Lancashire Encounter

Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor

Visit now

Lancashire Encounter

23-25 September 2016

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Acrojou / Steve Edwin Photography 2015
Book now

Preston City Centre will be transformed into an impressive arena of world class outdoor and Lancashire arts, celebrating the heritage and creativity of the county and marking Preston Pride and Run Preston. A packed programme of performance, music, street theatre and art at various locations across three days promises to immerse audiences in both intimate experiences and large scale spectacles.

The Red Rose installation of 4000 bright red balloons down Surgeon’s Court will transform Preston into a rose-tinged wonderland. There is something around every corner that will intrigue and delight including many artistic adventures in unusual spaces such as the curious Forest Bazzaar on the Grassy Knoll and Artfull’s Paper Extravaganza and Gold Thread Bobbins among Preston’s Independent retailers down Cannon and Guild Hall Streets.

Our top picks include following the action of Acrojou’s The Wheel House – a moving acrobatic show inside a circular set and the opportunity to meet Spacelord Scientist Dr NEW in interstellar street theatre show Alien Robots Stole My IPig.  The brilliant outdoor and immersive theatre company Les Enfants Terribles are also bringing their weirdest wonder emporium the Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie to town.

Light Migrations - Image courtesy of Lancashire Encounter
Light Migrations – Image courtesy of Lancashire Encounter

 

Dancing on the streets begins with Light Migrations led by Ludus, a mass performance celebrating the Lancashire Voice featuring over 100 performers and award-winning musician and producer Kuljit Bhamhra’s Chutney which tells the story of a princess under the spell of a wicked spirit. The impressive dance programme across the weekend includes the energetic Core (part 1) a new commission performed on a bespoke structure on the balcony of Preston’s Guild Hall, Pass by Hawk Dance Theatre where dancers and passers-by become interchangeable, Brace Yourself by UClan and Ludo Dance which breaks the boundaries of commuting at Preston Station and the mesmerising Push, a brilliant duet by Manchester’s celebrated Company Chameleon.

It’s worth staying up late for the large-scale spectacular The Procession of Light at 8pm on Saturday themed around both illumination and inventiveness.

Whether you plan carefully or simply stumble across intriguing and out of the ordinary happenings, Lancashire Encounter is a brilliant outdoor autumn adventure.

Where to go near Lancashire Encounter

Friargate
Lancashire
Shop
Friargate

With an array of independent shops and places to eat and drink, including a number of contemporary pubs and bars, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Winckley Square
Lancashire
Park
Winckley Square

Hosting a variety of year-round events, from guided walks to jazz evenings, Winckley Square is a Georgian square packed with history in Preston city centre.

Avenham and Miller Parks
Lancashire
Park
Avenham and Miller Parks

Located in the heart of Preston, Avenham and Miller Parks are among the finest examples of traditional Victorian parkland in the North West.

Alpaca Fold
Blackburn
Bed & Breakfast
Alpaca Fold

Located in the rural village of Samlesbury on a 35-acre smallholding, Alpaca Fold provides quality accommodation suitable for short and longer stays surrounded by the peace and calm of a rural setting.

Lancashire
Bed & Breakfast
Everything Retreat

A haven of luxury and serenity in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Everything Retreat is an idyllic spot for an indulgent getaway.

Lancashire
Restaurant
Scholars Restaurant

This quality bistro offers fine dining at fabulous prices. One of the leading training restaurants, Scholars Restaurant is run by both industry professionals and fantastic Blackburn College students.

Blackburn
King George’s Hall, Blackburn

One of the North West of England’s best known and loved entertainment venues the historic King George’s Hall in Blackburn was built in the classical style from stone quarried at Butler’s Delph in Pleasington.

Blackburn
Music venue
The Exchange, Blackburn

Dating back to 1865 when it opened as one of four exchange halls in the country, The Exchange is an iconic Blackburn venue

What's on: Families

A youth band playing guitars Slam Dunk & Launchpad Youth Showcase
Music
Slam Dunk & Launchpad Youth Showcase

Launchpad & Slam Dunk have teamed up for a new Youth Showcase event, featuring 5 artists all aged 18 and under based in West Yorkshire performing at one of Leeds

From £8.00

Culture Guides

A young boy with a white sash around his left arm cries.
Cinema in the North

Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Experience a unique deep listening art installation inviting audiences to lay down and be bathed in sound and light.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.