Accrington Youth Fest set to take over town centre
Accrington town centre will come alive with energy, creativity and young talent on Saturday 15 August, as Accrington Youth Fest takes over the town centre from 10am to 3pm.
The free family-friendly event will bring together a packed programme of activities for young people and residents of all ages, transforming the town centre into a celebration of youth culture, creativity and community spirit.
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities throughout the day, including a pop-up BMX track delivered by Dirt Factory in the yard next to Accrington Town Hall from 11am, a pop-up skate park delivered by Send It Skatepark, a climbing wall, an interactive art zone, the popular Teenage Market, and a live stage featuring performances from talented local musicians and dance groups.
Designed to inspire and engage young people, Accrington Youth Fest will offer opportunities to try new activities, develop confidence, showcase talents, support young entrepreneurs and enjoy a vibrant day in the heart of the town.
The event is being delivered by Place For Youth, an organisation dedicated to empowering young people to shape and improve the places where they live. Through initiatives such as The Teenage Market, Place For Youth creates free and accessible opportunities for young people to gain experience, develop skills, connect with their communities and play an active role in the future of their towns and cities.
Councillor Kate Walsh, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Arts, said:
"Accrington Youth Fest promises to be a fantastic day for young people, families and visitors to the town centre. We're proud to support events that celebrate the creativity, talent and ambition of our young residents, while creating opportunities for them to get involved, try new experiences and showcase their skills. I would encourage everyone to come along and be part of what is set to be an exciting day."
Councillor Clare Pritchard, Portfolio Holder for Transformation and Town Centres, said:
"Accrington Youth Fest is a fantastic opportunity to bring more people into the town centre and showcase the energy, talent and creativity of young people from across the borough. Events like this help create a welcoming atmosphere, encourage residents and visitors to spend time in Accrington, and support the businesses and organisations that make our town centre such an important community hub. I'm delighted we're able to support activities that help make the town centre a destination for people of all ages."
Joe Barratt, Place For Youth, said:
"We're delighted to be bringing Accrington Youth Fest to the town centre and creating a day that puts young people at the heart of the action. This event is all about celebrating their creativity, ambition and talent, while giving them opportunities to try new activities, perform, trade and connect with others. We hope to see families, residents and visitors come along, support the young people involved and enjoy everything the festival has to offer."
At the heart of the event will be The Teenage Market, which gives young entrepreneurs, designers, artists and makers the chance to trade in a real town centre market environment. The initiative has helped thousands of young people across the UK gain valuable business experience, test new ideas and build confidence.
Young people from across Hyndburn who would like to sell their products, artwork, crafts, clothing, gifts or other creative items at Accrington Youth Fest are invited to apply for a free stall. Signing up is quick and easy. Anyone interested can register as a trader and apply to take part via The Teenage Market website at https://theteenagemarket.co.uk/.
Place For Youth believes that young people are not the problem in our town centres, but often the missing partners. Accrington Youth Fest puts that belief into action by creating an event that is shaped around young people's creativity, ambition and potential.
With live entertainment, sports activities, creative workshops, market stalls and plenty of opportunities to get involved, Accrington Youth Fest promises to be one of the highlights of the summer in Accrington town centre.
Accrington Youth Fest takes place on Saturday 15 August from 10am to 3pm in Accrington town centre. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
Funding for this project has been provided by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.