Encounter Festival

25/08/2026

🗣️ PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT: Arachnobot by Tim Davies Design.

🕷️ Arachnobot is an impressive walkabout act which roams the streets, festivals and spectacular events looking for prey, or anyone brave enough to say hello!

🌓 As day turns to night, watch in awe as Arachnobot becomes illuminated.

🗓️ Saturday, 19 September
📌 The Flag Market, Preston
⏰ 1pm, 2.30pm & 7.45pm

📸 Photography by Tim Davies.

21/08/2026

🗣️ PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT: HUG by Levantes Dance Theatre.

🫂 Through a fusion of aerial dance, physical theatre and striking visuals, the audience is invited to rediscover the power of touch, connection and the simple act of a hug.

🗓️ Saturday, 19 September
📌 The Flag Market, Preston
⏰ 12.30pm & 3pm

📸 Photography by Roswitha Chesher.

14/08/2026

🙌 We can't wait to see this collaboration take centre stage at the Torchlight Procession!

📅 Save the date: Saturday, 19 September.

🌟 The procession will start at 7.15pm, making its way from Moor Park Avenue to Lancaster Road, filling the streets with music, dancing and light along the way.

05/08/2026

👗 To celebrate The Harris' Horrockses Fashions exhibition, we’ve teamed up with Josh at Wolf Entertainments & Events to create a Horrockses-style commission to lead the Torchlight Procession.

🗣️ Get involved! Join us at one of our upcoming dressmaking workshops at The Harris…

📌 Monday, 10 Aug at 10am - 12pm
📌 Monday, 17 Aug at 10am - 12pm
📌 Thursday, 20 Aug at 4pm - 6pm
📌 Thursday, 27 August at 4pm - 6pm

🧵 These workshops are free, there is no experience necessary and all materials will be provided to help create four dresses for the procession.

🔗 Find out more and book your place: https://theharris.pulse.ly/mv44oirqqj

04/08/2026

✨ Encounter Festival’s key commission for 2026 sees the Torchlight Procession led by a unique homage to Preston and its history.

👗 Josh at Wolf Entertainments & Events will be creating oversized Horrockses-style dresses for eight stilt-walkers to lead the procession.

📲 Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming dressmaking workshops, and how you can get involved with this exciting project!

29/07/2026

🎵 Celebrate the joy of song in a spectacular Grade I listed building. Join Encounter Voices and perform at The Harris on Saturday, 19 September.

🎤 To take part, join us at one of our preparation workshops…

🗓️ Saturday, 5 September
⏰ 11am - 1pm
📌 The Harris, PR1 2PP
🎟️ Book your free place: https://ow.pulse.ly/vq1rqviltr

🗓️ Saturday, 19 September
⏰ 11am - 1pm
📌 The Guild Lounge, PR1 1HT
🎟️ Book your free place: https://ow.pulse.ly/fmabcm4ydb

📸 Michael Porter

23/07/2026

🎤 Join Encounter Voices and a host of Lancashire-based choirs and sing your heart out at Encounter Festival! To take part, join us at one of our preparation workshops…

🗓️ Saturday, 5 September
⏰ 11am - 1pm
📌 The Harris, PR1 2PP
🎟️ Book your free place: https://ow.pulse.ly/teroq7dyw3

🗓️ Saturday, 19 September
⏰ 11am - 1pm
📌 The Guild Lounge, PR1 1HT
🎟️ Book your free place: https://ow.pulse.ly/vctnsug6lo

🎵 The performance will take place at 2pm on Saturday, 19 September at The Harris.

📸 Michael Porter

20/07/2026

📣 Commission Opportunity: design and creation of a procession banner for Centre for Processional Culture UK (CPCUK).

✨ The final piece will be unfurled on 19 September, making its grand debut in our spectacular Torchlight Procession!

👇 Find out more below...

Artist Commission (£2,500): Help us champion UK processional culture with a major new banner commission. 🥁

The Centre for Processional Culture in the UK (CPCUK) is a new advocacy body dedicated to supporting, mapping, and protecting the vibrant street arts, carnivals, and processions that bring our communities to life.

To celebrate our launch, we are commissioning a bespoke, high-impact banner that will serve as both an exciting example of "art that processes" and a key promotional tool for our new organisation!

The final piece will make its grand debut on September 19th, walked in the spectacular Encounter Festival Procession.

Brief
Fee: £2,500 (inclusive of all travel and materials).

Requirements: The banner must be hard-wearing, easily storable, easy to set up, and designed to process.

Key Dates: Work completed by Sept 18th | Procession on Sept 19th.

Support: Workshop and maker space can be made available at our hub in Rossendale, Lancashire if needed.

🤝 Who We Are:
CPCUK is a Community Interest Company (CIC) supported by a partnership between Horse + Bamboo (Rossendale), Preston City Council, and Manchester Met Uni, with funding from Arts Council England.

📩 How to Apply:
If you have a passion for outdoor arts and community practice, we want to hear from you!

👉 To apply: Send a CV and 2 examples of your work to Esther Ferry-Kennington at [email protected].

⏳ Deadline for applications: 9th August 2026

15/07/2026

🎉 Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, Encounter will begin to lay the critical groundwork for Preston Guild 2032.

📌 We will establish Preston as a national centre for processional practice, bringing together sector specialists and local artists to co-create large-scale work.

👀 Watch this space!

10/07/2026

🗣️ Encounter lands at The Harris Quarter on Saturday, 19 September.

🎭 Expect walk-about theatre, interactive performances, music, workshops and much more.

🌓 As day turns to night, our spectacular Torchlight Procession will take centre stage as it weaves its way through Preston city centre.