FAQs

The National Festival of Making will take place on Saturday, 4th and Sunday, 5th July 2026, running from 11 am to 5 pm on both days. Stay updated by following us on social media or signing up for our newsletter for the latest news about the programme.

We hope that the festival is for everyone! Whether you’re coming with a family and looking for a fun day out in the North West, or you’re an established maker interested in expanding your skillset or meeting other like-minded people, we hope that the festival is for everyone!

If you’re interested in experiencing exhibitions, eating delicious food, watching spectacular performances, taking part in a workshop, hearing insightful talks, shopping at the markets, watching film screenings or just soaking up the atmosphere, then there’s something for you.

Some activities have age guidance. For example, some of the workshops are not suitable for young people under a certain age for safety reasons and there are also activities specifically for Early Years. This information will be released in our online programme in the weeks leading up to the festival, and will be stated clearly both online and in our print programme – but if you’re not sure on the day, just ask!

Young people under the age of 16 should always be accompanied by an adult. 

Unfortunately, it is not possible to leave your child in the care of an artist, volunteer or any member of staff, even if they are taking part in a specific activity for young people.

Closer to the festival, we upload our programme online as well as share announcements on social media. 

Over the weekend, you will be able to pick up a printed brochure at the festival venues, or from one of our fantastic Festival Volunteers – they will be happy to assist you with finding your way around the festival.

Toilets can be found across the town centre including in the following locations:

• The Mall (accessible toilets can be found on the ground floor at the County Court Entrance)
• Blackburn Market (Changing Places facilities are available here, these bathroom facilities have more space and equipment including a height adjustable changing bench and hoist. Saturday only)
• Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery (accessible toilets can be found here)
• Blackburn Library (accessible toilets can be found here)
• Cathedral Square temporary portable toilets (an accessible toilet can be found here over the festival weekend)

Whilst the Festival weekend can get very busy, Blackburn Library can direct you to a designated quiet space for anyone in need of a quiet room or a private area throughout the festival weekend. No need to book, just turn up and ask at the front desk.

Dogs are allowed in the outdoor areas in Blackburn town centre. The Festival weekend can get very busy, so you may not feel that it is the right environment for your dog. Assistance dogs are welcome in the indoor venues and marquees.

Over the festival weekend, we have several different food vendors and producers.

Street food vendors are advised to offer at least one vegetarian or vegan option, and we work to ensure this guidance is followed wherever possible.

Some of the food vendors will be offering halal food options. Please speak to the traders for full information on ingredients. 

There are also plenty of local cafes and eateries in the town centre, including Blackburn Market, which is open on Saturdays. To find out more, head to DiscoverBWD.

The festival takes place in Blackburn town centre, in over 20 venues. Some of these are temporary venues like marquees and gazebos, others are shop units, heritage buildings and galleries.

No matter where you are travelling from, the town centre is easy to find and get to. 

There are plenty of buses and trains from local towns and cities and the bus station and railway station are very close to the festival activity. It’s less than an hour from Manchester by train and 1hr 15 mins from Leeds, both on direct services. Plenty of regional locations connect through Preston, which is also a popular connection point for trains coming from further afield.

If you’re nearby, the town centre is easy to find on foot – head towards King William Street or Cathedral Square.

If you’re travelling by car, there’s lots of parking around the town.

Click here to read more information on transport and view a list of car park postcodes to put into your satnav.

Disabled Parking

There are 38 disabled parking bays located across the Mall carpark, with spaces in each of Blocks A, B and C. 

Electric Charging Points

Fast (22kW) electric vehicle charge points are available at Feilden Street MSCP, Brown Street and Weir Street car parks.

For more information, contact Blackburn Visitor Centre on 01254 688 040, based in Blackburn Market, for a full range of tourist & travel information. 

Alternatively, visit www.discoverblackburn.co.uk/explore/how-to-get-here/ 

You do not need a ticket to visit the Festival. Most of the activities are completely free, including all performances, exhibitions, film screenings and most workshops and talks. 

Some workshops have a small charge to cover material costs, and some workshops are only bookable in advance where there are specific timings and limited capacity. This will be clearly listed in the online programme and brochure. Booking links will be available online closer to the Festival.

There are loads of workshops, performances, and activities that are drop-in and free, so don’t worry if you don’t book anything in advance. 

There are some markets and street food stands where locally made or handcrafted products can be purchased.

The Festival takes over public spaces and venues in and around Blackburn town centre. The pedestrianised areas are accessible for pushchairs and people who use wheelchairs. 

Some of the activities take place in temporary marquees, gazebos and stretch canvases; all rectangular marquees are located on hard surface ground; however, some content in gazebos, stretch canvases and bell tents may take place on grass.

A lot of our programme takes place in shop units, heritage spaces and some of Blackburn’s brilliant cultural venues. 

Due to the nature of using town centre spaces, we can’t always confirm our venues until closer to the Festival. If you check back here in the month before the Festival, you can find information about venue access for specific venues, or head to our Accessibility page, where there will be more detailed info provided.

We strive to work towards an accessible programme of events, but regret that not all venues are accessible to our whole audience at present. 

If you would like to speak to a member of the team about venues and access, please email info@festivalofmaking.co.uk

Visit our accessibility page here

Our team of festival staff and volunteers are aware that some members of the public may have Access Cards which indicate the type of reasonable adjustment a person may need in accessing the services at the festival.

We will do our best to support anyone who presents us with an Access Card. If you feel comfortable doing so, when presenting your card please share with volunteers/staff members what the symbols on your card indicate or what specific barriers we might be able to remove for you to enjoy the festival to its full potential. 

Unfortunately, we may not always be able to remove all barriers due to the busy festival environment and crowds, however if you would like to contact us before the festival with any questions or to hear more about how the festival works, please contact us at info@festivalofmaking.co.uk

We have official photographers at the event taking photographs and film. These photographers will be identified by a lanyard. 

These photographers capture content which we use to promote our work online, and in print and digital formats. We may also distribute content to collaborators including: artists, contributors and venues who participate in our programmes, funders who have supported our programmes and across our networks as well as the networks of our partner organisations.

To comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, we have signage displayed at all events acknowledging that photos and video will be taken. If you do not wish to have your image or the image of the child in your care captured, please speak to the photographer at the event or contact us. 

You have the right to request that your image be deleted by contacting:

Digital Marketing & Content Creator: Emma Colbert-Mooring: emma@decopublique.co.uk

Marketing & Audience Development: simon@festivalofmaking.co.uk

Read our Photography Policy

If you become unwell during the event or need to receive first aid, a medical team is onsite to provide these services. Notify any member of event staff or security in hi-vis or wearing all black and the medical team will be radioed to attend. 

In the event of an emergency, also call 999 immediately. 

In the event that a child becomes lost during the festival, please notify a member of event staff in purple high-vis or security in hi-vis or wearing all black.

Young people under the age of 16 should always be accompanied by an adult. 

Unfortunately, it is not possible to leave your child in the care of an artist, volunteer or any member of staff, even if they are taking part in a specific activity for young people.

Blackburn with Darwen is a breastfeeding-friendly borough. Many of the town centre cafes and businesses welcome breastfeeding, you can read more here.

Baby changing facilities can be found at:

• The Mall (these are located on the first floor next to Beauty Spot Warehouse and at Core 5 on level 1 above Finch Bakery) 
• Blackburn Central Library 
• Blackburn Market (at the back of the hall near the corner of the food court)
• Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery