FREE FAMILY FUN

Great days out don’t have to break the bank, especially as Lancashire has so many great events for you to enjoy without spending a penny! Take a look at our selection of upcoming free events here.

National Festival of Making

8th-9th July

Garstang Scarecrow Festival

Garstang, Lancashire

Scarecrow Festivals are great fun for the whole family, and Lancashire knows how to do them well. This summer Garstang, famous for being the world’s first Fairtrade town, will come alive with its very own Scarecrow festival. Head to the event for a Scarecrow trail, family fun fair, children’s activities and entertainment. The event will also feature food, drink and ice cream from the region’s local producers too.

8th-9th July National Festival of Making

Blackburn, Lancashire

Celebrate Lancashire’s history of making with this exciting festival. The Festival of Making celebrates everything from the kitchen table to the factory floor, combining art, manufacturing, making and communities. The event showcases national artists, an incredible programme of events and even a dedicated Taste Lancashire space to showcase the amazing produce you can find across the region.

9th July

Ormskirk Gingerbread Festival & Artisan Market

Ormskirk, Lancashire

Ormskirk has been renowned for its gingerbread for centuries, and each year the town celebrates this history with a Gingerbread Festival. This year the festival will combine with an Artisan Market with over 60 local makers and food producers. There will be family entertainment, face painting, fairground rides and fun for everyone.

15th – 16th July

Heysham Viking Festival

Heysham, Lancashire

After a three year break, the Heysham Viking Festival is back! The town will play host to a Viking village once more and be transported back in time to experience life in the 9th-11th century. Visitors of all ages can witness fierce battle re-enactments, themed activities and embrace the historical culture of the Vikings. Watch the spinning of wool, grinding of grains, early years of woodwork, leather work, cooking and jewellery making.

16th July

Festival of Transport

Fleetwood, Lancashire

Since 1986 Fleetwood Festival of Transport, known locally as Tram Sunday, has been bringing vintage vehicle displays to the seaside town of Fleetwood. With classic car, buses and tram displays, entertainment, fairground rides, food stalls and more, this is a great day out for the whole family. This year the event will be made extra special with an 18ft inflatable whale, complete with visit and talk from marine biologist and children’s theatre show, inside the whale itself!

12th August

Clitheroe Food Festival

Clitheroe, Lancashire

Celebrating its 11th Year the Clitheroe Food festival will end a week long series of events focusing on food and drink throughout the borough. This final day will feature family friendly fun and over 100 local producers showing off their wares. The community spirit of the area will come alive during the event and it’s definitely not one to be missed.

12th – 13th August Blackpool Air Show

Blackpool, Lancashire

One of the longest running air shows in the country, Blackpool Air Show has been running for over 100 years. This free event on the seaside town’s promenade fills the streets and this year the world-famous Red Arrows will be opening the show on both days, with the RAF Typhoon team closing each day too. The show attracts a range of stalls, attractions and food concessions, with fairground rides and more within the Air Show village on The Tower Festival Headland.

19th – 20th August 1940s Weekend

Lytham, Lancashire

It’s back! Join in the atmosphere and immerse yourself in a brilliant weekend of entertainment and have-a-go fun! Enjoy historic vehicles, music and dance, memorabilia, thrilling battles, educational talks and demonstrations. There’ll be a great lineup of entertainment, some making their Lytham debut and some returning favourites.

26th August

Accrington Soapbox Challenge

Accrington, Lancashire

The Amazing Accrington Soapbox Challenge is back with a bang. Join in the fun with your own soapbox, or watch others’ as they take to the track. The day will also feature entertainment with Netflix star Molly Robbins compering the main stage, and showcasing her decorating skills. There will be a celebration of local producers with food stalls lining the town square and inside and outside Accrington Market.

27th August Burnley Canal Festival

Burnley, Lancashire

The Leeds Liverpool Canal is know for its fantastic walking routes, but during the August Bank Holiday weekend, it is known for the amazing Burnley Canal Festival. A free day of celebrations along the canal, you will find arts and crafts, canalside walks, performances, food and drink stalls, an artisan market and more. A great way to spend a Sunday!

1st September Blackpool Illuminations Switch On

Blackpool, Lancashire

See the spectacular seaside show for yourself at Blackpool’s biggest event of the year. The illuminations switch on is an evening of family entertainment, music and dancing, and your chance to view the illuminations early in the season. This year the event returns to its former glory, after three years of a smaller, indoor ceremony, making it the perfect time to add the event to your calendar.

2nd – 3rd September

Vintage by the Sea

Morecambe, Lancashire

Back for its 10th anniversary is an event that everyone loves. Vintage by the Sea pays homage to the brilliance of timeless design, fashion, art, culture and more, in Morecambe and beyond, from between the 1920s and 1990s. Expect performance, dance, classic cars, mobile vintage cinemas, DJ sets, fashion parades, family workshops and street food. This year will be even bigger and better as the festival celebrates a decade of celebrating all things vintage.