Let's get ready to Crumble: Hull's International Food Festival

The other weekend, to finish off the celebrations of Hull Refugee Week (Which is celebrating 75 years since the landmark Refugee Convention agreement), an international food festival took place in Pearson's Park down Princes Avenue. I really wanted to attend, having missed out on other events of the festival due to work. It was running from 12 until 6pm, and boasted being a family, free event, with food stalls, merch stalls and other items. For the Kids, there was also face painting, bouncy slides and rides to occupy them if Mums and Dads wanted a bit of peace! We headed out from our house early afternoon, under a wee bit of cloud coverage, which did absolutely nothing to shade us on the 2-mile walk to the park! It was a lot nicer when we got to the streets leading up to the park; they were heavily shaded with gorgeous large trees flanking the pavement. I took some time to snap a few shots of the fountains. Back when I lived down this way, I don't ever recall the fountains being turned on, so I really enjoyed the sound of running water. They are really well maintained as well; it's nice to see some pride for things in our city, especially after the main fountain in town was unfortunately vandalised.

Now, of course, it has been the LONGEST time since I have actually been up this way, so I really enjoyed having a little explore around the park, seeing the birds and the architecture of the statues and canopies. It really is a lovely park.

Okay! Let's move on to the actual food festival before I get lost just chatting about the birds! There is something deeply beautiful about the way food can anchor a community. Pearson Park transformed into a vibrant crossroads of global culture, proving once again that our city's greatest strength lies in its diversity. The international food market wasn’t just a place to grab a bite to eat; it was a living, breathing celebration of who we are.

Walking through the avenues of stalls, the air was thick with the rich aromas of spices, grilled meats, and fresh breads from every corner of the globe. Neighbours from all walks of life stood side by side, sharing tables, swapping recommendations, and connecting over plates of incredible food.

But what made this market truly unforgettable was its heart. Beyond the culinary celebration, there was a powerful, visible current of solidarity. Amidst the bustling stalls, the presence of Palestinian cultural displays, flags, and fundraising efforts offered a poignant reminder of the global community. Food became a vehicle for education and empathy, with vendors and organisers sharing traditional Palestinian dishes, crafts, and stories.

It was a beautiful representation of what our city does best: opening its arms to global cultures while refusing to stay silent on human rights and international community support. All the political-ness and poetics aside, it really was such a nice experience to witness the whole community coming together as one. The only shame for us personally was because we arrived so late in the day, we missed out on the vendors I wanted to try, in the end we bought ourselves a nice sweet treat and headed over to Newland AV to grab food somewhere that became almost a second home to us early in our relationship: Larkins!

Larkins has never once disappointed us, and I personally love that you can get Brooklyn IPA and lager on Draught. So we started with a pint! (How typical of us, right?) Whilst we mulled over the menu. I should probably mention that just recently Elliot tried cheese for the first time in his 31 years of life! So there is just me sat across from him, practically vibrating as he orders a cheeseburger. It sounds like such a simple, silly thing, but think about all the easy mid-week meals we haven't been able to do when struggling and tired through our 9-5? Pasta bakes, for example? Well, now they can officially be an option for the table!

And I'm off on yet another tangent! Back to Larkins, we sat outside as I just really love their decor, it's cosy and homely and rustic. I think a lot of new bars that have opened down the avenues have a very crisp, clean and modern aesthetic. Whilst also very cosy, they dont hit me with that home comfort in the same way that Larkins does. The food was of course, delicious as always. I ordered a four-cheese pizza in typical fashion for me, and Elliot devoured his cheeseburger. My eyes are apparently bigger than my stomach, so the side of onion rings I ordered filled me up, I couldn't even finish the delightful and most tasty Stonebaked Delight of cheese. But as luck would have it, they provided me with a takeaway box to take the leftover slices home. I got to enjoy the pizza again the next day for lunch, and nothing brings me more joy than some damn good leftovers!

So all in all, another very lovely weekend in great company. I enjoyed the culture of an international event within the city, and I, of course enjoyed heading to the old stomping ground so many years on from when we first visited there. The best thing, though, is relaxing and doing my best to separate from the stress at work and truly be present with my family on a weekend. It's certainly something I need to work on and learn how to switch off when not at work. There isn't a better way to do that than to spend time with my loved ones and have my camera in hand, capturing all those moments.

That is true joy and life.

Thanks for stepping into my Lens.