Wrexham Food and Drink Festival will not return in 2020

The annual Wrexham and Food and Drink Festival will not take place this year, it has been announced.

In a statement released on behalf of the organisers over the weekend it was explained that due to “due to work commitments and personal projects” the event would not take place later this summer.

The Wrexham and Food and Drink Festival team – which is made up of independent business owners from the area – took over the running of the event from Nightingale House Hospice two years ago.

Since its relaunch the event has attracted thousands of visitors and brought together dozens of food and drink stalls from across the area. It had also expanded to offer live entertainment during the two day festival before culminating in a fireworks display across the town.

The statement reads: “As you all know the committee who run Wrexham Food Festival all give our time on a completely voluntary basis, and we all run businesses within the Wrexham area.

“Unfortunately, due to work commitments and personal projects that some us are undertaking in our own businesses this year, it become apparent that there would be a lack of capacity to ensure that the Festival was effectively delivered without further assistance and/or from a 3rd party organisation.

“During the latter part of 2019, and into 2020, we have been in talks with other organisations and individuals to attempt to find a partner to assist in ensuring that the festival went ahead. But despite our best efforts, we have been unable to formally involve anyone else despite good will from many people.

“Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we have decided that we are unable to move forward with a date for 2020, a move that in effect means that it will not go ahead under the existing team again.

“We are immensely proud of what has been achieved over the past 2 years, and we’re absolutely gutted to be in the position that we’re in. However, we feel that this is absolutely the right thing to do, as to poorly execute would be detrimental to those who are involved.

“We can’t thank you all enough for your support, and belief in what we have put together over the last 2 years.

“For those interested the festival had a small fund to help us kick start the 2020 event, and those funds will be distributed transparently in full to local charities.

“We would urge you to keep an eye for a future Wrexham Food Festival as we are sure it will take place again, just currently it is uncertain when, and who will be the custodians for it.

“We hope you have a successful, and prosperous 2020 and beyond.”