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Over 70,000 people had a ball in Preston this past weekend at BBC Radio 2 In The Park.
With 53 per cent of attendees coming from Lancashire – and an overwhelmingly positive post-festival buzz – it could spell huge potential for future dates in Preston.
Opinion: Preston’s cultural challenge and the opportunity after BBC Radio 2 In The Park
Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long for the next wave of exciting events, many of which are brought to life by dedicated individuals who deserve our support.
So, if you were one of the thousands who loved BBC Radio 2 In The Park, here are five upcoming events in Preston that you won’t want to miss.
(Of course, there’s lots more besides these five – check out our What’s On section and event listings for more details!)
The city-wide celebration of pub culture will see 14 venues taking part, with live music, food specials, tap-takeovers, tasting events and more.
The event, which runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September, follows the success of the first Preston Pub Festival last year.
Founded by a group of like-minded pub and bar owners, the festival aims to celebrate and support the city’s pub scene.
Preston Arts Festival returns for its 23rd annual outing this month with a variety of arts activities, workshops and events.
Taking place from Sunday 15 to Sunday 29 September, events covering art, drama, music, dance, poetry and more will run at a number of venues across the city and beyond.
Pre-launch activities on Saturday 14 September will include craft fairs in Fishergate and St. Georges shopping centres, dancers outside the Market Hall, and an artists en plein air event at the Flag Market.
Preston’s free festival of arts and culture is set to take place at locations across the city centre on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September.
This year’s festival promises an array of performances and activities designed to engage and inspire audiences of all ages.
A favourite part of the festival is always the Torchlight Procession, which will make its way from Moor Park to the Flag Market for the Firework Finale on Saturday evening.
Preston’s biggest performance festival is returning for 2024 with some of the UK’s best shows set to come to the city.
Over 20 shows and performances will take place on 15 consecutive nights from Wednesday 25 September at various venues including The Ferret, UCLan’s Media Factory, Central Methodist Church and the Bus Station.
The exciting programme covers comedy, dance, spoken word and theatre, plus several new commissions showcasing the work of Lancashire-based performers. Everything is free to attend.
The Guild Hall foyer reopens as a venue from Thursday 3 October.
15 events including tribute acts, burlesque shows, and Gareth Gates are confirmed for the newly-named The Guild Lounge.
Holding around 350 people, the venue is due to operate from Thursdays to Sundays over a six-month period.
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This story was made possible by you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, you can submit it for our event listings and/or send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.ukami for us to cover it as a story on the Blog.
