Thousands of people enjoyed the very best of northern food and drink last weekend at Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Despite some inclement weather, more than 34,000 people attended the free two-day event in the town’s Market Place and the grounds of Auckland Castle.
Festival-goers enjoyed a range of home-grown and handmade produce from across County Durham and the wider region, as well as live cookery demonstrations by celebrity chefs including Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer.
Organised by Durham County Council in partnership with the Auckland Castle Trust and Bishop Auckland Town Council, the popular annual event provides a major boost to the economy.
Cllr Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said, “We are extremely pleased with how well this year’s festival has gone. Everyone seems to have had a fantastic time. Traders have reported excellent sales and the public have been as enthusiastic as ever.
“The food festival is such a big occasion for Bishop Auckland and County Durham as a whole.
“Not only does it give the stallholders a fantastic chance to showcase their produce and build their reputations, it also offers traders in the town an opportunity to make the most of significantly increased footfall and to really let people know what Bishop Auckland has to offer.”
Chef and presenter Simon proved popular with the crowds, cooking up a range of dishes in an open air demonstration kitchen in the castle grounds. Also showing off their culinary skills were fellow chefs Mark Lloyd, Richard Fox and Johnny Pusztai.
This year also saw the festival’s first ever Kids’ Club, with CBBC star Stefan Gates and CBeebies’ Katy Ashworth cooking up some fun for junior chefs. The sessions, which were all fully booked, included a children’s cookery school, food lab and eat-along storytelling.
Family fun was provided by a collection of food-crazy musicians and entertainers including the toe-tapping Courgettes and The Liver Cottage Kitchen team of Hugh Fearn and Lee Whittingstall.
There was also the chance to explore Auckland Castle and sample the food and drink in the grounds.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
