The Taste Cumbria food festivals brought around £6 million into the Cumberland economy last year and now plans are being made for the 2026 events.

The flagship Cockermouth festival generated £2.1 million for the Cumberland economy in 2025, closely followed by the Maryport Taste of the Sea event which landed almost £2 million. In Maryport, that’s a 29% increase on 2024, and more than double the 2023 event.

The Taste Cumbria Christmas festival is also now well established, having been held in Cockermouth for a decade and it is also showing strong returns, attracting around 10,000 people and bringing almost £1 million into the Cumberland economy. Meanwhile at the newest Taste Cumbria event in Carlisle, the figures are growing well too, with the total economic impact of the 2025 festival estimated at £406,025, three times higher than the first city event held in 2024.

There is a fifth event too, in Wigton, which also brings hundreds of thousands of pounds into the area, sealing Taste Cumbria’s status as one of the most well-loved food and drink festivals around.

These events are organised by Cumberland Council and the dates have just been released for the 2026 events. Taste Cumbria will take place:
•    Wigton - Saturday 25 April
•    Maryport - Taste of the Sea festival on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August. 
•    Cockermouth -  Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September and Taste Cumbria Christmas on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. 
•    Carlisle - TBC

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