Arts & culture festival Lancashire Encounter is back

Lancashire Encounter is a festival to discover, experience and be immersed in a bold and imaginative spectacle of performance, music, street theatre and art.

Join us at sites across Preston city centre from Friday 17 September up to the Mayor’s Covid Thank You torchlight parade finale on Saturday 2 October.

Lancashire Encounter will be back this September with an extended event which welcomes all your favourite activities, including an illuminated giant called Jabberwocky, comedy, puppet shows, music, dance and virtual reality. We’re also inviting everyone to our Family Picnic in Winckley Square Gardens on Sunday 19 September.

But it’s not just about watching – Lancashire Encounter lets you get involved too! Why not join a community choir or a Salsa dance workshop? We’re putting the final touches to the festival programme that has all the details you need.

Hosting many of the Lancashire Encounter events, as well as an exciting programme soon to be announced, is a new and unique venue space called the MET – Mobile Event Tent. It’s a fresh, dynamic venue celebrating Preston’s art and culture scene.

The MET will pop up around Preston city centre, mainly in the Harris Quarter by Preston Markets, and host events such as exhibitions, workshops, gigs, and a variety of performances not to be missed. What better way to come back to the city centre and support local talent and businesses?

 Councilor Peter Kelly, Cabinet member for arts at culture at Preston City Council, said:

 “It feels fantastic to be able to bring Lancashire Encounter back to the city – a festival that has been such a success in the past and we don’t want you to miss a thing.

“The programme is extremely diverse with a very exciting line-up of local, regional and national artists and groups, making Lancashire Encounter festival a truly worthy legacy of the Preston Guild.

“The Mayor of Preston’s torchlight parade, acting as the festival’s finale, on Saturday 2 October will be a sight for sore eyes after such a difficult time for everyone and we’ll be celebrating the resilience of our communities and key workers with fun, music and an almighty fire-breathing dragon!”

Find more information on the Lancashire Encounter festival website