Visit Lancashire

The first ever National Festival of Making

Welcome to The National Festival of Making!

The first ever National Festival of Making is here and it’s taking place in Blackburn, Lancashire on Sat 6 and Sun 7 May 2017. Why has Lancashire been chosen as home to the event? With a quarter of Blackburn with Darwen’s population work in making and manufacturing, there is no better place to celebrate!  It stands as the UK’s current capital of making.

The festival has been planned to be family-friendly, free and, most importantly, fun. Hands-on activities, markets, art in unusual places and live performance invite everyone, young and old and from any part of the UK, to enjoy aspects of the past, present and future of making and manufacturing. Making has a positive effect on well-being, it makes us feel good and it gives people chance of forging a career. You only need to look to one of the festival’s founders, Wayne Hemingway MBE, who started a fashion label with his wife, Gerardine, in Blackburn and is in his fourth decade of successful entrepreneurship.

Hundreds of events are taking over the town centre of Blackburn over two days and everyone is welcome. So, what should visitors – young or old, experienced in making or complete beginners – expect from two, action-packed days? Have a look at what you could do on our website at www.festivalofmaking.co.uk, but here are some of my highlights:

Buy, Try and Taste at the Markets – Many of the UK’s most talented makers will be arriving in Blackburn to not only sell their handmade items, from jewellery to homewares, but they will be making as they sell too. Many will be giving visitors a chance to have a go themselves, perhaps print making or working with wood. Visit King George’s Hall, Town Hall Street and Cathedral Square to browse and buy one-off items, taste delicious street food and grab a drink.

Festival Films – There are not one, but two films premiering in Blackburn over the weekend. ‘We Take Them and We Make Them’ is directed by local rising star, Aaron Dunleavy with the support of internationally-renowned, Blackburn-raised filmmaker Michael Winterbottom. That Blackburn Youth Zone-hosted project is joined
by ‘Front Room Factories’, a remarkable portrait of many of the Lancashire-based makers who turn their homes into production lines.

MakerSheds – a new take on the traditional British shed, two brand new commissioned aims to support emerging architects develop a pop up space for emerging makers to work from through an architectural competition. The competition ran and two designs have been selected for the Festival of Making. The first has been developed by JB Studio in Preston and the second is by a group of Part 3 students at Hawkins Brown in Manchester.

Virtual Treasure - Immerse yourself in a virtual treasure hunt at Blackburn Cathedral. Interact with Hobs Studio’s state-of-the-art 3D model to unearth virtual clues, ancient artefacts and discover the Cathedral’s rich history, spanning over 1400 years along the way. Put on a Virtual Reality headset and see the Cathedral in a totally different light.

Town is the Menu - We challenged Nigel Haworth of Northcote and food innovator Simon Preston to encapsulate Blackburn on a plate. Come and try their specially created recipes, cooked by Blackburn College’s own budding chefs, and decide for yourself if we’ve captured the essence of the town in a dish.

The festival is being delivered by a new social enterprise, set up by people who are passionate about making a difference to people’s lives through the celebration of making and manufacturing. A partnership with HemingwayDesign, Deco Publique and Placeshakers, we have set out to deliver an inspiring and sustainable event for everyone. We hope you can ‘make’ it!

 

Claire Tymon

Top 10 Animal & Wildlife Attractions

From birds to wild boar and sharks to sheep, Lancashire has a huge variety of animal attractions. So whether you want cute and cuddly or slimy and scary, take a look at our top 10.

1.Blackpool Zoo
Big cats, elephants, giraffes, gorillas and sealions.

2. Thornton Hall Farm Country Park, nr Barnsoldswick
Farm safari, indoor animal areas, play barn, ride on tractors and play areas.

3. WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Burscough
Otter feeding, weekend crafts, duck trail, den building and adventure playground. Plus thousands of ducks and waterfowl.

4. Farmer Parrs Animal World, Fleetwood
Fab-ew-lous animal farm with outdoor and indoor play areas, with a bouncy castle.

5. Farmer Ted's Farm Park, Ormskirk
Reptile house, guinea pig village, pony grooming, tractors rides and go karts.

Lancashire, a place… #WhereLifeFeelsGood

With contrasting landscapes, diverse heritage and an abundance of dynamic events and festivities… Lancashire really does have something for everyone. Lancashire boasts an exciting line up of year-round events incorporating a unique blend of humour and quirkiness into the mix. From the renowned Blackpool Illuminations to the Tractor Pulling Championships and Kite Festivals to the outrageous World Gravy Wrestling… there is so much to see!

The landscapes across our beautiful county is home to rugged moorland, meandering rivers and canals, breath-taking countryside and a significant area of stunning parkland enjoyed by locals and visitors alike! Setting the scene, our landscapes really encapsulate the imagination full of creativity which is evident in our rich and varied events.

Permanent art installations to see in Lancashire

The Lancashire landscape is a spectacular mix of rolling moors, heather-clad hills and sweeping coastline. To enhance these scenic spaces there are a number of quirky and inspirational arts installations and sculpture trails scattered across the county. These are just some of the highlights and all are free to visit.

1 Lancashire’s Panopticons
Four completely different art installations positioned in stunning locations across East Lancashire. Each designed especially to make the most of the panoramic views. Includes the spectacular Singing Ringing Tree above Burnley and the Atom in Wycoller Park near Colne.

2 Mythical Coastline Sculpture Trail
Inspired by the children’s story ‘The Sea Swallow’ this series of interactive sculptures brings to life a mythical coastline with an ogre, giant shell and beautiful artwork. A good one for children as many of the pieces are on or around the beach.

3 Great Promenade Show Blackpool
An intriguing collection of structures, including the famous giant mirror ball, stretching for two kilometres along the south promenade.

4 The TERN Project, Morecambe Promenade
Another seafront arts trail although this one takes inspiration from the natural world and the Bay itself. Steel cormorants gaze across Morecambe Bay and watch over passing walkers.

Made in Lancashire

British fashion designer, Patrick Grant, has reignited Blackburn’s textile manufacturing industry with his new Community Clothing range and store in Blackburn town centre. Although historically Lancashire might have been at the heart of the British textile industry, this certainly hasn’t been the case in recent years, and this is what Grant’s innovative social enterprise is seeking to change. Launched in 2016 Grant is determined to make exceptional quality British clothing more affordable; "clothes we can all feel proud of." Not to mention the added benefits of job creation and the restoration of pride in the UK textile working community.

The first Community Clothing store opened in November in Blackburn which is also home to two of the factories in the Community Clothing co-operative, a network that now numbers seven manufacturers across England and Scotland. It offers a concise range of quality, staple, everyday garments for women and men, including jeans, a classic Harrington jacket, cotton twill raincoats and a range of knitwear.

Pub Classics with a Twist at the Eagle & Child

Owner Glen describes the food at the award winning Eagle & Child as “quirky, seasonal and with distinct provenance to Lancashire” and it’s this clear identity and passion that has led to award winning success for this socially run enterprise in Ramsbottom. Transformed from a boarded-up pub five years ago, Glen and his team are now picking up awards for their menu and warm welcome, and are now expanding to include new stylish bedrooms and a very unique dining experience. The whole operation is run as a social enterprise – supporting disadvantaged local young people into employment, so for those of you who choose to shop socially, you can feel good that your money is being well spent here.

Arise Sir Loin

The next time you tuck into a sirloin steak you might want to spare a thought for Sir Richard De Hoghton of Hoghton Tower near Preston. Back in 1617 the lavish and unstinting hospitality of this 17th Century baron to his King may well have resulted in the knighting of ‘Sir Loin’ but it was also his ruin.

400 hundred years ago the Lancashire baronet invited King James I to stay at his hilltop manor just outside Preston, welcoming the monarch with a huge red velvet carpet that stretched the full length of the ¾ mile driveway. During the three day visit the King enjoyed stag hunting and dined lavishly in the company of dukes, earls and knights – all at the expense of Sir Richard. It is said that the King was so enamoured by a loin of beef he ate during a banquet at Hoghton Tower that he knighted it ‘Sir Loin’ which is how it got its name. The unflagging hospitality sadly bankrupted Sir Richard and he spent some years in Fleet debtor’s prison. Needless to say the King wasn’t invited back.

Brontë Rambles in Lancashire

Although much more associated with Yorkshire, The Brontë sisters actually spent much of their lives in Lancashire walking from the family home at Haworth across the South Pennine Moors. Charlotte and Emily Brontë are thought to have frequently visited the picturesque hamlet of Wycoller near Colne and in particular the secluded ruins of Wycoller Hall. The Hall is said by several experts to be the model for Ferndean Manor in Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre and was used to illustrate the 1898 edition.

There is now a four and a half mile Brontës in Pendle walk through the countryside visited by the literary sisters, starting in the village of Trawden. The walk includes the beauty spot of Lumb Spout before taking the old moorland pack horse trail to the village of Wycoller and the ruins of the hall. You can’t do the Brontës in Pendle walk without staying at Heathcliff Cottage, a four star self-catering cottage near Colne. Although there are no actual links to the Brontё sisters at this cosy cottage who could resist this tribute to Emily’s famous brooding anti-hero. Download the Brontës in Pendle walk

The story behind the label

It’s been a busy 18 months at Bowland Brewery, not only have they relocated to become part of the exciting redevelopment of Holmes Mill in Clitheroe but they’ve also scooped multiple awards for their great tasting beer including being the winner of the 2016 Lancashire Producers & Makers Award.

Although the Bowland Brewery has being brewing beers for over 12 years prior to the move to Holmes Mill the new team felt that the various beer brands didn’t really reference the brewery’s providence. With this in mind artist Clare Brownlow was commissioned to create unique artwork for the core beers that would better link them to the Bowland location. Using pheasant feathers she painted four animals with links to the area– a hen harrier, pheasant, deer and wild boar- which now grace the bottles, beer clips and indeed the walls of the Beer Hall at Holmes Mill. The new artwork has proved to be a massive hit with sales increasing as a result.

Five things you might not know about Morecambe Bay

Morecambe Bay is a place of big views and big skies. The vast sands and mud flats are nature’s larder for hundreds of thousands of birds, and it is one of the most important places in Britain for birdlife. Alongside this natural splendour the history of the Bay takes us from Stone Age communities to the heyday of the British seaside resort with its Art Deco architecture. Take a stroll, catch the train or ride your bike around this stunning amphitheatre and you’ll see for yourself.

Here's a few things you might not know about the Bay area

1. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the Morecambe Bay Social Area of Conservation, the salt marsh and intertidal flats are a vital feeding ground for a quarter of a million wading birds, ducks and geese. 

2. The historic house Leighton Hall, north of Morecambe, is home to the Gillow furniture making dynasty and still home to the family today. The spectacular Bay backdrop makes a visit here extra special. Look out for events including a regular programme of outdoor theatre throughout the summer.