Festival of Culture 2024

A family fun day, bringing Pendle’s diverse communities together.  The Festival is taking place along Market Street and Scotland Road in Nelson town centre.  

The festival will feature a spectacular line-up of local and international musicians and performers, including Aaron Hipgrave-Lewis, Sista Jam, BlowJangles, The Nasheed Choir, Stone the Crows, and headlining the event will be internationally renowned British-Indian Banghra artist, H-Dhami.  There will also be over 20 interactive art workshops, craft stalls, face painting, character appearances, street food, spoken word, storytelling and funfair rides.

Community groups and local residents from across Pendle have also been helping shape the Festival Arch, an art installation jointly commissioned by and which will be shared with the National Festival of Making over in Blackburn in July, by artist and design collective Dual Works.  Dual Works have designed a bespoke structure informed by the local communities across the two Lancashire towns, reflecting the sense of place and geography that draws us together and unites us, co-created by the community.  Communities have been contributing to the development of the festival arch and the structure will welcome guests and become a pop-up space to interact with.

Kicking off the day will be the arrival of the Peace Walks, and for the first time this year, there will be three routes to choose from.  Walk leaders will guide people along the routes starting from Brierfield, Colne and Barrowford, crossing through scenic countryside before joining together along the canal and making their way into the centre of town.  All groups, families, organisations and individuals are invited to decorate a flag that they can carry with them on the day.  The flag is an expression and celebration of how people connect to the chosen theme through words, images and colour.