Pontefract Liquorice Festival: Fun day out in West Yorkshire for foodies and families – here’s a sneak preview

If you’ve never been before, you are in for a treat – with so much to try and taste the liquorice-lovers among you will be spoiled for choice.

And if liquorice – whether plain, sweet or salty – is not to your taste, never fear, there’s plenty of other things to enjoy including music, free family workshops, kids’ entertainment, stilt walkers, street theatre and sweet-themed crafts and trails.

A great day out for the family

Every year Pontefract’s history connection with liquorice is celebrated with the renowned festival, which draws people from across the county and beyond.

Pontefract cakes (or Pomfret cakes) have been made here since 1760. The small black sweet liquorice ‘sweets’ were originally sold for medicinal purposes – it was George Dunhill, a chemist in Pontefract, who added sugar to liquorice to make a chewy lozenge, thus inventing the popular sweet still enjoyed today.

The grounds around Pontefract castle were once a giant liquorice field but today you’ll find it’s the streets of the town that will be filled with the unique product.

At the festival you’ll find it in everything from drinks to fudge, liquorice allsorts, sweets and cocktails to pies and cakes. The food market extends across Market Place, Salter Row and Corn Market and includes quirky gifts and homeware, as well as food that you won’t find anywhere else.

The town centre will also be filled with plenty of entertainment for the younger members of the family with colourful funfair rides, free face painting, and street entertainment including Lucy Liquorice (Lucy Liquorice is a pantomime dame that wonders the streets interacting with visitors), theatre performances and stilt entertainers.

Music and workshops

There will be bands playing throughout the day, with hosts Rhubarb Radio keeping the music going. And in between browsing the market and enjoying some tunes, why not take part in some of the free family workshops – you could be making liquorice jewellery, honing your circus skills or joining some outdoor creative play with The Hepworth Wakefield learning team.

Heritage

There’s a chance to learn more about the history of liquorice in Pontefract with a talk by Tom Dixon which will be given at Pontefract Library at 11.30 and again at 2pm. Or try the sweet-themed crafts and tasty trail set by Pontefract Museum where you can learn more about this nostalgic treat and take a trip down memory lane with the display of liquorice packets from years gone by.

The festival runs in partnership with Pontefract Civic Society which is also hosting ‘Liquorice Shoots’ on Saturday 8 July – a community warm-up event for the main festival featuring entertainment, artisan stalls and family activities.

Finally, why not extend your stay with the return of the Liquorice Food & Drink Trail and sample a sweet-themed special from one of the incredible bars, restaurants, and cafes that Pontefract has to offer.

Visit Pontefract Liquorice Festival 10am-4pm, Sunday 9 July. Find out more at expwake.co/PLF