Published 19th Jul 2023, 16:45 BST

Organisers of the event, now in its eighth year, are predicting a 10 per cent rise in visitor numbers to 33,000, up from 30,000 last year. The average spend per adult visitor to the event is £220.

The family-owned festival attracts visitors from all over the north of England for a weekend of food, drink, music and family entertainment.

The success of the festival directly supports food producers, distilleries, breweries, restaurants, hotels, transport and retail outlets who are involved in the event. Hotel rooms in Skipton and the surrounding area are sold out.

The Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival is a really family affair. Andy and Rachael Higgins are pictured with their three children as they prepare for this weekend’s event.

The festival takes over a 245-acre working sheep and dairy farm, Funkirk Farm, near Skipton. With a three-week build time the event relies on hundreds of local Yorkshire businesses to turn farmland into a fully-operational festival with lighting, water, 30 stages, camping, and more than 300 bars, stalls and food outlets.

Rachael Higgins, founder of the Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival said: “This year will be our biggest festival ever and we can’t wait to welcome everyone in.

"We’re a local family business and we’re proud to work with and support so many other local businesses and bring visitors into the Skipton area. Our success really is everyone’s success.

“We couldn’t put on an event of this scale without the support of hundreds of local businesses, chefs, restaurants, sponsors, food producers and of course, the celebrity chefs. We want to put Skipton on the map and showcase the amazing Yorkshire food and drink industry in all its glory.

"We are passionate about creating a weekend to remember that fills people with joy, and with 70 per cent of guests returning year after year, we must be doing something right.”

The event works with a local businesses to build and operate the festival including electrical engineers, waste management services, lighting and sound teams, marquee builders, water management installers and fencing teams.

A further 750 people, the majority from the local area, join the team over the weekend, from electricians, sound engineers, funfair operators, photographers, waste management, security, first aid and toilet management.

Sarah Howsen, Skipton BID manager, said: “The Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival is a great addition to Skipton. Skipton BID has supported the event over the years as we understand the benefits it generates for the town.

“The festival continues to raise awareness of Skipton and the surrounding area, and most definitely puts us on the foodie map. Skipton is an amazing town with lots of great food and drink establishments, many of the visitors to the festival choose to stay in Skipton and extend their stay so the town centre businesses reap the benefits.”

The festival also works hard to deliver longer-term economic impact by spotlighting many of the region’s eateries with the aim to drive restaurant bookings post-festival.

It attracts corporate sponsors from Yorkshire and beyond, including Arla’s Anchor butter, Le Gruyere cheese and Lidl.

It also features cooking demos from celebrity chefs James Martin, the Hairy Bikers and Gino D’Acampo along with music from tribute acts and DJ sets from Gok Wan and Pat Sharp.

This year’s festival begins on Friday, July 21.

Visitors to the Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival expected to contribute more than £7m to the local economy