Muncaster Castle will celebrate the great Cumbrian banger at the Cumberland Sausage Festival, a new event on the beautiful Western Lake District coast to be held between May 2 and 4 from 10.30am to 5pm.

The event, in association with Taste the Lakes, the Cumberland Sausage Club and Slow Food Cumbria, celebrates this Cumbrian food icon and all that’s great about the county’s food.

There will be cookery demonstrations using local produce throughout the festival with Cumbrian Chefs Peter Sidwell, ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery, (Sat & Sun only), the Pennington Hotels and Inns executive head chef Jon Fell and Kevin Hillyer (aka Big Pan Man) of the Westmorland Hotel, Tebay.

There will be beer served by Hardknott Brewery, who are hosting a beer hall packed with award-winning Cumbrian beers.

There will be a food court featuring a wealth of local produce including Taste of the Lakes, Savin Hill, Jan’s Cakes, Fieldside Preserves, Elliott’s Chutneys, Taste of Eden Ice Cream and Slow Food Cumbria.

The Inn at Ravenglass isalso taking over the North Tower Bar in the castle, to showcase this new Cumbrian seafood eatery, serving up seafood canapés. Steve Hallett from Ravenglass Fish & Game will also be on hand to offer practical advice about sustainable locally sourced fish and shellfish and providing hints and tips on how to prepare and cook it.

Things for the kids to do include sessions with Jason the Juggling Jester, crafts with Felltarn Friends (Mon only), storytelling sessions with tall tales teller Ian Douglas, horse and carriage rides in the castle grounds, have a go at archery, climbing wall sessions, and meet the huskies with Horse and Husky.