Encounter Festival 2025 to celebrate 10 years of local voices, culture and talent

This year's Encounter festival will once again provide a free programme of outdoor theatre shows, games, and live music at various locations around Preston City Centre.

Alongside local voices and talent, the festival has an array of nationally and internationally acclaimed performers.

Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts, said:  ‘’This year's Encounter Festival programme is packed with bold creativity, diverse voices, and powerful community-led work.

‘’We can't wait to welcome audiences of all ages to experience Preston in full celebratory mode."

Taking place across key city locations, including the Flag Market, Harris Street, and Birley Street, visitors can look forward to dynamic performances, playful experiences, and moments to connect, explore, and create.

To mark this milestone year, the festival will place a special focus on themes of wellbeing, climate action, and youth creativity. Some of the confirmed programme highlights include:

• Signing for Creative Health - A County of Song collaboration with Lancashire choirs around the health and well-being benefits of communal singing.
• Climate and Community Focus - Visit the Throne of Pledges on the Flag Market and take your place in a striking installation created with Preston's climate action teams. Let's Grow Preston will also be part of the festivities (12pm - 4pm), championing green spaces and sustainable living.
• Rise and Lead by Wot Wud U Do CIC - A collection of inspiring games and films created by local young people about themes that matter to them.

Torchlight Procession

To draw the festival to a close, the Flagship Torchlight Procession will feature a towering puppet to celebrate the legacy of football trailblazer Arthur Wharton.

In collaboration with Preston North End Community and Education Trust, the puppet will be brought to life by a team of artists and community participants, serving as a moving tribute to the world's first black professional footballer.

The commission for designing the puppet has been awarded to a talented lead artist, Sara Blackburn from Wonder Made Wild, who will make it along with assistant Puppet Makers Alex Herring and Haneefah Patel.

Sara Blackburn, Creative Director of Wonder Made Wild, said: ‘’I'm honoured to be leading on the creation of the Arthur Wharton puppet and can't wait to get started on this ambitious project! I'm really inspired by Arthur's many achievements and talents and look forward to celebrating them in the build. As an artist from Preston myself, it's also great to see the city championing local creativity and talent, and I'm thrilled to have Alex and Haneefah on board. Together we hope to do Arthur and Preston proud!"

Michael Barrett, Heritage Co-ordinator for Preston North End Community and Education Trust, said: ‘’This is such a fantastic project. The story of Arthur Wharton forms a big part of our 'Invincibles' Heritage Project at Preston North End Community and Education Trust. 

In March 2024, we unveiled a blue plaque at Deepdale in Arthur's honour, and the making of the puppet presents numerous opportunities to expand on the work we've done so far. Arthur is a hugely important figure, not just in the early history of PNE, but football as a whole. 

His role as a pioneer for black sportsmen and women leaves a legacy. We're very proud of our connection to Arthur and delighted to be a part of this new initiative."

It'll then be time to look to the sky for Encounter's annual fireworks finale, a spectacle not to be missed! The best viewing location is by The Flag Market.

For the full line up of acts, performers, and activities, visit the Lancs Encounter -  Whats On.