Encounter Festival in Preston

Few festivals bring a city together quite like Encounter. For one day each September, Preston’s Flag Market becomes home to outdoor theatre, live music, art and family-friendly creativity, turning the city centre into one giant outdoor stage. Established in 2015 as part of the legacy of Preston Guild, Encounter has grown into one of the North West’s most joyful celebrations of outdoor arts, welcoming audiences of all ages to experience the city in a completely different way.

Returning on Saturday 19 September, this year’s festival once again takes over The Harris and venues across Preston with a packed programme of free performances, interactive experiences and creative activities. Expect the walkabout theatre, live music and hands-on workshops that have become Encounter’s trademark, with highlights including Levantes Dance Theatre’s aerial and physical theatre show HUG, the chaotic clowning and live-looped music of Ramshacklicious’ Mr & Mr Burn, and giant spider puppet Arachnobot roaming the city streets.

A brand-new commission, Horrockses on Stilts, from outdoor theatre specialists Wolf Entertainments, known for their imaginative large-scale performances, will coincide with the opening of The Harris’ new exhibition, Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour & the Art of British Ready-to-Wear. Together, the commission and exhibition celebrate one of the city’s most influential design stories, bringing Preston’s rich textile heritage to life in inventive new ways.

As ever, the festival builds towards its spectacular Torchlight Procession, the highlight of Encounter for many visitors, led this year by eight stilt-walkers in oversized Horrockses-inspired dresses created by Wolf Entertainments. More than 500 performers, artists and community groups are expected to fill Preston’s streets with music and illuminated artworks, with the returning Arthur Wharton puppet, all-female brass band Brazen, Preston City Mela and Preston Caribbean Carnival among those joining the procession. A fitting finale to a festival that has always placed participation at its heart, inviting local people to perform alongside professional artists in one unforgettable shared experience.

This year’s festival also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Encounter, with organisers looking ahead to Preston Guild 2032 while continuing to build on everything that has made the festival such a success. With the full programme now announced, there’s plenty to discover throughout the day. Best of all, it’s completely free – and with the summer holidays behind us, it’s the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy one last big day out together before autumn really gets underway.