We’re well and truly in festival season now and one of the best North East foodie events, Seaham Food Festival, is back for 2023! Now I love a music festival, but there’s something about a food festival, especially a Northern one, that’s just so hard to beat. All the street food you can shake a stick at, lots of amazing local producers and traders, live chef demos and so much more… I can’t think of anything better!
If you’ve been getting excited about Seaham Food Festival and are looking for more info, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, I’ll be giving you the lowdown on all the details you need to plan your visit, so let’s dive in.
What is Seaham Food Festival 2023?
As the name might suggest, this event is a well-loved food festival in the coastal town of Seaham. Every year, it sees thousands of people coming from across the North East and beyond to get a slice of the delicious action. It’s free to attend and has got something for absolutely everyone, so it’s one to keep in your diaries! Plus, it’s held right on the coastline, so you can enjoy gorgeous sea views whilst tucking into your food.
If food isn’t your thing or if there’s people in your party who aren’t that into food, don’t worry! There’s actually so much more to see and do, especially if you’ve got kids in tow. Take a look at what’s on.
When is Seaham Food Festival?
Seaham Food Festival will be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th August. As it’s a free event, you won’t need a ticket – simply just turn up! You can even go to both days if you fancy. The site will be open from 10am til 4pm, but I recommend getting there as early as you can to make sure your faves don’t sell out.
If you like this post, you might also enjoy: My Teesside Summer 2023 Event Top Picks
Where can I park?
Durham County Council strongly advise that you use public transport or the accessible park and ride service, which will operate from Spectrum Business Park. This means you won’t have to worry about where to park your car and are less likely to get stuck in traffic jams. Return tickets cost £2 for adults, 50p for children aged five to 15 years old, and free for those under five. I’d also recommend the park and ride for Seaham Food Festival, but you’re welcome to try and find parking within the town. I’ll update with road closure info as I get it.
What’s on at the festival?
Seaham Food Festival 2023 is an absolute haven for foodies. The coastal site is fit to burst with street food vans and local food makers with so much to choose from. Some of my favourite street food stalls include Armenian Kitchen, Mivesi Naan Truck and Redheads Mac & Cheese. And if you want my picks from the local makers, you’ve got to try The Hedgehog Bakery, South Durham Honey, Grasmere Gingerbread and Durham Distillery (but there’s a huge list for you to look at here).
Alongside all of these wonderful foodie options, there’ll be a schedule of celebrity chefs hitting the Cookery Theatre stage. On Saturday, you’ll find Masterchef 2023 Champion, Eddie Scott. Eddie will be joined on the Saturday by Great British Bake Off 2022 winner, Syabira Yusoff. And for budding vegan bakers, Freya Cox will also be taking to the stage, as well as crowd favourite and TV presenter Chris Bavin, who returns as host for both days.
On Sunday, the amazing guests will include Nadia and Dina Sawalha – The Curly Cooks of Croydon, Nikita Pathakji – Masterchef Professionals 2022 Champion and Briony May Williams – Presenter, Cook and Baker. Here’s a full breakdown of the times that you can catch their demos!
I promised things to do and see for people who aren’t into the food side of the festival, so here we go! There’s a fantastic programme of free family entertainment for everyone to enjoy while they chow down on something scrumptious. This includes performances from the world’s largest contemporary choir, Rock Choir, sounds of the Caribbean from North Tyneside Steel Band, and Old Time Sailors bringing folk songs and sea shanties aplenty.
There’ll also be performances from street circus duo, Bell & Bullock, beach games with the local SeaScapes project, and the hilarity of Granny Turismo. The weekend is set to be a real feast for the senses!
What kind of food is there at Seaham Food Festival?
A better question would be what kind of food ISN’T going to be at the festival. There’s going to be juicy burgers and perfect pizzas. There’ll be Mexican-Californian fusion, Indian, Thai and Greek, to name just a few cuisines. There’s going to be an incredible selection of mobile bars, as well as the bars and restaurants that line the seafront. There’ll be meaty choices, veggie and vegan options, gluten-free dishes and options for those who are dairy-free. There’s definitely going to be something for everyone!
Is the festival accessible?
The park and ride service is an accessible way to reach Seaham Food Festival. There are accessible spaces at Spectrum Business Park and the buses are equipped to transport wheelchairs and buggies. The festival itself is on mostly flat ground on The Green, Seaham’s sea front. Some of the site is on solid, paved ground, but a lot is on grass, so that’s something to be aware of. There will also be accessible toilet facilities available on both days.
Where can I find more info?
If there’s anything I’ve missed, make sure you take a look at the Seaham Food Festival website. They’ve got a handy dandy FAQs section that could have the answers you need.
So will I see you at the festival? You’ll find me hanging about with a naan wrap in hand and having a little fan girl over Syabira!
This post is sponsored by Durham County Council. All opinions are my own.