Thousands flock to Bents Park for South Shields’ Proper Food and Drink Festival

Thousands of food and drink lovers flocked to Bents Park today as The Proper Food and Drink Festival served up the perfect Bank Holiday treat.
Delicious cupcakesDelicious cupcakes
Delicious cupcakes

The festival, which also runs tomorrow and Monday, features a producers’ market, street food trucks and bars, as well as an area devoted to crafts and a host of family activities.

Sampling the drinksSampling the drinks
Sampling the drinks
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It has gone really well - it has been a very good day,” said Mark.

The couple stage around half a dozen events a year, but Marks says the annual visit to South Shields has become one of his firm favourites.

“We have been coming here for seven years now and it is an absolute pleasure for me, to be honest,” he said.

“I really look forward to this every year.”

Checking out the craft stallsChecking out the craft stalls
Checking out the craft stalls

The sun show on today’s event (most of the time, anyway) and Mark had been delighted with the numbers attending.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We don’t have an exact count, because people are coming and going and all the time - you don’t know how long they stay - and it is a big old space.

“But it has been very busy all day. It was busy from the second we opened at 11am and it has remained pretty steady all through the day.

“It has gone really, really well and I think we have had about 6,000 people through the gate over the course of the day.”

Pies and sausage rolls are always a hitPies and sausage rolls are always a hit
Pies and sausage rolls are always a hit

This summer the event is also being held in Whitley Bay on the weekend of June 15 and 16 and Gosforth on the weekend of July 13 and 14.

The Great North Feast takes place at Bents Park on the Bank Holiday of 25, 26 and 27 August.