Darwen Market Square to host a full day of performances, workshops, artisan stalls and community celebration on Saturday 29 August 2026
Darwen Festival of Fun returns on Saturday 29 August 2026, bringing a vibrant programme of free family entertainment, creative activities, artisan markets and street food to Darwen Market Square from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Proudly funded by Darwen Town Council and curated by Crafty Vintage in partnership with Let’s Make Darwen, with support from Blackburn with Darwen Council, the festival continues to grow as one of the town’s most popular annual events, attracting families and visitors from across the region.
This year’s festival will feature a packed programme of live entertainment and interactive experiences, including roving theatre, stilt walkers, dancers, a live samba band, aerial performers, circus adventures and Sound Garden.
Families can also enjoy face painting, hands-on creative activities and traditional fairground rides throughout the day, alongside a bustling artisan market showcasing local makers and independent traders. A street food village will offer a wide selection of food and drink options.
Expect a full day of:
- Live entertainment
- Street performers
- Food traders and an artisan market
- Family activities and workshops
- Music, dance and roaming acts
Also coming to Darwen will be the Art Explora Mobile Museum, bringing the curated exhibition Shaped by the Sea to the town.
The exhibition features works from the Government Art Collection and will tour communities across the South West and North West of England. Artworks from the national collection will be presented in the heart of local communities, with the Mobile Museum stopping at locations stretching from Plymouth to Preston.
