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Another packed weekend of food, drink and family fun is coming back to Maryport this weekend as tens of thousands of people are expected at the Taste Cumbria festival.
It will be held on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August over two sites - the Harbourside event space, created as part of Cumberland Council’s £12 million regeneration of the town, and the big Marine Road Showfield.
One of the stars of the show this year is TV chef Rosemary Shrager who will be appearing on the Demo Stage at 11am on the Saturday. Her demonstration is free to attend there will be plenty of samples to enjoy.
In addition, the Maryport Classic Car and Vintage Vehicle Show takes place on the Saturday at Netherhall Rugby Club and a bus will run from 10am to 4pm between there and the Taste Cumbria site so visitors can easily attend the two great events.
There will be hot and cold food to eat, and the chance to buy seafood fresh from the Chelaris boat, weather permitting. Entertainment will include sea shanty bands, storytelling and roaming street theatre.
Visitors heading to Taste Cumbria Maryport this weekend will have the chance to see an international cycling trophy that celebrates one of the world's biggest sporting events.
The Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy will be on display at the festival on Sunday 9 August, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to learn more about the Tour de France ahead of the race coming to Cumberland in July 2027.
The trophy visit forms part of a programme of events building excitement for the Grand Départ, which is expected to be the largest free sporting spectacle in British history.
A Stage One finish in Carlisle and a Stage Two start in Keswick have already been confirmed for the 2027 race, with thousands of spectators expected to line the route through Cumberland.
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Also in this weeks edition:
The reopening of Carlisle Library has got off to a fantastic start, with hundreds of residents coming through the doors to explore the new space and take part in a packed programme of activities.
Our children’s library was full of energy throughout the week, with magic shows, dancing, balloon modelling, face painting, crafts and a very special visit from everyone’s favourite four-legged friend, Ruby the dog. It wasn’t just younger visitors who got involved either. Our talented Crafternooners knitting group were busy creating wonderful projects, while live music helped create a vibrant atmosphere across the library.
The week showcased just how much libraries have to offer beyond borrowing books. Visitors enjoyed LEGO challenges, storytimes, Adult Learning taster sessions and much more, with many new and familiar faces joining us to celebrate this exciting new chapter for Carlisle Library.
The positive feedback from residents has been overwhelming, and it has been wonderful to see the library buzzing with activity once again. With celebrations continuing until Saturday, the reopening has been a fantastic success and a brilliant example of the important role our libraries play in bringing communities together.
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We are inviting people with experience of Direct Payments to share their views as part of a review to help improve support and services.
From Monday (10 August) everyone who currently receives a Direct Payment, or who has received one within the last six months, will be invited by email or letter to complete a short survey. The survey has been developed with people who have experience of Direct Payments to help ensure it focuses on what matters most.
The survey asks about experiences of information, support, communication and processes. Feedback will be used as part of a wider review of Direct Payments and will help us understand what works well and where improvements could make a difference.
The survey takes around 10 - 15 minutes to complete, is completely voluntary, and will be open until 7 September 2026.
If you receive a Direct Payment, or know someone who does, please take part in the survey. It can be completed online or by using the postal survey sent out by letter.
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Exciting refurbishment works to transform Copeland Pool and Fitness Centre have been completed.
The centre, run by award-winning leisure operator Everyone Active on behalf of Cumberland Council, has received significant investment in new equipment worth more than £200,000 as part of the new leisure contract.
Everyone Active’s refurbishment at Copeland Pool and Fitness Centre includes transforming the gym with new, state-of-the-art cardio and resistance equipment and refreshed décor.
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A range of new Life Fitness equipment has been installed to provide customers with a superb choice of facilities and aid them in improving their health and wellbeing.
The refurbished gym will offer improved kit for members such as new treadmills, cross-trainers, pulldown machines and free weights.
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Residents across West Cumbria are invited to enjoy a weekend of free and low-cost activities on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August as Everyone Active celebrates some major milestones across local leisure centres.
From family fun swims and inflatable sessions to fitness classes, gymnastics, pickleball and wellbeing activities, there will be something for all ages and abilities. Families can also enjoy face painting, soft play, colouring competitions and the chance to meet local community organisations.
The weekend marks a number of special anniversaries, including 50 years of Whitehaven Sports Centre, 40 years of Copeland Pool and Fitness Centre, 140 years of Cockermouth Leisure Centre’s historic Drill Hall, 10 years of Workington Leisure Centre and another year of activity at Cleator Moor Activity Centre.
Visitors to Copeland Pool and Fitness Centre will also be able to check out its newly refurbished facilities.
Visitors to Hammond’s Pond in Carlisle can once again enjoy refreshments at the park café, which has reopened under new management.
Local couple Eben Meyers and Leona Miller have taken on the lease of Hammond’s Pond Café and officially reopened the venue on 26 July. The café is now open daily from 9am to 5pm, serving a range of drinks, snacks and locally sourced products.
Customers can currently enjoy Lakes Ice Cream, coffee supplied by Carlisle roasters John Watt & Son, along with bottled drinks, crisps and chocolate bars. Over the coming months, the menu will expand to include light bites such as sandwiches, wraps, paninis, jacket potatoes and pies, alongside cakes and sweet pastries.
There are some key deadlines coming up next week for the by-election for the Harraby South ward of Cumberland Council which will take place on Thursday 20 August.
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Wednesday 12 August (5pm) - Deadline for applying to vote by proxy
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Wednesday 12 August (5pm) - Deadline for receiving applications for Voter Authority Certificates
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The Big Conversation on Care has now launched, and you are invited to share your views on adult social care. Whether you use care services, care for someone else, work in the sector, or have opinions on how care should work in the future, you can have your say and help shape the future of care.
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Cumberland Council is supporting Theatre by the Lake's tour of Every Brilliant Thing, an award-winning production that explores mental health, hope and the importance of human connection.
Following selected performances, audiences will be invited to take part in post-show discussions featuring local organisations and professionals. Georgina Ternent, Public Health Lead at Cumberland Council, will be joining discussions at selected performances to talk about the council's Zero Suicide Cumberland approach and the work taking place across the county to prevent suicide and support mental wellbeing.
The production will be on stage at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick from Wednesday 12 August to Saturday 5 September and then tour to community venues across Cumberland from Monday 7 September to Sunday 4 October, including Workington and Maryport.
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Over recent weeks, 26 street lights have been damaged in Cockermouth, with repair costs estimated at around £8,000. The damage is believed to have been caused by individuals targeting lighting equipment with items such as air rifles or catapults.
Incidents have been reported along The Greenway, between the River Cocker and Bellbrigg Lonning, as well as at Millers Footbridge. All known incidents have been reported to Cumbria Police.
The vandalism has left a number of street lights out of action, creating avoidable costs and requiring resources to be diverted from other maintenance and improvement work. Council teams are now working to repair or replace the damaged equipment and will continue to monitor the situation.
Residents are being encouraged to report any suspicious activity to Cumbria Police and to let the council know about damaged street lighting so repairs can be arranged as quickly as possible.
Thank you to everyone who has already reported concerns and helped support our efforts to keep Cockermouth safe and well maintained.
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We have launched a public consultation on proposals for the Thirlmere West Active Travel Route, a project aimed at improving connections for walkers, wheelers, cyclists and horse riders through the Thirlmere Valley.
The scheme forms part of the wider See More Lake District Cycling programme and focuses on a 5.3-mile section between Wythburn and Legburthwaite. Early concepts being explored include a quieter route along the U7003, a new signalised crossing on the A591, improved bus stop access and surface improvements to support active travel.
The project remains at an early design stage, with no construction timetable agreed. The current engagement is focused on gathering feedback from residents, businesses, visitors and route users to help shape future proposals.
To gather feedback, the project team is hosting two public drop-in events on Thursday 13 August. Sessions will take place at Keswick Library from 10am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4pm, and at Thirlmere Recreation Hall from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
If you could spread the word and share the consultation with your networks to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to have their say on the future of travel through the Thirlmere Valley, we would be very grateful.
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Residents, sports supporters and stakeholders are being invited to learn more about Cumberland Sports Village at a series of public engagement events this August.
The project team will be attending Workington Reds' home fixture against Guiseley on 15 August and Workington Town's home fixture against Rochdale Hornets on 16 August. Visitors will have the opportunity to ask questions, view updated CGI visualisations and hear about the next stages of the project.
The events come as the scheme continues to make strong progress. Detailed design work is advancing, and a planning application has been submitted incorporating Phase 2 of the development, including plans to increase the main stand's capacity to 5,000 spectators.
Procurement is also underway to appoint a main contractor, while enabling works are expected to begin later this year ahead of the main construction programme starting in January 2027.
Anyone unable to attend the events will be able to keep up to date through a refreshed Cumberland Sports Village website, which will soon feature the latest project news, visualisations, key milestones and delivery programme.
Community organisations across West Cumbria are gearing up for the arrival of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026 after securing grant funding to deliver projects that promote cycling, bring communities together and celebrate one of the UK's most prestigious sporting events.
Cumberland Council has awarded more than £31,600 through its Community Grants programme to support a range of engagement and participation activities linked to the race, which will pass through communities across West Cumbria on Wednesday 19 August 2026.
The opening stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026 will start and finish in Cockermouth.
The race will start at around 11am and is expected to finish around 3pm. The race will travel through Asby, Whitehaven, Lowca, Workington, Flimby, Maryport, Allonby, Silloth, Wigton, Caldbeck and Aspatria before returning to the market town.
More information about the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026 and the full route is available at www.britishcycling.org.uk/tourofbritain/women/route
Carlisle city centre will welcome back the Carlisle International Market this summer, bringing a wide range of food, crafts and gifts to the city over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The open-air event, organised by Market Place Europe and supported by Cumberland Council, will take place from Thursday 27 August to Monday 31 August in the newly improved city centre pedestrianised area and is expected to attract visitors from across the region.
The event will include a great selection of arts, crafts and unique gifts. For food lovers, there will be a tempting selection of continental and international flavours to sample. There will also be a great selection of fresh foods.
A Continental Street Bar will also be available, offering a selection of beers and wines.
The International Market will be open:
• Thursday 27 August: 9am to 6pm
• Friday 28 August: 9am to 6pm
• Saturday 29 August: 9am to 6pm
• Sunday 30 August: 10am to 5pm
• Bank Holiday Monday 31 August: 10am to 5pm
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Join us this Saturday (8 August) for a special medieval-themed market marking the 750th anniversary of the granting of Keswick's market charter by King Edward I in 1276.
The town centre will come alive with street performers, a re-enactment of the historic charter handover, and traders and stalls dressed for the occasion, creating a day packed with history, entertainment and market favourites.
Bring the family along and help celebrate a remarkable milestone in Keswick's history. It's set to be a fantastic day in the heart of the town.
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Our Food Cumberland team has received an award for its fantastic work improving access to healthy, affordable, sustainable food.
Projects range from helping communities set up food hubs to supporting schools to create healthy approaches to food.
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What matters most to children and young people in Cumberland? We want to hear directly from them.
The Cumberland Youth Matter survey gives young people the chance to share their views on the issues that affect their lives, their communities and the opportunities available to them.
If you're a parent or carer, please take a few minutes to share the survey with your child and encourage them to take part. Their feedback will help inform future decisions and ensure the voices of young people are heard.
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Cumberland Council’s Public Health Annual Report 2026 highlights stark inequalities in men’s health and calls for a wider conversation about masculinity and its impact on health, relationships and communities.
In the latest episode of the Assa Marra podcast, hosted by Catherine Williamson, Colin Cox, Director of Public Health, Customer and Community Wellbeing for Cumberland Council, discusses the findings of the report Man up? Understanding men’s health and identity in Cumberland, and why it matters for everyone.
The report shows that men in Cumberland experience significantly poorer health outcomes than women, including higher rates of suicide, substance misuse and earlier death. It explores how poverty, work, education, isolation and social expectations around masculinity can influence mental and physical health throughout life.
The conversation considers how communities can better support men, encourage earlier help-seeking, and create environments where talking openly about challenges is seen as a strength, not a weakness.
This is an insightful discussion about health, identity, prevention and the changes needed to improve outcomes for men, families and communities across Cumberland.
Adult learning courses for 2026/27 revealed
Cumbria Adult Learning is offering a wide range of courses to help learners enhance employment skills, explore new hobbies, and improve wellbeing. A full range of courses is now live on the Cumbria Adult Learning website.
Children to travel free on buses across Cumberland this August
Families across Cumberland are being encouraged to make the most of a new summer travel offer that will see children travel free on participating bus services throughout August. The initiative, funded by the UK Government through its Great British Summer Savings campaign, allows children aged five to 15 to travel free between 1 and 31 August, helping families save money during the school holidays.
Workington Gateway Project enters final phase
We are preparing to move into the final phase of the Workington Gateway project, as work continues to deliver major improvements to the town's infrastructure, connectivity and public spaces. To enable the next stage of the scheme to be completed safely and efficiently, a series of road closures and traffic management arrangements will be in place during August and September.
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Join Team Cumberland
See if there is a job for you at Cumberland Council on our jobs page. You can also find out more about life at the council on our dedicated careers page.
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