Darnhill Festival 2024: Searching For Safer Planets

Sunday, 30 June 2024 18:55

By Joe Barnes-Taylor

The award-winning Darnhill Festival returns in 2024, and will take place at Argyle Parade, next Saturday.

In collaboration with the Darnhill Festival Association, Cartwheel Arts is delighted to announce this year’s festival theme, ‘Searching For Safer Planets’, and the full programme which promises carnival energy, lots of different arts activities, some sports and family-friendly fun.
Cartwheel Arts has been using the arts to address social issues and promote social inclusion for nearly 40 years, and teamed up with the Darnhill Festival Association and Cartwheel Arts in collaboration with Rochdale Youth Service, Rochdale Libraries, and local organisations, to bring interplanetary magic to the heart of the community.

The space-themed carnival parade will kick off the festival, and will feature creations from from local primary schools, Rochdale Youth Service’s The Yard, Rochdale Connections Trust and community groups, as well as drumming and samba dancing from Manchester School of Samba, stilt walkers from Artemis Productions, live music, and out-of-this-world costumes.

The parade will then end at the festival site, where audiences can enjoy The Young Producers’ Silent Disco, storytelling from the League of Curiosity, the Skate Attractions’ skateboarding area, and many more family-friendly attractions. The festival will also showcase live music, charity stalls and and pop-up food stands, all from the local community.

This year's festival is supported by an Arts Council England project grant, the National Lottery Community Fund Awards For All, the Guinness Partnership, Rochdale Borough Council and Heywood Township.