Sweet treat in store as annual liquorice festival returns to Pontefract

There will be street entertainment, talks on the history of liquorice and stalls during the event on Sunday, July 12.

Special dishes will be served and themed gifts will be on sale at more than 80 market stalls from 10am-4pm in the town centre.

Pontefract Museum will be showing displays of the history of sweet-making in the town.

There will also be family workshops will include face painting, liquorice jewellery making, puppet making and science themed workshops.

Children can enjoy afternoon tea with Alice and The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland at a show on the festival stage outside Pontefract Town Hall.

There will be a small selection of paid-for children’s rides and Live music from local acts on the festival stage.

People will also be invited to be part of Pontefract Sideshow by having their portrait taken for an exhibition at the towns’ museum.

Among the street entertainers will be stilt walkers, Dame Lucy Liquorice, French Waiters and the Liquorice Ladies. Talks will also be given by historian Tom Dixon.

A free park and ride system will be in place from Pontefract Park close to the M62 outside the town centre. Buses run between 9am and 5pm.

Coun Les Shaw, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: “We are crossing our fingers for sunshine on what is one of the stand-out annual events in Pontefract.”