Sunderland Summer Foodfest: Weekend of global food and live music coming to Stadium of Light

Hungry Wearsiders can tuck into a weekend of global food and live music at a new festival.
Pumpkin Patch Events are host a food event at Stadium of Light.
From left Retro Sweets Mark McDowall, band The Voluntears Seamus Edge, Pumpkin Patch's Kelly and Craig Hooper, The Grind Burger Charlie Mair and Allan HyslopPumpkin Patch Events are host a food event at Stadium of Light.
From left Retro Sweets Mark McDowall, band The Voluntears Seamus Edge, Pumpkin Patch's Kelly and Craig Hooper, The Grind Burger Charlie Mair and Allan Hyslop
Pumpkin Patch Events are host a food event at Stadium of Light. From left Retro Sweets Mark McDowall, band The Voluntears Seamus Edge, Pumpkin Patch's Kelly and Craig Hooper, The Grind Burger Charlie Mair and Allan Hyslop

Sunderland Summer Foodfest will see the Stadium of Light car park taken over by more than 40 artisan food producers, as well as a host of unsigned bands and musicians.

Visitors to the free event, which will run on the weekend of June 4 and 5, will be able to sample foods from around the world, as well as regional fare.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Those brave enough can take on a Man Vs Food-style challenge hosted by Bernie Bumm Sauces, with other highlights including craft stalls, a children’s funfair and classic car rally.

The event is being delivered by Pumpkin Patch Events, who’ve hosted a range of food, craft and seasonal events in the area.

Events manager Craig Hopper said: “We’ve delivered other events such as craft markets and have been approached by hot food traders to ask if they could have stalls, but a lot of events do their own catering, so there wasn’t a need for them.

“We were building up all these contacts, but just didn’t have the right event for them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We were at the stadium to discuss one of our other events, a Christmas market, with them. We looked out of the window and thought it would viable for an event like the food festival.

“There are food festivals all over the North East, but apart from one in Mowbray Park a couple of years ago, Sunderland doesn’t have one.” Craig says the response to the festival has been positive on social media, with thousands of people expressing interest in attending.

“The main focus will be food,” he said. “but there will also be eight live music acts performing each day, as well as other attractions for the whole family,”

Bands booked to perform include The Hummingbirds, Exit Black, The Voluntears, One Man Revival, The Endeavours, Serinette, Samantha Durnan, Lost In Paradise, Paul Liddell, The Bluebuds, Four Colour Ghosts, Jamie Farrell, Tinny Bennett, Danny Devon, Claire Allport and Courtney Hadwin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Craig added: “We’ve kept the event free as we want as many people as possible to come along.

“If it does well, as we’re a business, we may introduce a small fee next year for adults, but keep it free for children.”

l Sunderland Summer FoodFest takes place at Stadium of Light on June 4 and 5 from 10am to 5pm on both days. Entry is free.