Cooking up a world first for Bakewell

It’s not too often that the Derbyshire Dales plays host to a world first.

However, the aptly named Bakewell Baking Festival is looking to change all that later this year by becoming the only one of its kind worldwide.

Set up as part of the Bakewell Partnership’s bid to promote the town on a national and international level – as well as widening the visitor demographic –the festival aims to be an explosion of food, baking, music, theatre and much more.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Owing to the quirkiness of the event, the individuality and the tantalising array of activities promised, the festival is already attracting some high-profile attention.

Mayor of Bakewell, Paul Morgans, explained: “We launched the tickets in April this year at the Cake and Bake show in Manchester and myself and a group of other residents got very busy promoting Bakewell, the Town, the Pudding and the festival to over 30,000 baking fans.

“Celebrity bakers including John Whaite, Simon Rimmer, Stacie Stewart and Brendan Lynch all dropped by to enjoy the world renowned Bakewell Pudding and lend their support to the festival.”

However, the event has even been picked up by the national press, BBC Good Food and Olive Magazine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Our intention was to promote Bakewell and the Peak District to a wider audience and the interest this first time festival is absolutely amazing. There is such a buzz about it and there’s still over a month to go,” said Paul.

The Bakewell Baking Festival will comprise of three main theatre venues in the Coop car Park, the town Hall and the Medway Centre and will be hosted on June 8-9.

There will be more than 40 events taking place over the two days from a non-ticketed Vintage and Baking Market in the town to demonstrations with Star Bakers Stacie Stewart and Edd Kimber.

Paul said: “This event will be a genuine full blown festival and will be an amazing family event with something for everybody.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I would urge everybody to come down, show your support and enjoy the bounty of treats on offer.”

He added: ““No-one has done a festival exclusively for baking.

“America has a bread festival, the Bath and West Show has a baking strand but we’ve not found anywhere that has put on a baking festival.”