Maryport’s Taste of the Sea festival has delivered a £2 million boost for the local economy.
Cumberland Council, who organise the event, said it attracted around 22,500 people and brought in almost £2 million into the local economy.
The festival took place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 August and, for the first time, was held over two sites – one of them the new Harbourside event space, created as part of Cumberland Council’s £12 million regeneration of Maryport, funded by UK Government.
This meant the organisers could add a second performance stage and a space for expert demonstrations as well as also including The Teenage Market for young entrepreneurs.
It marked the fifth Maryport Taste of the Sea festival and an increase of 29 per cent in money generated compared to 2024, and more than double the 2023 event.
For each pound invested in the Taste of the Sea festival, almost £30 was generated for the local economy.
The council said that independent research also found that 84 per cent of people interviewed made their trip to Maryport specifically for the festival.
A total of 18 per cent of visitors were from outside the county, up from 11 per cent last year.
The report said: “The event is a significant draw, motivating people to visit Maryport and spend money both at the event and in the town itself. Fifty five percent of the people interviewed were visiting the event for the first time.”
It added: “The event has grown significantly, almost doubling in visitor numbers from 2022. People were asked if they would be doing anything else – half said they would be going for a meal or a drink, 13 per cent would go shopping and 30 per cent said they would do some sightseeing. These activities all generate additional spend.”
Though it is not the only route to the festival, automatic footfall counters on Senhouse Street showed an increase of 38 per cent through the week before the event, with more than a third of those people passing the sensors doing so on Taste of the Sea Saturday.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Councillor Mark Fryer, said: “We knew the 2025 Taste of the Sea festival was bigger and better and it is fantastic to see that hard work and investment was all worth it.
“Seeing the footfall in Maryport rising is testament to our efforts as a council. The Shiver Me Timbers play and splashpark, the adventure soft play, gym and improved Clip n’ Climb challenge in Maryport Activity Centre, the skatepark on the Prom, and Shipping Brow Gallery are all new reasons for people to visit the town.
“There is more to come with the forthcoming opening of Maryport Maritime Museum in Christ Church, and The Carlton cultural and performance hub too.
“As we have invested, others are doing so too, with new businesses opening on the high street. I cannot wait to see what the future brings for Maryport.”
Councillor Anne Quilter, executive member for vibrant and healthy places, added: “Seeing Taste of the Sea get bigger and better is fantastic.
“I am really looking forward to the next three events – Cockermouth in September, Carlisle in November, and then the Christmas finale in December. Seeing the benefits they bring to the economy is the icing on the Taste Cumbria cake.”
Taste Cumbria is back in Cockermouth for the flagship festival on 27 and 28 September, then in Carlisle on 1 and 2 November, with the final event, a Christmas special, in Cockermouth on 6 and 7 December.
Taste of the Sea’s major sponsor is Maryport Town Council. Sponsors for 2025 included Milburns Solicitors, Grants Oak Smoked, Thomas Armstrong Construction and Forth Engineering, and our supporters Maryport Business Group, Maryport Round Table and Maryport Harbour Authority.
