A food festival returning to South Shields this weekend promises it will be bigger and better, with a packed line up of treats and music.
The Great North Feast in the Park opens in Bents Park on Saturday and runs through until Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.
Previously known as the Great North Feast, the event attracted thousands to Bents Park in 2017 and 2018.
Visitors will be able to sample food from a range of top traders, who will be cooking up dishes from around the world and nearby, with stalls ranging from pease pudding and 'Geordie' sausages, to Caribbean and Greek.
There will be three themed bars on site too.
The likes of Nick and Eliza, Salida, Beth Macari, Stealthy Rollers and Hatti Murdock will be playing live music.
Organisers Mark and Shelley Deakin run several successful food events, including Festival by the Sea (North East Chilli Fest) and the Proper Food and Drink Festivals.
"The first two years proved to be really popular. But we've really stepped up things for 2019," Mark said.
"There’s more entertainment, so we’re opening later into the evening and people will see a very different look. We've got teepees and stretch tents which will create a really great festival vibe."
Mark and Shelley joined up with Nigel Holliday to arrange this weekend's event. The trio have worked together before and have big plans for the future.
"Running Feast by the Sea with Nigel – and now Great North Feast in the Park - has been great,” said Shelley.
"We’ve found that we have similar ideas on how to take events to the next level."
"We’ve run dozens of events between us and it seemed sense to pool our expertise,” said Nigel.
"There are now so many pop-up events in the North East and, while that’s a good thing, we’re determined to make ours continue to stick out from the rest – and people will be able to see what we mean this weekend."
Great North Feast in the Park runs from 10am to 7pm on Saturday (24 August) and Sunday, and 10am to 6pm on Bank Holiday Monday.
The food and drink producers include: Crazy Freds, Doggy Delish, Geordie Bangers, Mr Vikki’s, the Northumberland Sausage Company, Olive Tree, Pete’s Puddin’, R Place, Sprinkled, the Brownie Bar, The Cherry Tree, the Travelling Bee Company, United Sweets of America, the Pilgrim Spirit Company, Candy Land, Fruit Kitchen, Earth and Fire, Fat Hippo, Hanks, Hatch 76, Mivesi, Northumberland Farmhouse, Simply Cheesecake, Smokey Joes, Tandoori Naan, Red Heads Mac ‘n Cheese, Glitter Bug and Fowl Play.
