The Dalemain World Marmalade Awards & Festival is a unique and internationally renowned food festival celebrating all things marmalade! Held annually at the historic Dalemain mansion near Penrith, this much-loved event brings together home cooks, artisan producers, chefs and marmalade enthusiasts from around the world.

At the heart of the festival is the announcement of the prestigious Worlds Best Marmalade. Alongside the awards, visitors can enjoy an interactive programme of informative and entertaining talks from industry experts, as well as a marmalade themed question time, where a panel of experts share practical tips, techniques and insider knowledge.

Throughout the day, there are plenty of opportunities to sample a wide range of marmalades, discover new flavours and purchase jars to enjoy at home. Best of all, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet Paddington Bear, making the event especially memorable for families with younger children.

Event highlights

• World Marmalade Awards – thousands of jars of marmalades are judged across multiple categories by a team of experts. Judges will try traditional as well as inventive flavour combinations
• Live demonstrations – Enjoy a programme of talks, tastings and demonstrations by marmalade experts, food writers and chefs. Learn top tips on preserving, presentation and more
• Home & gardens – explore the historic gardens around Dalemain in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.

Penrith celebrates marmalade

The celebrations extend beyond Dalemain itself. On Saturday 25th April, businesses in the nearby town of Penrith will ‘go orange’ to honour the Marmalade Festival, creating a vibrant town wise celebration. A special ‘Marmalade Bus’ will run between the town and Dalemain, making it easy for visitors to enjoy events in both locations.

The festivities continue the following day with a Marmalade themed church service at St. Andrews, Dacre. Visitors are then invited back to Dalemain for a cup of tea in the gardens, where you can also enjoy the Classic Car ‘Drive it Day’, taking place in front of the house.