Stockport's Market Place will soon play host to some of the best street food traders in the North.

On Sunday 23 August, the team behind Foodie Friday will host the northern heats of this year's British Street Food Awards.

It means that visitors can browse and sample food from a shortlist of 20 different traders who are in the running for this year's awards.

These stalls have themselves been picked from more than 3,000 applicants.

A panel of experts will decide which of the 20 Northern traders get sent to the grand final of the competition in September.

Among the judges is Sam Buckley, the award-winning chef behind acclaimed local restaurant Where The Light Gets In.

But excitingly, the public will get to vote, too, in a dedicated category called 'The People's Champion'.

Among the traders are a few familiar Foodie Friday favourites, offering flavours from all around the world including India, Italy, Thailand, China, Japan, Jamaica, Canada and USA.

This event marks the first ever time that the British Street Food awards have been held in Stockport.

The family team of John and Rosemary Barratt, and their son Joe and daughter Scarlet - who together organise Foodie Friday - are planning a fun-filled, family-friendly day, with live music and children's activities throughout the afternoon.

"For Stockport Foodie Friday to be chosen to host the northern heat of the British Street Food Awards is a huge honour as this has previously taken place in Manchester," John said.

"I see it as recognition of the success that we've been able to achieve with the support of the local community of Stockport and all the independent businesses that we collaborate with, who support us."

The Barratt family took on the management of Foodie Friday in 2015, and since then it has been credited with re-igniting Stockport's evening economy.

The event - which normally runs on the last Friday of the month - brings thousands of visitors to the town centre with each iteration.

Local music legends Blossoms have always been regular visitors and supporters since the early days of Foodie Friday and even chose to launch their second album 'Cool Like You' from an ice-cream van at the event in April 2018.

Foodie Friday has gone on to pick up a string of awards including: 'Best Pop-Up, Club or Project' at the 2016 Manchester Food & Drink Festival Awards (and again in 2022); The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement (presented to husband and wife team John and Rosemary); and 'Best Placemaking' award at the City Nation Place Awards 2025.

The family has also run other cultural projects around Stockport, including the Seven Miles Out arts hub.

As John explained: "Our projects in Stockport have always been a family affair for us, which probably comes from my love for the town inherited from my parents.

"When we started running Foodie Friday my daughter Scarlet was 15 and still at high school and now, along with Joe, she is a key part of the management and event delivery team and runs all our social media.

"I truly believe that the successful regeneration of Stockport has been about amazing community spirit and genuine grassroots growth.

"Just like Scarlet, many teenagers have grown up coming to Foodie Friday with their families and now, as young adults, they are coming back into Stockport with their friends to socialise, support the independent businesses and even start their own creative projects in the town centre."

Taking place on Sunday 23rd August between 12pm and 6pm, the British Street Food Awards event will an opportunity to spend a relaxing afternoon in Stockport's beautiful Market Place enjoying live entertainment and sampling all the amazing international flavours on offer.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to come along to eat, drink and vote!

The event is supported by Totally Stockport - Stockport's BID company, Stockport family brewers Robinsons Brewery and the South-East Manchester & Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnerships, who will be encouraging people to visit Stockport by train.

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