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Sunderland Food and Drink Festival returns this month, and there’s a host of foods from across the globe to tuck into.

The free event takes place from June 23-25 across Keel Square, High Street West and Market Square.

There will be more than 50 traders in total and here’s some of them to look forward to:

::Smashin’ Pasties – plant based homemade pasties and sweet treats.

Sunderland Food & Drink Festival returns

::Geordie Bangers – third generation gourmet sausage company.

::Calder’s Kitchen – Darlington-based producers of award-winning traditional piccalilli.

::Catchi’s Kimchi – Newcastle-based makers of the Korean delicacy.

::Davenport Chocolate – Local makers of small batch hand-crafted chocolates.

Sunshine Co-op's Claire Wayman in the shop on High Street West

::The Yolker – Newcastle-based scotch egg specialists.

::Cracked Bean Roastery – Washington based roastery selling coffee made from beans sourced from ethical, cooperative suppliers.

::Weardale Cheese – a range of hard and soft artisan cheeses such as Weardale, Prince Bishop and Brie.

::Tyne Chease – showcasing the UK’s first Artisan vegan cheese made in the heart of Northumberland.

Cracked Bean Roastery founder Sam Dobson new social enterprise

::Deep North – Colourful doughnuts from Tynemouth.

::The Brownie Bar – A range of blondies and brownies for sweet tooths.

::AWesome Chocolates – Created by Alistair Walklett, a pastry chef with more than 45 years’ experience at some of the UK’s finest hotels.

::Simply Cheesecake – Does what it says on the tin.

The food and drink festival returns this month

::The Little Cakery By The Sea – Cakes, biscuits and sweet treats from the South Shields bakery.

::Loose Leaf Tea Company – A wide selection of teas with a variety of unique and fresh flavours.

::Mazzeh Spice – Selling curry kits and spice mixes with a Persian infusion.

::Stonehouse Smokery – The Carlisle will be selling their wares and talking about sustainability and ethical farming practices.

::Sunshine Cooperative – Sunderland based-cooperative is a one stop shop for all things local and sustainable.

They will be joined by more than 50 traders from around the world selling everything from German bratwurst and Singaporean noodles to Polish kielbasa, Greek gyros and street food from France, India and Afghanistan.

The festival features more than 50 stalls

The event will also feature performances from renowned Take That cover group, Re-Take That and former X-Factor star turned Capital Drive Time DJ, Sam Lavery along with local musicians, artists and entertainers, with arts, crafts and games.

The festival has been created by Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council, and Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive at Sunderland BID, said “it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic food suppliers and producers we have here in the North East.”

Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, Councillor John Price, added: “This event really is the icing on the cake for a city which has a growing and deserved reputation as a food lovers’ paradise.”

From gyros to doughnuts - traders revealed for Sunderland Food and Drink Festival

The festival has been created by Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council, and Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive at Sunderland BID, said “it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic food suppliers and producers we have here in the North East.”

Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, Councillor John Price, added: “This event really is the icing on the cake for a city which has a growing and deserved reputation as a food lovers’ paradise.”