Pontefract Liquorice Festival

About

Pontefract Liquorice Festival is back – and what a sweet treat it is!

Get ready for Pontefract’s annual celebration of the town’s historic link with liquorice.

The iconic Liquorice Parade makes its triumphant return. Featuring dancers, stilt walkers, brass band and local community groups. The parade will travel from Pontefract Town Hall to Pontefract Castle!

There will be live music on the main event stage creating a vibrant atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy perusing the famous food and drink market. Stalls will be selling an appetising range of food and drink (many with a liquorice twist!) Visitors can also enjoy delicious street food.

Local venues will be into the festival spirit with the Liquorice Food and Drink Trail. Offering delicious liquorice specials across the festival weekend.

There will be plenty of free, family activities to enjoy. There will be interactive story times and garden play at Pontefract Castle. Make sure to stop by the make-and-take workshop where you can create handheld parade flags! Families will also enjoy free face painting and funfair rides!

Want to discover more about Pontefract’s historic link with liquorice? Then make sure to attend a heritage talk at Pontefract Library!

Don’t miss the exciting fringe activity taking place as well at local venues across the Town Centre.

Key Timings:

• Parade: 11:30am and 2:30pm
• Heritage Talks: 11:30am and 2pm (no booking required, drop in!)

Event Sponsor: HARIBO

Wakefield Council organises Pontefract Liquorice Festival.

Travel Information

Free Park and Ride

A free of charge Park & Ride service will be available.

Route: Pontefract Park > Stuart Road > Pontefract Castle > Stuart Road > Pontefract Park

Timings: 9:30am – 4:30pm (approx every 15 minutes)

The bus will leave Pontefract Park approximately every 15 minutes between 9:30am – 4:30pm.

Please note the last route service will leave the town centre at 4:30pm.

The park gates will close at 5:30pm. 

Parking

There are off-street and on-street car parking spaces in Pontefract Town Centre.

Find a full list of parking details here.

Train

Pontefract Tanshelf Station

It is a 15-minute walk from Pontefract Tanshelf Train Station to Pontefract Town Centre.

Find Pontefract Tanshelf station details.

Pontefract Baghill Station

It is a 8-minute walk from Pontefract Baghill Train Station to Pontefract Town Centre.

Find Pontefract Baghill station details here.

Pontefract Monkhill Station

It is a 14-minute walk from Pontefract Monkhill Train Station to Pontefract Town Centre.

Find Pontefract Monkhill station details here.

Bus

Pontefract bus station

Pontefract Bus Station is an approximately 2-minute walk from Pontefract Town Centre.

Find more information about bus services.

Accessibility information

The Events Team at Wakefield Council are passionate about providing an enjoyable experience.

Our team will be onsite to offer help throughout the event.  You can find them in either Hi-Vis or Wakefield Council Uniform, look for ‘EVENT STAFF’ on their backs.

Site description

The main precinct and event site is generally flat with few steps and inclines.

Support Dogs

Support dogs are welcome to all areas of the event.

Accessible parking

The closest blue badge parking to the main event site is at Valley Road (WF8 1LW) and Bridge Street (WF8 1PQ).

Accessible Toilets

Accessible toilets are available at Pontefract Town Hall and Pontefract Museum.

Changing places

Unfortunately, there is no Changing Places at the event site.

The closes Changing Places is at Frasers Plus Designer Outlet Leeds.

Find out more: Changing Places Toilets (changing-places.org).

Medical facilities

Should you need any form of medical attention please inform a member of staff or security onsite. They can then show you where the medical tent is or request for a medic to come to you. We do not have any secure storage for medicines on site.

Further questions

We will continue to update event information for the Pontefract Liquorice Festival. Please keep checking back on this page.

If you do have any queries or feel that there is anything we can improve on, we are open to suggestions!

You can contact the team at festivals@wakefield.gov.uk