Taste Cumbria returns to Cockermouth this weekend.

Launch events take place tomorrow, with lots of activities scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Main Street and Market Place will be lined with stalls on both days, open from 10am to 5pm, and free cookery demos and masterclasses will be held.

Children's arts and crafts will take place in the walled yard on Station Road, next to Sainsbury's, along with a sandpit and deckchairs provided by Allerdale council and LoveMyBeach, and fairground rides.

The event, organised by CN Events, is expected to bring thousands of people into the town, and businesses hope it will have a positive impact on trade.

Steve Bishop, chairman of Cockermouth Chamber of Trade, welcomed the fact the event is this year encouraging people to venture further in the town, with a wider range of venues in use, and hopes it will impact on the shops.

He said: "Hopefully people will support local shops as well as the stalls."

The festival has a host of new attractions this year, not least an exclusive beer created in partnership with Tractor Shed Brewing of Workington and Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth.

A spokesman said: "It’s a rather special 5.1 per cent Black IPL. They’ve added plenty of extra pale malt, malted oats, crystal malt and roasted barley - that's why it's black – with lager yeast and fermentation.

"They’ve also added bucketloads of Sorachi Ace, Mount Hood and Waiti hops."

It will be available at the free Taste Cumbria Beer Festival at Jennings all weekend.

Ticket-only masterclasses will take place at Cockermouth Kitchen Company on Market Place. At 3pm each day Andy Walsh, of The Coffee Kitchen, will host a free grub club at the venue.

Shill's, on South Street, will host a Spanish food and drink showcase on Saturday and live music on Sunday.

Other new events, which are already sold out, include a pop-up restaurant at Wordsworth House and Garden, and a Secret Gin Garden at Castlegate House Gallery.

The event is one of the highlights of the year for Strolling 4 Shoes Andrew Marshall, who is getting into the festival spirit by transforming the shop into his own gin garden, with artificial grass, wrought iron tables, gypsophila and gin bottles from around the world.

He said: "I always look forward to it. It's huge for the town, especially this year as the organisers have worked hard to move people around the town to lots of different venues, which is great for retailers.

"Gin is the in thing at the moment, I thought this would be fun."

Things to do

Main Street producers’ market and street entertainment - 10am to 5pm

Market Place hot food court and entertainment - 10am to 5pm

Station Road: Children’s rides and entertainment next to Sainsbury’s - 10am to 5pm

Jennings Brewery beer festival - Saturday, 11am to 10pm, Sunday, noon to 4pm

Coffee Kitchen Company - free grub club with Andy Walsh of The Coffee Kitchen - 3pm Saturday and Sunday

Free demos in marquee

10am - Carvetii, Cumbria's Coffee Roasters

Noon - Rich Collingwood, Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter

1pm Brandon Shepherd, Rothay Manor, Ambleside

2pm - Sarah Kekus, The Health Architect, Cockermouth

3pm - Luke Whittle, The Forest Side, Grasmere

4pm Jon Fell, The Green Room Restaurant, Rosehill