More traders, brand-new Masterclasses and a packed weekend of live entertainment are coming to Chester-le-Street this September as Chester-le-EATS celebrates its biggest ever festival for its fifth birthday.
The Food, Drink and Music Festival will take over Banks Homes Riverside, Chester-le-Street, on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September, with organisers Durham Cricket promising the best yet.
Ythan Sale, Events Manager at Durham Cricket, said: “It’s difficult to believe Chester-le-EATS is five years old. What started as an idea to bring great food, drink, music and people together at Durham Cricket has grown beyond anything we could have imagined, and the support from traders, performers and thousands of visitors over those five years has been incredible.
“For our fifth birthday, we didn’t simply want to do the same festival again. We wanted to celebrate how far we’ve come while making this our biggest year yet with the most traders, new experiences, a fantastic entertainment programme and for the first time, our Masterclasses.”
Running from 11am until 5pm on both days, entry is completely FREE for adults and children, making it an affordable day out for families looking for something to do together.
Visitors will be able to explore Chester-le-EATS' biggest trader line-up to date, with street food from around the world, independent food and drink producers, sweet treats, artisan stalls and gifts filling the home of Durham Cricket across the weekend.
Those arriving hungry will have plenty to choose from, with hot food traders including Chicken Ting, Flankman Tacos, Geordie Banger Co, Grandpa's Fish Bar, Redheads Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Spud Gun Loaded Fries and Burgers, The Big Banh and The Loaded Dawg.
There will be plenty for those with a sweet tooth too, with the likes of The Dessert Hub, The Hedgehog Bakery, The Little Poffertje Pancake Shack, Le Mini Macaron and The Sunrise Patisserie, alongside coffee from Bass Notes Coffee.
Visitors looking to take something home can browse a selection of artisan food, drink and gift producers, including Great British Cheese Company, Sawley Kitchen, Clarence Spirits, Prohibition Distillery, WL Distillery, Fat Rabbit Crafts and Pevs Prints.
For those wanting to add something extra to their visit, the fifth anniversary festival will also introduce three new bookable food and drink Masterclasses.
The optional £35 sessions include Flight!, a beer and chicken wing experience with Hen & Hops; Uncorked!, a wine tasting experience with Durham's Crush Wine Bar owner and expert sommelier, Daniel Jonberger; and Distilled, a gin, cheese and charcuterie experience hosted by the Ginologists from Tin of Sardines.
The Masterclasses are an additional paid experience and tickets must be purchased for these. However, no advance booking is required to attend the main Chester-le-EATS festival.
The festival has been designed as a full family day out, with plenty of children's activities and a dedicated Family Zone joining the food, drink and entertainment across the weekend.
There will also be a packed programme of live music and performances, delivered in partnership with Proper Mint Concerts, with entertainment running throughout both Saturday and Sunday.
The popular Rock Choir will return to the festival on Saturday, performing twice during the day, while musicians, theatre and dance performers will take to the stage across the weekend.
Saturday 26 September
11.30am – Luke Palmer
12.30pm – Rock Choir & Live Theatre
1pm – To Hell or Verona
2pm – Rock Choir
2.30pm – Matty Fenny
3.30pm – Patrick Kelly
Sunday 27 September
11.30am – Annis Rallis
12.30pm – Live Theatre
1pm – Liv & Jon
2.15pm – Jamie Lee Harrison
3pm – Channy Dance Academy
Chester-le-EATS was created to showcase brilliant food, drink and entertainment while bringing people together at Durham Cricket’s Banks Homes Riverside ground.
It takes place at Banks Homes Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, DH3 3QR, from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026. Entry is FREE for everyone.
For the latest festival information, full trader line-up, and to book tickets for the Masterclasses, visit https://www.
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