Sweet treat in store as Pontefract Liquorice Festival returns

Pontefract’s annual liquorice festival will return to the town this weekend.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/AMGP.co.uk - 130714 - Press - Pontefract Liquorice Festival - Pontefract, England - Pontefract Liquorice festival general view, GV.Picture by Allan McKenzie/AMGP.co.uk - 130714 - Press - Pontefract Liquorice Festival - Pontefract, England - Pontefract Liquorice festival general view, GV.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/AMGP.co.uk - 130714 - Press - Pontefract Liquorice Festival - Pontefract, England - Pontefract Liquorice festival general view, GV.

More than 80 stalls will line streets in and around the town centre at the event on Sunday, July 12.

There will also be street entertainment, talks on the history of liquorice and stalls at the festival which will run from 10am until 4pm.

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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.

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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.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to come down to the Pontefract Liquorice Festival on Sunday, it’s going to be an amazing day which celebrates an important part of our heritage.”