Accrington is preparing to become Lancashire’s tastiest destination this weekend as the hugely popular #AmazingAccrington Food & Drink Festival returns on Saturday for a packed day of food, drink, family fun and entertainment.
Taking place from 10am until 4pm and free to attend, the festival will transform the town centre into a celebration of flavour, featuring more than 80 food, drink & craft stalls and attractions including live cooking demonstrations, family activities, live entertainment, funfair rides on Broadway and a brand-new chilli challenge.
Food lovers will be spoiled for choice throughout the day, with Blackburn Road and Broadway packed with traders serving up an incredible selection of local, regional and international dishes.
Visitors can enjoy everything from churros, handmade pork pies, artisan cheese and freshly made doughnuts to pizza, loaded fries, quesadillas, samosas, pakoras, kebabs, gyros, halloumi fries, porridge bowls, Korean corn dogs, Jollof rice, artisan curries, chutneys and sauces. Sweet treats and refreshments will also be in abundance, including Mrs Dowson’s Ice Cream, hot crumble puddings, matcha lattes, coffee, slushies, freshly squeezed lemonade, beer and much more.
For those eager to start their culinary adventure early, a special continental food market will open on Broadway from Friday, bringing authentic flavours from around the world to Accrington. Visitors can enjoy Moroccan, Mexican, Chinese, Greek, Indian and Filipino cuisine, alongside sweet treats including macaroons and fudge. The market will also feature a range of traders selling clothing, jewellery, rum, spirits, moonshine, wooden garden furniture and more.
A major new attraction for this year’s festival is the Taste of Hyndburn Tent, which will celebrate some of the borough’s finest food and drink businesses.
Headlined by the award-winning Finch Bakery, the tent will also feature Ellie’s Oats, The Handcrafted Pie Company and Moorside Craft Gin, providing visitors with an opportunity to discover the quality and creativity of Hyndburn’s food and drink sector.
The Series of Silence will also host a special gin bar within the tent, where visitors can sample Moorside Craft Gin and purchase the newly released third book in the popular Series of Silence saga, The Silence We Reveal. Books one and two in the series will also be available, with special discounts on both books and gin.
The Taste of Hyndburn Tent will host live entertainment at 2pm, featuring a special 1940s dance performance alongside musical entertainment from Christopher & The Robins.
Food will remain firmly at the heart of the festival thanks to a packed programme of live cooking demonstrations taking place throughout the day in the main cooking demonstration area on Broadway.
Head Chef at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa, Sean Noonan, will take to the stage at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm.
Festivalgoers will be able to watch Sean prepare dishes including Chicken Supreme with Koffmann cabbage, truffled mash and red wine jus, pan-fried scallops with cauliflower, celery and apple, and Kames Bay trout served with pickled fennel, samphire and a hot tartare sauce, finished with caviar.
Each demonstration will highlight the Dunkenhalgh’s commitment to supporting local suppliers while celebrating the exceptional quality of Lancashire produce.
Known for his bold flavours, infectious energy and innovative dishes inspired by global street food, Scott has built a reputation through more than 20 years of professional kitchen experience. Accompanied by a British Sign Language interpreter, he will showcase his distinctive approach to modern flavour-packed cooking in what promises to be one of the highlights of the day.
Adding an extra kick to this year’s event is the brand-new Chilli Challenge, where competitors will discover who can handle the heat as increasingly fiery chillies are introduced round by round in a battle of endurance and taste.
Accrington Market will also be bustling throughout the day, offering visitors the opportunity to browse an extensive range of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, cheese, eggs, fashion, pet food, tools and much more.
As part of a special Dig for Victory theme, Smiths Fresh Produce on Accrington Market will be giving away 200 free apples to children aged under 12 while stocks last.
Young visitors will also have the chance to enter a special competition by taking photos in a miniature Accrington Market stall display next to Smiths Fresh Produce before sharing the image on social media and tagging @AmazingAccrington. One lucky winner will receive a free fruit hamper courtesy of Smiths Fresh Produce.
The Dig for Victory theme continues on Broadway, where the Prospects Foundation will host free interactive seed planting workshops throughout the day.
Families will have the opportunity to plant vegetables including runner beans, carrots, kale and lettuce in biodegradable cardboard pots before decorating them to take home and grow themselves. Workshops will take place hourly from 10am until 2pm, with the final session beginning at 2pm. While free to attend, families are encouraged to register in advance via Eventbrite to guarantee their place.
Secure your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1990174330998
Alongside the extensive food and drink offering, visitors will also be able to browse a variety of independent traders selling plants, skincare products, kitchenware, 3D-printed products, Accrington Stanley merchandise and much more.
This year’s festival also falls on the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and organisers have planned a special programme of commemorative activities throughout the day.
A remembrance procession will begin at 12:15pm behind the Canine Club before making its way down Blackburn Road and Church Street to the Accrington Pals Memorial Garden next to St James’ Church.
The procession will be led by a lone piper from the world-famous Accrington Pipe Band and a WWII BSA M20 motorbike supplied by the Veterans Living History Museum. Representatives from air, sea and army cadets, alongside members of the Royal British Legion, will take part in what promises to be a poignant moment of remembrance in the heart of the town.
Following the procession, the BSA M20 motorbike will be displayed in Accrington Town Square as part of an extensive Veterans Living History Museum showcase featuring thousands of artefacts and displays spanning both World Wars.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a wide range of interactive attractions, including a large-scale military display featuring more than 20 uniformed mannequins, a paintball experience and a remarkable collection of military vehicles.
Also on the town square will be a full-size P51D Mustang, a Hurricane Experience complete with engine demonstrations throughout the day, an FV107 Scimitar tank, a KrAZ-255 Soviet-era off-road truck, a WWII jeep, a Military Defender 110 and a 1930s Morris Eight.
Entertainment will continue throughout the day across multiple locations in the town centre.
The Helen Green Academy of Dance will perform a series of special 1940s-themed jitterbug displays in Accrington Town Square between 12:30pm and 3pm, while a busker will provide live music and entertainment throughout the day.
At 1pm, commemorations will continue in the grounds of St James’ Church with a special D-Day re-enactment hosted by Stephen Lowe, accompanied by a performance from the lone piper.
Earlier in the day, Christopher & The Robins will entertain visitors with wartime favourites and popular 1940s songs between 10:30am and 12:30pm at St James’ Church before performing later in the Taste of Hyndburn Tent.
Visitors are being encouraged to embrace the spirit of the occasion by attending in 1940s dress, helping to create a unique atmosphere throughout the town centre.
Adding to the wartime theme, Frankie’s Café on Broadway will be transformed into “Café René” for the day, serving a specially themed French-inspired menu.
Cllr Munsif Dad, Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, said: “The #AmazingAccrington Food & Drink Festival is one of my favourite events of the year and it’s fantastic to see it return once again. With incredible food, live entertainment, family activities and so much more, there really is something for everyone. We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the region for what promises to be a fantastic day.”
Sean Noonan, Head Chef at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa, said: “We’re proud to be sponsoring this year’s festival and I’m looking forward to showcasing some fantastic Lancashire produce during the live cooking demonstrations. It’s always a fabulous event and a great opportunity to celebrate great food with the community.”
Murray Dawson, Chair of #AmazingAccrington and Managing Director of Scott Dawson Advertising, said: “We’ve worked hard to keep developing the festival year after year and we’re excited to introduce new attractions including the Taste of Hyndburn Tent and Chilli Challenge. Combined with an outstanding range of food and drink stalls and non-stop cooking demonstrations, it’s set to be another fantastic day for Accrington.”
The #AmazingAccrington Food & Drink Festival takes place on Saturday from 10am until 4pm and is free-to-attend.
The event is sponsored by Hyndburn Borough Council and the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa.
To stay up to date with the latest news and announcements, visit www.amazingaccrington.co.uk
