Taste Cumbria Maryport returns on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August 2026, bringing a packed weekend of local food, live music, family entertainment and free cookery demonstrations to Maryport’s waterfront.
This year’s festival will again spread across two locations: the Harbourside Event Space at South Quay and the nearby Marine Road Showfield. Organisers say it will be the biggest Maryport edition yet, with more producers’ stalls than ever before and tens of thousands of visitors expected across the weekend.
Headline attractions include a free appearance by TV chef Rosemary Shrager on Saturday morning, the Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy on Sunday, two stages of live music, The Teenage Market, a producers’ market, hot food, a kite show, fairground rides and free children’s activities.
Here is everything you need to know before visiting Taste Cumbria Maryport 2026.
Taste Cumbria Maryport 2026 at a glance
- Dates: Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August 2026
- Saturday opening: 10am to 5pm, with music on the Main Stage continuing until 7pm
- Sunday opening: 10am to 4pm
- Locations: Harbourside Event Space and Marine Road Showfield, Maryport
- Admission: Free, including cookery demonstrations, live music, street entertainment, kite displays and children’s activities
- Extra charges: Fairground rides are charged separately
- Headline chef: Rosemary Shrager at 11am on Saturday
- Special Sunday attraction: Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy
You can also view the dedicated Taste Cumbria Maryport event listing and explore more ideas in our Maryport destination guide.
What is happening at each festival site?
The festival is split between two waterfront areas, each with a different focus.
Harbourside Event Space
The Harbourside Event Space will host the expert cookery demonstrations, The Teenage Market and live performances on the Palace Stage. Visitors will also have access to the nearby Shiver Me Timbers play area and splashpark.
This part of the event is likely to be the best starting point for anyone keen to see Rosemary Shrager, watch the cooking programme or browse products created by young entrepreneurs.
Marine Road Showfield
The larger Marine Road site is home to the Producers’ Market, hot food court, Maryport Round Table Festival Bar, Main Stage, fairground rides, kite show and family entertainment.
Free activities are expected to include crafts, face painting, magic shows and balloon modelling. The festival bar is operated by Maryport Round Table, with profits supporting local good causes. Organisers ask visitors not to bring their own alcohol onto the festival site.
Food and drink at Taste Cumbria Maryport
Food is naturally at the centre of the weekend, with a broad mix of Cumbrian producers and street-food businesses taking part.
The published trader list includes fresh seafood, farm meat, cheese, preserves, sauces, baked goods, Scotch eggs, churros, paella, Indian food, Turkish-inspired dishes, South African food, gourmet hot dogs, Italian treats, olive oil, mocktails, ginger drinks, vodka and mead.
Among the businesses announced are Cumbrian Coastal Kitchen, Hallsford Farm Produce, Stonehouse Smokery, The Hedgehog Bakery, The Yolker, The Wilde Bakery, Kick Ass Cheese, Dosa Chaska, Pepe Luis Paellas, Sunrise Patisserie, Wiga Wagaa and The Chippie Van.
Visitors will also have the chance to buy fish and seafood caught and sold fresh from the Chelaris boat on Saturday. This is weather permitting, so availability may change if sea conditions affect the boat.
The market is not limited to food. Jewellery, photography, prints, gifts, homewares, recycled crafts and visitor information from organisations including the Solway Coast National Landscape and Solway Firth Partnership are also included in the official trader list.
Rosemary Shrager and the cookery demonstration timetable
TV chef Rosemary Shrager is the headline guest on the Harbourside Demo Stage. Her free demonstration begins at 11am on Saturday 8 August, with samples expected to be available for members of the audience.
Saturday 8 August
- 11am: Rosemary Shrager
- 12 noon: Question and answer session with Jeremy Kent, Vine Keeper at Underscar Vineyard
- 1pm: A Taste of Africa
- 2pm: Indian pancakes with Dosa Chaska
Sunday 9 August
- 11am: Cocktail masterclass with Ravens Nest, Whitehaven
- 12 noon: Private chef John Crouch
- 2pm: Question and answer session with Jeremy Kent, Vine Keeper at Underscar Vineyard
All of the expert demonstrations are included in the festival’s free programme. Arriving early is sensible for Rosemary Shrager’s Saturday appearance, which is likely to be one of the busiest sessions of the weekend.
See the Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy on Sunday
Sunday’s programme includes a visit from the Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy as Cumberland prepares to welcome the opening stages of the men’s Tour de France in July 2027.
The 2027 race will open with a stage finishing in Carlisle on Friday 2 July, followed by a second stage starting in Keswick on Saturday 3 July before travelling through the Lake District and Lancashire to Liverpool.
The trophy visit gives festival visitors an early chance to learn more about the Grand Départ and the major international sporting event coming to Cumbria next summer.
Live music timetable
Music runs across the Main Stage at Marine Road and the Palace Stage at the Harbourside Event Space. The Main Stage continues beyond the market closing time on Saturday, with music scheduled until 7pm.
Main Stage, Marine Road Showfield: Saturday
- 10am: Phil Lewthwaite
- 11am: Solway Shanty
- 12 noon: Mowdies
- 1pm: Flimby Male Voice Choir
- 2pm: Lytham St Annes Shanty Crew
- 3pm: Stormcrowe
- 4pm: A66
- 5pm: VHS
Main Stage, Marine Road Showfield: Sunday
- 10am: Char
- 11am: Solway Shanty
- 12 noon: Amy Florence
- 1pm: Lytham St Annes Shanty Crew
- 2pm: Gravity’s Edge
- 3pm: Cindy Hoten
- 4pm: The Tomorrow
Palace Stage, Harbourside Event Space: Saturday
- 10am: Char
- 11am: Stephen Dunn
- 12 noon: Lytham St Annes Shanty Crew
- 1pm: Genie & Graham
- 2pm: Phil Lewthwaite
- 3pm: Olly Harris
Palace Stage, Harbourside Event Space: Sunday
- 10am: Amy Florence
- 11am: Lytham Shanty Crew
- 12 noon: Genie & Graham
- 1pm: Paul & Johnny
- 2pm: Olly Harris
- 3pm: Owen Evans
Timings can occasionally change at outdoor festivals, so check the information point or official programme when you arrive.
Family activities and The Teenage Market
Taste Cumbria Maryport is designed as a full family day out rather than a food market alone. The Marine Road programme includes free magic shows, crafts, face painting and balloon modelling, alongside the kite show and paid fairground rides.
The Harbourside Event Space will host The Teenage Market, giving young Cumbrian traders and creators a prominent place to sell their work. The nearby play area and splashpark offer another useful stop for families, particularly in warm weather.
Combine the festival with Maryport’s classic vehicle show
The Maryport Classic Car and Vintage Vehicle Show takes place at Netherhall Rugby Club on Saturday 8 August from 10am to 4pm.
A bus service will operate between the harbourside and the vehicle show during the day, making it possible to visit both events without moving the car between sites. Check the signs and information points on arrival for the latest shuttle details.
Getting to Taste Cumbria Maryport
By train
Maryport railway station is on the Cumbrian Coast Line and is within walking distance of the town centre and harbour. Visitors travelling from outside the area can connect at Carlisle for services towards Maryport.
Always check the latest train timetable and engineering information before travelling.
By bus
Local bus services connect Maryport with Workington, Cockermouth, Carlisle and surrounding communities. Weekend timetables can differ from weekday services, so plan both the outward and return journeys in advance.
By car and parking
Drivers approaching from Carlisle can use the A595 and A596 routes towards Maryport. Festival organisers are asking visitors to use the town’s public car parks and avoid parking in residential streets around the Harbourside Event Space and Marine Road Showfield.
Allow extra time for traffic and parking, particularly around late morning and lunchtime on Saturday. Follow temporary signs and local parking restrictions rather than relying only on a sat-nav destination.
Make a full day of Maryport
The festival is a good opportunity to explore more of the town’s waterfront and heritage. The Lake District Coast Aquarium is on South Quay, close to the Harbourside Event Space, while the Senhouse Roman Museum tells the story of Maryport’s internationally important Roman remains.
You can also walk around the harbour, continue towards the promenade or use our complete Maryport guide to find more places to visit, eat and explore.
A festival with a growing impact
Taste Cumbria is more than a busy weekend for visitors. Cumberland Council estimates that the 2025 Maryport Taste of the Sea event generated almost £2 million for the local economy. That was reported as a 29 per cent increase on 2024 and more than double the economic impact recorded in 2023.
With more producer stalls planned and tens of thousands of visitors expected, the 2026 festival should provide another significant weekend for Maryport’s independent businesses, attractions and hospitality providers.
Final advice before travelling
Taste Cumbria Maryport is free and there is no general admission ticket to book. The most popular demonstrations and entertainment areas may become busy, so arrive early if Rosemary Shrager or a particular performance is your priority.
As this is an outdoor waterfront event, bring layers and check the weather. Programme details may change, and the sale of seafood from the Chelaris boat is specifically weather dependent.
For last-minute changes, use the official Taste Cumbria Maryport page before setting off.
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