The second instalment of the National Festival of Making returns to Lancashire

The first free to attend, two-day event flooded the town with visitors from far and wide, drawing curious beginners, experienced makers and inquisitive families into 48 hours of making inspiration. The upcoming event promises yet more moments of inspiration for its anticipated second year.

The promise of ‘a new kind of festival for a new age of making’ by co-founder, supporter and Lancashire-born designer, Wayne Hemingway, was fulfilled with 30,000 people taking part in over 100 making experiences, encountering 57 invited makers, spanning food, technology, major manufacturing, engineering and crafts, alongside indoor and outdoor markets, street performance, art installations, film screenings, celebrity cookery demonstrations and the opportunity to experience making with some of Pennine, Lancashire and the UK’s most significant manufacturers.

Wayne Hemingway says: “This is the festival for anyone and everyone interested in how special things are made, who makes them and are interested in having a go themselves, tasting innovative foods, buying handmade products and getting close to stirring street performances, art and technology.

"People told us that they’d never seen Blackburn fill up and feel as vitally vibrant as it did over the two days of The National Festival of Making in 2017, proving that bringing everyone together can change not only perceptions of what making can be, but of the town itself. Anyone that missed out has another chance to join us and it’s an opportunity not to be missed.”

To plan your visit check out www.festivalofmaking.co.uk.