TASTE Cumbria's newest event has been deemed a huge success - and now attention turns to the spring bank holiday festival.

The popular programme celebrating the best in the county's food and drink producers, held in association with Cumbria Life magazine, has expanded in 2017, visiting Kirkby Lonsdale for the first time over the weekend.

Now all preparations are being made for the latest visit to Ulverston, as Taste Cumbria fills the streets of the town for the fourth year, on Saturday May 27 and Sunday 28.

Mandy Norwood of CN Events was the organiser of Taste Cumbria Kirkby Lonsdale. She says: "What a fabulous first event in Kirkby Lonsdale. The feedback from traders and businesses has been great and there are already calls for us to set a date for next year.

"The other thing I loved was the deals being done between traders. That's what is brilliant about Taste Cumbria - you always find another delicious product you didn't know existed."

Last year’s Taste Cumbria Ulverston event attracted around 15,000 visitors, and 2017 promises to be just as appetising, with around 60 traders in the producers’ market.

The chefs’ demonstration stage will move outside the Laurel and Hardy museum on Brogden Street to give more space for people to sit and see the experts in action. It will also be next to the picnic area so people can eat and drink as they watch.

The team from Ford Park will provide plenty of activities to keep little food fans entertained, with themed arts and crafts using materials from their parks and gardens.

Festival organiser Marie Whitehead, director of CN Events, says: “We’re really looking forward to taking Taste Cumbria back to Ulverston again this year.

"They don’t call this the festival town for nothing – it’s such a great location for us and all our visitors.

"The popularity of Taste Cumbria just keeps on growing, which is brilliant news for the county’s food and drink producers, and its restaurants and eateries. It’s because this county’s culinary expertise is so good that people can’t seem to get enough of Taste Cumbria."

Taste Cumbria was created to help the county’s economy after the floods of 2009, when towns and villages were hit hard as rivers and lakes burst their banks after record rainfall.

The first festival took place in Cockermouth in 2010 and the event, held during the last weekend of September, now attracts around 40,000 people.

In addition to the festivals in Ulverston, Cockermouth and Kirkby Lonsdale, there’s a new summer festival in Whitehaven this year. In December, there’s also a Taste Cumbria Christmas market in Cockermouth.

There are a few trade stand spaces left for food and drink producers at the Ulverston event.

For more details, visit www.tastecumbria.com or call 01228 612000.