Darlington Food and Drink Festival will run from Friday, April 29 to Monday, May 2

Get the latest breaking Teesside news and updates direct to your email inbox

Darlington's Food and Drink Festival returns this weekend with dozens of traders from across the North East set to descend on the town.

The long-awaited event will begin at 5pm on Friday and run throughout the first May Bank Holiday weekend. From burgers and falafel to cocktails and ice cream, there's a variety of different cuisines on offer to try.

There will also be live music and cooking demonstrations to entertain festival-goers across the weekend. There will be food and drink on offer both inside Darlington Indoor Market and the adjacent Market Square.

Read More: Couple set to serve up delicious bao buns and 'exciting' Pan-Asian dishes at street food stall

Last year's event coincided with the opening of the refurbished street food section of the market. The newest street food vendor, Bao Wow, is also set to open today at 5pm.

Run by a married couple from Middleton St George, Bao Wow has moved into the stall previously occupied by What's Your Beef. The business, which is the brainchild of Alicia and Jonathan Horsley, will serve “exciting, different and healthy food” including delicious bao specialities – a steamed Taiwanese bun stuffed with a choice of braised belly pork, Korean fried chicken, or smoked tofu.

Market Asset Management’s Events and Community Engagement Coordinator, Laura Ellis said: “We are delighted to be hosting this four-day food and drink extravaganza which never fails to whet the appetite of the people of Darlington. We have a superb food offering from our independent traders all year round and are proud of Darlington Markets’ ever-growing reputation as a community hub and events venue.

“Fantastic events like the food and drink festival play a major part in this. We are all really looking forward to seeing the diverse and amazing dishes and drinks from the food and drink professionals who will also be passing on their tips and giving tutorials to those attending.”

Other events at the market this year include Little Bird Artisan Market on the last Sunday of the month – giving people the chance to purchase locally produced arts and crafts, ceramics, jewellery, clothing, flowers, and food and drink. MAM also put on the much-loved Pease Pudding events on the first Thursday of the month in Darlington Market Square allowing customers to have a bite to eat, a drink and some live music and a resident DJ as well as the usual fantastic street traders.

Here's the full list of traders: