Sit down with a pint of Double Maxim and a pink slice, today is a day to celebrate all things red and white.
What started a few years ago to promote the Mackem Dictionary has now become an annual celebration of Sunderland culture, its people and passion on August 12.
This year’s celebrations are set to be the biggest yet with a free night of music, stalls and performance at Sheepfolds Stables tonight from 5pm to 10pm, which is sold out.
There’s plenty of reason to love our city by the sea - and we’ve rounded up just some of them:
17. Pink slices and other weird and wonderful foods
No one knows why, but the humble pink slice is a sweet treat that's only found in its proper form in Sunderland. It's a much-loved food in the city along with panackelty, saveloy dips and ham and pease pudding stotties. (If you're Southern and reading this you probably wouldn't understand) Photo: JPI Media
18. The Mackem lexicon
In Sunderland we have some unusual pronunciations of everyday words that probably sound a bit bonkers to the untrained ear, such as red chester for register, skewel for school and clays for clothes. Photo: Stock photo
19. The Fans Museum
Set up by Sunderland fan Michael Ganley, who amassed a vast collection of rare pieces of footballing history over the course of thirty years, the Fans Museum is a unique attraction in the former Monkwearmouth Station Museum, appealing to football fans from across the world and containing some amazing artefacts and installations. As well as saving one of the city's oldest buildings, the museum is a shining example of Michael's passion for his home city, helping communities and providing a real heritage asset. | Sunderland Echo