Fylde Fest brought the community together for a super St Annes celebration!

St Annes Square was filled with sunshine and smiles on Saturday 25 October as the first ever FYLDE FEST brought all the festival fun to mark the official launch of the exciting new event space.

Hundreds of residents and visitors flocked to the heart of the seaside resort to enjoy a packed afternoon of free family fun at the very first Fylde Fest: In The Square, which was organised by Fylde Council and Discover Fylde to mark the official launch of the space as a vibrant hub for culture, creativity and community connection.

Crowds gathered to dance in the street with the Line Dance & Friendship Group; be wowed by Bake Off: The Professionals finalist Raf Perussi from Beurre Patisserie performing delicious live baking demonstrations; got creative with craft masterclasses at artistic hub Pot Bound; hunted down local fascinating facts on the Heritage Trail; raced to join in the fun of the Smoothie Bike Challenge with the Fylde Sports and Communities Team, and roared with laughter as stand up sensation Steve Royle delighted everyone with juggling and jokes live on stage before enchanting lots of little ones with hilarious storytelling sessions at Storytellers, Inc bookshop - all as part of Fylde Fest’s joyful showcase of everything that makes Fylde fabulous.

As the sun shone down on the Square, the air was filled with live music from North-West rock band Anthem UK, local acoustic singer Kagan Plant and the Fylde’s own singer/songwriter Daisy Atkinson; while the hilarious Granny Turismo had everyone in stitches as they rock and rolled through the streets causing chaos! Add in iridescent giant bubbles sparkling across the sky from Ebublio, a bustling artisan market and delicious food and drink from local traders - and it’s safe to say Fylde Fest served up the perfect recipe for a real community celebration!

Leader of Fylde Council, Councillor Karen Buckley, officially opened the new event space with a celebratory ribbon cutting on stage to rapturous applause, joined by Steve Royle, Mayor of Fylde Cllr Frank Andrews and Deputy Town Mayor of St Annes, Cllr Roger Small.

Councillor Buckley said: “Fylde Fest: In the Square was the perfect way to mark the opening of our fantastic new event space in St Annes. It was wonderful to see so many people coming together, supporting local businesses and enjoying such a fun-filled day. The atmosphere was incredible - a true celebration of community spirit - and this is just the beginning of many more brilliant events to come from Fylde Fest. Watch this space!”

Fylde Fest: In The Square was hosted by Fylde Council and Discover Fylde, with support from local partners and businesses and marks the start of an exciting new chapter for St Annes Square, setting the stage for a vibrant programme of events funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

For news of upcoming events and ways to get involved in further Fylde Fest events, please visit www.discoverfylde.co.uk or email events@fylde.gov.uk