, will take part in the ancient ceremony. A town crier will mark the start of the ancient event.

The Carlisle City Council Great Food Fair includes a host of spectacular mouth-watering delights, with the return of the popular Continental Market throughout the four-day food fair and Made In Cumbria stalls on the Friday and Saturday.

The Continental Market, arranged by the Market Place Europe Ltd, will include more than 30 stalls from the far reaches of Europe. Goods will include charcuterie specialist meats from Corsica, freshly baked French Apple and Fruit sponges, a Spanish trader cooking authentic paella, and wine and beer merchants selling quality Bordeaux.

Green fingered shoppers will not be disappointed either, as the market will include the 'Flying Dutchman', Dick van de Wardt, one of the largest plant, flower and bulb specialists from Holland.

The Made In Cumbria stalls will include stalls selling traditional fare such as Cumberland Mustard, preserves & pickles, cakes and truffles.

The programme will also include daily entertainment on the bandstand.