Pontefract Liquorice Festival is back this weekend

Celebrate Pontefract’s historic link with liquorice on Sunday 12 July, 10am-4pm in Pontefract Town Centre. 

The iconic sweet-themed Liquorice Parade will make its triumphant return taking place at 11:30am and 2:30pm. Starting at Pontefract Town Hall and travelling down Horsefair to Pontefract Castle, visitors can expect dancers from Scarlett Entertainment performing, as the Flat Cap Brass Band set the tempo with a sweet-themed soundtrack.

HARIBO are returning as the event headline sponsor and their iconic mascot, Goldbear, will be joining the parade to add to the celebrations. The parade will also feature fantastic local community groups: Dance with Alice Cheer Team, Diamond Cheerleading and Wakey Wheeled Cats Roller Derby Team.

The famous food and drink market returns with over 50 stalls offering a variety of fantastic fare, including Johnson’s Toffee & Fudges, The Pontefract Liquorice Company, Tinkerbell Treats and many more.

Local venues will be getting 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, with interactive story times and fun garden play taking place in the grounds of the historic Pontefract Castle. Make sure to stop by the make-and-take workshop on Cornmarket where participants can create handheld parade flags, inspired by Pontefract’s liquorice heritage and traditional sweet forms. Families can also enjoy free face painting and funfair rides.

Want to discover more about Pontefract’s liquorice heritage? There will be free heritage talks taking place at Pontefract Library at 11:30am and 2pm.

Pontefract Liquorice Festival 2026 is sponsored by HARIBO.

Find out more about Pontefract Liquorice Festival at https://experiencewakefield.co.uk/event/liquorice-festival/

A free of charge Park & Ride service is available during the Pontefract Liquorice Festival from Pontefract Park. The route will travel from Pontefract Park to Stuart Road to Pontefract Castle in a loop from 9:30am-4:30pm, approximately every 15 minutes. Please note the last route service will leave the town centre at 4:30pm. The park gates will be closed at 5:30pm.

Pontefract Liquorice Festival runs in partnership with the Pontefract Civic Society who are also hosting ‘Liquorice Shoots’ on Saturday 11 July - a community warm-up event for the main festival featuring entertainment, artisan stalls and family activities.