The Festival organisers are pleased to announce detailed plans as Burnley Canal Festival returns for a weekend of canalside delights.

 
In August Sandygate in Burnley will come to life again with vibrant performances, and magical family activities for Burnley Canal Festival 2018.  This dynamic celebration of Burnley’s peerless canal heritage will occupy its regular slot on Bank Holiday weekend.  The free family event runs over Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August, as usual, but Festival goers are promised a surprise or two…  
The partners in BCF 2018 are now delighted to announce:  
A new look to the Festival site, based around Sandygate Square but extending across the canal and into the reopened Victoria Mill, as well as along the towpath and on the water. A new range of Festival partners, including principal sponsor University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), as they move into canalside and reopen the landmark heritage building, Victoria Mill.  A full festival programme including two days of music stage, a huge range of have-a-go free workshops, a Towpath Explorers family quest and much more…  

This year the Festival is focussed on an expanded site at Sandygate, Burnley.  The Festival Hub will be on Sandygate Square, but activities will stretch across the canal to the UCLan Canalside Carnival around and in Victoria Mill.  Along the towpath the very popular Towpath Explorers return to take visitors on an adventure quest!  
We are also delighted to announce the Festival partners who have made this year’s free event possible.  New partners UCLan are celebrating their move into the canalside by becoming the 
 
principal Festival Sponsor and also creating an extra dimension of Festival fun at Victoria Mill.  AMS Neve are sponsoring the Music Stage allowing a two day programme of music this year.  The Calico Group, Burnley Bondholders, Burnley Borough Council, Barnfield & Burnley Developments and the Stocks Massey Bequest Fund complete the picture of the generous organisations who have helped the Festival remain a free event.  Once again the Festival has received fantastic support from Super Slow Way and from Canal & River Trust.  We thank them all.  
Music Stage, Fabulous Travelling Machines, Towpath Explorers, International Performers  
The Festival programme brings together canal traditions with contemporary performance, music, arts workshops and street food for a weekend of fun and relaxation.  A packed weekend, and completely free programme, runs from 11am-5pm on Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sunday.  Highlights include:  
More Music Stage sponsored by AMS Neve.  A glorious array of global sounds from grass roots to global artists.  Expect an exceptional programme of incredible music including folk, blues, soul, reggae to name a few.  Over the two day programme expect to hear a world sound landscape to suit every musical palette. Including the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band on Saturday, who will bring their unique and diverse repertoire spanning Rajasthani folk songs, Bollywood hits, Bhangra beats and pop songs (you’ve not heard ABBA until you’ve heard these guys play it!).  These vividly costumed artists will bring to Burnley the joyous music that governs life in Rajasthan.   Relax with family and friends in a hammock on board LIFEBOAT, the slowest ride on Earth, or take a journey of the imagination, aboard the famous travelling machines Flycycle and Submercycle!   Take a paddle along the Leeds & Liverpool canal, courtesy of The Desmond Family Canoe Trail, and experience the canal from a different perspective.  Visit Victoria Mill, where UCLan will invite you to try carnival themed activities in their new home.  There’s fabulous street food, free arts and crafts workshops, children’s fairground rides, a Victorian mill engine to visit and so much more.  And for those who love adventure, the Towpath Explorers have devised an exciting game trail for all the family.  Can you prove your worth as a weaver in the Weavers’ Triangle!  
Visit the Burnley Canal Festival website for further details: www.burnleycanalfestival.org  
Laurie Peake, Director of Super Slow Way, said: “The Festival celebrates one of Burnley’s greatest assets, the canal: with art, music and great family entertainment, and all five minutes from the town centre.  The canalside is a natural oasis and a heritage gem that tells the story of the town, providing a wonderful backdrop to the fabulous performances and fun activities, from canoeing to a towpath treasure trail – not to mention the good food!”  
  
 
Michael Ahern, UCLan Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are very proud of being a major civic institution in Burnley and this Festival is a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with a wide variety of community groups and members of the public. It’s a very exciting time for us with our major investment in Victoria Mill so this is a great chance for the people of Burnley and beyond to come and see what we’re all about.”  
Nick Hunt, Creative Director of Mid Pennine Arts, said: “We are delighted to announce a range of new and returning partners as our festival sponsors, and especially to welcome our new principal sponsor UCLan, as they arrive in our canalside neighbourhood, which is such hugely exciting news for the Weavers’ Triangle.  All our sponsors are vital in helping keep this brilliant event free to attend.  Our grateful thanks to them and also to Super Slow Way, whose support makes BCF possible.”  
Burnley Canal Festival is co-produced by Deco Publique and Mid Pennine Arts.  
“What a great time our family had, with new and unique experiences, not your run-of-the-mill local festival…”  Festival attender, 2017

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Burnley Canal Festival
Festival
Burnley Canal Festival

Free family friendly Festival celebrating Burnley’s canalside.

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