Washington Food Market returning this weekend with over 40 stalls and entertainment

The Albany Park event is expected to attract around 40 stalls selling a wide variety of food and homeware produce. This will include cakes, pies and other pastry produce, local honeys, Dutch pancakes, Greek olive oil, Peruvian steak, vegan tacos and wood fire pizza from Washington’s own Pizza Grande.

There will also be buskers. The event is dog friendly and Covid safe.

Admission is free, but visitors are politely asked to generously donate to a collection for local foodbank, the Washington Community Food Project. The first three food markets in May, June and July raised £1,016.29 for the charity.

Organisers were “absolutely blown away” by the public’s generosity and are hoping to top the £2,000 mark by the time the August and September events have been held.

Richard Murr is events director of Washington Does Culture, the organisation behind the market, and he is very much looking forward to the fourth one.

He said: “The first three food markets went really well and we didn’t expect to get as many people there as we did. Everyone had a fantastic time. The stall holders say it’s their favourite market to do in the whole of the North East.

“The biggest thing we want to do is raise as much money as possible for the foodbank.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the event goes over Christmas; and we’re already planning for next summer too.

“In 2022 it should be more bespoke. For example we could have a barbecue themed food market.”

This month’s market will be held on Sunday, August 15 at Albany Park between 10am and 2pm.

The final Washington Food Market of the summer will be on Sunday, September 12. However, there may be a Christmas version to follow at another venue in Washington. All stalls are taken for Sunday, but anyone interested in running one in September should visit www.doesculture.com.

Washington Community Food Project is also looking for donations and could make particular use of tins of corned beef, ham, custard and rice pudding as well as carrier bags. See www.wcfp.org.uk for more details.

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