Sunderland’s popular Food and Drink Festival is set to return next month, promising three days of international cuisine, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities across the city centre.
Taking place from 6–8 June at Keel Square, High Street West, and Market Square, the festival drew more than 30,000 visitors last year — and organisers say this year’s event is shaping up to be its best yet.
The festival will showcase a diverse selection of street food, including German sausages, American steak burgers, Greek souvlaki, feta and spinach spanakopita, Japanese bento, Korean fried chicken, African grills, Turkish favourites, Indian dishes, Caribbean treats, and Mexican fare. Dessert lovers can look forward to a range of sweet stalls as well.
In addition to food, the festival offers an expanded schedule of family activities and live performances. Highlights include:
- Live music curated by Sunderland Music City and ISG, featuring acts such as Lottie Willis, Ruby Kelly, Voulez 2, and a Robbie Williams tribute.
- Children’s workshops on eco-friendly gardening, arts and crafts, and seed planting, with opportunities to decorate plant pots, picture frames, and kitchen items.
- A Green Living Zone promoting sustainability and creativity, including fresh produce from the University of Sunderland’s A Space to Grow community garden.
- Interactive sessions such as recycled sculpture workshops, sensory play, and nature-inspired art.
- Special events like Pride Radio’s Saturday playlist in Market Square, drag queen appearances to launch Pride in Sunderland, and an Afrobeats celebration on Sunday with African drumming, masks, fashion, and food.
Roberta Redecke, marketing and events manager at Sunderland BID, called the festival “three days of fun activities and entertainment for the whole family.”
“Not only do we have some of the best, most innovative and tastiest street food, but we’ve also lined up a fantastic programme of events,” she said. “We hope as many people as possible will come along and enjoy everything on offer.”
Festival hours are:
- Keel Square and High Street West: 10am–7pm (Friday & Saturday), 10am–4pm (Sunday)
- Market Square: 10am–6pm (Friday & Saturday), 10am–4pm (Sunday)
For more details and programme updates, visit www.sunderlandfooddrinkfest.co.uk. Traders interested in joining the event can contact info@sunderlandbid.co.uk.