The annual Pontefract Liquorice Festival, which celebrates the popular sweet, will take place on 9th July in Pontefract, Yorkshire.
The event is a celebration of the town’s historic link with the growing of the liquorice root and the production of it within the area.
The festival consists of a colourful market selling a variety of liquorice products, liquorice beer, pork pies, sausages, and cakes.
There will also be stalls selling different flavours of long lengths of liquorice and craft stalls selling sweet jewellery and other handmade goods.
There will be live street entertainment, craft activities and rides, as well as informative talks about the history of liquorice.
The Pontefract Liquorice Trust which runs the festival, reportedly aims to promote and maintain public education in culture, arts and the history of the town.
Close to the festival area is Pontefract Castle which also has interesting links to liquorice, as the root used to be grown at the castle.
Pontefract for groups
Pontefract is a historic town in Wakefield, and groups can learn about the history at one of Wakefield’s museums: Pontefract Museum, Castleford Museum and Wakefield Museum.
Visitors can also enjoy visiting the National Coal Mining Museum where they can discover what it was like to work in a mine.
Pontefract Castle is also worth considering on a day out – after being given a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund, conservation work is being done to improve and preserve the castle.
A new visitor centre is currently in the process of being built, too.
For more information about the Pontefract Liquorice Festival, visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk or www.pontefractliquoricefestival.co.uk.
