Everything You Need to Know About This Weekend’s Newcastle Food Festival
A Complete Guide to the Second Annual Celebration, Including Key Details on New Attractions, Street Food Vendors, and Independent Businesses
The Newcastle Food Festival opens in Leazes Park this weekend, revealing its final programme of diverse food and drink offerings, family activities, and live entertainment.
“After a fantastic reception from the local community for our debut, we couldn’t be more excited about this weekend” said Festival Director Michael Johnston. “We’ve brought in fresh attractions for returning faces, and we hope to recapture the same incredible atmosphere”
Food and Drink Lineup
The Street Food Arena will highlight 22 independent street food and dessert vendors, including Rekebot Ethiopia, Parm-O-Rama, and Pavs Dhaba. Available will be a selection of global delicacies and international flavours from Syria, Japan, Mexico, China, Spain, Italy, Vietnam, Greece, India, and more.
An additional 65 independent businesses feature in the Artisan Markets, including the likes of Toon Candies, Mallowdramatic, and MoodyMare Patisserie. The expansive lineup showcases sweet & savoury goods, handmade crafts, gifts, homeware, jewellery, art, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and more.
A Full Ale House, in partnership with Vocation Brewery, is complemented by 9 independent bars serving specialty cocktails, spirits, wine, and cider.
All of these lineups can be found on the event website, at: https://newcastlefoodanddrinkfestival.com/
New Activities
Various free attractions and family activities have been introduced for ticket holders. The Foodie Olympics, a series of interactive food-and-drink challenges, marks its debut. The Foodie Clue Quest Scavenger Hunt guides visitors across other event highlights, such as the brand new Animals About Town Mobile Farm. Alternatively Families can catch Roaming Bubble Performers and Samba & Drum Shows across different corners of the site.
Live Entertainment
Each ticket also includes access to three live stages running throughout the weekend.
14 live performances feature on the music stage, including up-and-coming musicians, vocalists, and bands, alongside two highly-acclaimed tribute acts.
MasterChef’s Anthony O’Shaughnessy hosts Live Cook-Offs, executive chefs, and esteemed experts across 10 cookery demonstrations in the Live Cookery Theatre.
The Magic Matt Show, Joel Dickinson, and Matthew J Magic host between them 12 family magic and performing arts shows, along with hourly circus workshops.
Charity and Further Attractions
Additional activities include Roaming Stilt Walkers and Comedy Acts, a Fun Fair, Kids Cooking Classes, a Kids Drawing Competition, Axe Throwing, Face Painting, Nysh Henna Designs Henna, and a Live Comedy Improv Show.
All donations through ticket sales and on-site events will go towards supporting Tyneside & Northumberland Mind, building on the £137,000 collectively raised for Mind charities across the north.
The Newcastle Food Festival opens its doors at 10:00am on May 31st & June 1st, 2025, Leazes Park.
