Taste of the Sea Festival 2023 held in Maryport with lots of fun had

Though the Producer’s Market had to move from the heart of the town on Senhouse Street to a smaller sheltered spot on the harbourside, the fun continued for two great days.

The festival is one of the famed Taste Cumbria events organised by Cumberland Council, in partnership with Maryport Town Council.

Ivy and Knox Hodgson from Dearham loved the tea cup fairground ride (Image: Penny Watson)

The weekend began with a lively comedy night, followed by a packed agenda of arty workshops, family fun, fairground rides and expert demos. There was a hot food court and a Rum Shack, run by pirates from Maryport Round Table. The team from the Chelaris fishing boat sold their catch on the harbourside while the likes of Portobello Wood Fired Pizza added seafood to their menu.

Chef John Crouch from Wigton starred on the Vici Demo Truck Kitchen stage (Image: Penny Watson)

New for this year was an outdoor film screening of Finding Dory with families braving the weather to watch the Disney movie.

The town’s Cultural Consortium, funded by Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone fund via Cumberland Council, held crafty taster sessions under the Made in Maryport banner. All the activities were delivered by the Consortium’s partners – Senhouse Museum, Maryport Maritime Museum, the new Shipping Brow Gallery and The Settlement.

Four generations of this family moved to Maryport from London because they loved the town – four-month-old Elsie Nkwo-Edwards was a winner on hook-a-duck (Image: Penny Watson)

Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people out in Maryport at our fabulous festival. They show that the weather definitely won’t stop them having a great time.

“It was great to hear that traders in the Producers’ Market, and the Chelaris team, sold out, showing the huge support for locally-made excellent food and drink. The 2022 festival brought £1 million into the local economy and that can only be good news for those who live and work in Cumberland. I can’t wait for the next event in Cockermouth in September – now we just need to order the weather.”

The crowds loved the cocktails at the Cumbria Distilling Co demonstration (Image: Penny Watson)

In addition to a partnership with Maryport Town Council, Cumberland Council would also like to thank Maryport Business Group, Maryport Round Table, Vici for the use of their demonstration trailer, and Maryport Harbour Authority for the use of their land.