Two festivals confirmed for South Shields next year
South Shields will next year enjoy a double taste of the very best food and drink with the confirmation of two Bank Holiday festivals.
The ever-popular Proper Food and Drink Festival, which is free to enter, returns to Bents Park for a fourth year on 27, 28 and 29 May and the first Great North Feast comes to the park between 25 and 28 August.
Mark Deakin who with his wife Shelley is organising both events, said the Great North Feast was going to be “huge, surprising and amazingly exciting.” Further details will be released in the New Year. “All I can say for now is it’s going to be a massive celebration of food and drink,” said Mark.
“It will also be very different. We are, for example, going to bring together all members of the community for a social eating experience which has never before been seen in the North East. We also intend to break loads of records.”
This year the crowds turned out in force for the South Shields Proper Food and Drink Festival which was also held over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
As well as 60 producers selling their tasty treats, there was live music and a large choice of food and drink available to help make it a memorable day.
“We’ve now run quite a few Proper Food and Drink Festivals throughout the North East and I think we’ve got the recipe just about right,” said Shelley. “We want to appeal to the growing number of people who appreciate and enjoy beautifully produced food and drink, but also couples and families who just want a great day out.”
The growing number of Proper Food and Drink Festivals have also proved to be a successful shop window for producers, generating enough interest to help some turn their passion into a living.
“We’ve seen a lot of people develop and refine their offer and we’ve shared with them the great satisfaction of seeing people queuing up to buy their product,” said Mark.
“I love Christmas as much as anybody, but at this time of the year when it’s cold and dark you also need something to look forward to and note in your diary,” said Mark. “That’s why we’re announcing it now.”
2017 will see Proper Food Festivals return to North Shields, Whitley Bay and Cramlington, as well as South Shields. Blyth and Gateshead will also host their first events.
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