Pontefract Liquorice Festival

The main precinct and event site are relatively flat, the area can be easily navigated around without having to cross many steps and inclines. A mapped area of festival including accessible toilets can be found here.

Market Place – Speciality trader stands, catering and Main Stage.

Corn Market – Children & Family Zone, Craft Workshops, partner & charity stands, Parade Performance, face painting & The Hepworth outdoor play workshop.

Beastfair – Children’s rides & fairground stalls.

Salter Row – Speciality Market Trader stands, Craft workshops in the library & museum, heritage liquorice talks(library), Water refill point (library).

The Town Hall – Craft Fair

Buttercross – Catering area & seating

Indoor Market Hall – Come in to meet some of our regular indoor market traders, open 10am – 4pm.

Our friendly team of staff, security, first aiders and contractors will be on hand to offer any assistance. You can find us in ether Hi-Viz or Wakefield Council Uniform, look for ‘EVENT STAFF’ on our backs!

Please note this is not a ticketed event and therefore we cannot confirm what the site capacity will be on the day. The crowds generally gather close to the stalls and break out areas can be found just off the precinct where benches can be found for rests. The Town Hall & Library will be open during the event where welfare facilities, a quiet space & water refill stations can be found. 

Toilets – A portable disabled access toilet unit will be located on the precinct opposite the town hall however if you prefer, full accessible toilets can be found within the Town Hall, Library & museum building. Unfortunately, there is no changing places on the precinct you can find the closest one at Junction 32 (Changing Places Toilets (changing-places.org)). 

Parking – The closest and most convenient disabled parking to the precinct is on Valley Road (WF8 1LW) or Bridge Street (WF8 1PQ), however, to see other car parks close by follow – Car parks in Pontefract – Wakefield Council. Our busses on the park and ride from Pontefract Park will also be fully accessible, just ask the driver.  

Should you need any form of medical attention please inform a member of staff or security on site where they can show you where the medical tent is located or request for a medic to come to you. We do not have any secure storage for medicines on site. 

Assistance dogs are welcomed to all areas of the event, this must be an assistance dog that is recognised by one of the official charitable organisations as members of Assistance Dogs UK. 

The closest and most convenient disabled parking to the precinct is on Valley Road (WF10 1JL) however there are minimal spaces available. On street parking is also available on Bridge Street (WF10 1JP), equally very close to the precinct. Alternative car parks are Newgate South (WF8 1DP). Park & Ride from Pontefract Park will be offering accessible busses.  

You can reach the event by bus or by train with no trouble.

Bus – plan your route here.

Train, Pontefract Baghill – plan your route here.

Train, Pontefract Monkhill – plan your route here.

Train, Pontefract Tanshelf – plan your route here.

Park & Ride [Pontefract Park]  

Park and ride service will be available from Pontefract Park from 9:30am – 4:30pm with busses approximately every 15 minutes from Pontefract Park to the town centre, dropping off on Stuart Road, North Baileygate & Horsefair.

P&R Service provided by ARRIVA.  

We are continually updating our access provisions for the Liquorice Festival with updated maps etc, so please keep checking back on this page. 

If you do have any queries or feel that there is anything we can improve on, we are open to suggestions! 

Please feel free to contact us – festivals@wakefield.gov.uk