Eyes are already turning to 2027 following another successful Congleton Food & Drink Festival.

Thousands of visitors flocked to Congleton on Sunday, June 7, as the annual event organised by Congleton Town Council made its return.

The record crowds enjoyed browsing 90 stalls, a significant increase from the 72 stalls at the first festival managed by the council in 2025.

Stallholders reported strong sales throughout the day, with several completely selling out by mid-afternoon.

A spokesperson for Greek food truck Taka Taka Mam said: "It's been a great event!

"We completely ran out of gyros and had to shut up shop early. I'll definitely be returning with my stall next year.

"I prefer the smaller town events to the big city ones – there's a really nice community vibe here."

Thousands of people attended the event (Credit: CTC)

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Congleton's town centre businesses embraced the occasion, with several shops opening specially on Sunday and many trading from their shop fronts.

Meanwhile, visitors enjoyed a wide range of street entertainment, including singing chefs, a larger-than-life fishmonger character and colourful stilt walkers who delighted the crowds.

Inside Congleton Town Hall, families enjoyed a free Kids Zone managed by Mark's Events, activities included face painting by Wizard of Arts, Artspace, opportunities to meet Moana and Tinkerbell courtesy of Titans & Tiaras, food-themed activities from All Saints Church and soft play provided by Astbury Darlings.

Mayor of Congleton, councillor Suzy Firkin, said: "It was wonderful to meet so many visitors, traders and volunteers and hear how much people were enjoying themselves.

"The festival showcases everything that is special about Congleton – our strong community spirit, thriving independent businesses and our ability to bring people together.

"It was particularly pleasing to see so many families enjoying the free Kids Zone in the town hall and making a day of it. I also had the pleasure of visiting Barley Hops & Grape, which reopened just in time for the festival.

"It was fantastic to see the business welcoming customers once again and contributing to the vibrant atmosphere across the town. The whole day was a wonderful celebration of everything our community has to offer."

Many traders sold out (Credit: CTC)

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Another major success story from the day was the free Beartown Bus service, funded by Congleton Town Council.

The service, which does not normally operate on Sundays, proved extremely popular, helping visitors travel to and from the festival without the need for a car.

A total of 550 passenger journeys were made during the day, with passenger numbers approximately 190 higher than on a typical Saturday - a 52.7% increase.

Rachel McCarthy, town centre and events manager, said: "The free bus service was a fantastic addition to the festival, and it was great to see so many people making use of it.

"We saw a really positive uptake from families and residents who wouldn't normally use the bus, which is exactly what we hoped for.

"The figures are particularly encouraging given this was the first time we have run the service for the event and on what would normally be a non-operational day. We hope the experience encourages more people to continue using local bus services in the future."

The free Beartown Bus service was hailed as a major success (Credit: CTC)

Rachel added: "Visitor numbers were up; the atmosphere was brilliant from start to finish and the feedback from traders has been overwhelmingly positive.

"Many stalls sold out of stock and the town centre was buzzing all day. Events like this show the value of bringing people together while supporting local businesses and encouraging sustainable travel.

"The festival simply would not happen without our incredible volunteers. Many gave up their entire Sunday to help and worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

"Their contribution was invaluable and we are enormously grateful for everything they did."

Following the success of this year's event, plans are already underway for next year's Food & Drink Festival.