Holmfirth Arts Festival
June to September 2025
One of Yorkshire's best small festivals
We are beyond excited to welcome you to our annual Festival, inspired by our beautiful Holme Valley landscape, its heritage and a need to care for our environment.
Join us for an exciting few months of music, comedy, theatre, film, dance, walks, installations and participatory events for all ages and abilities. Our events celebrate both local community artists as well as professional performers from further afield.
Take part in one of our creative sessions or join us for The Big Weekend on 14 and 15 June for FREE fun for all ages. You can also book one of our ticketed events from May through to September including music, comedy, and walks.
Our extensive participatory arts programme includes a community co-created art trail, a celebration of the Graveship of Holme, outreach to care homes, and walks in the landscape.
Scroll below or see our What's On page for full details of this year's events
We'll see you there!
Download the pdf programme here
TICKETED PROGRAMME
Sonic Ramble with Suzie CrossSun 25 MayMeet outside Holmfirth Co-op, HD9 7AX
Accessible Activities AmbleWed 25 JunSands Car Park, Huddersfield Rd, HD9 3JL
Opera for the People plus opening act Maddie CareSat 05 JulChrist Church New Mill
Spafford & Campbell plus opening act DoogleSat 12 JulHepworth
Rachel Modest plus opening act Ajay B.Bop & Wisdom UdensiSat 26 JulHolmfirth Parish Church
The Graveship of Holme WalkSat 02 AugPark off Cartworth Moor Road, HD9 2QS
Love Is Not All by Schwa + opening act Bees KneesSat 16 AugHade Edge Band Room
Vitruvian Mango by Marcus BrigstockeFri 12 SeptThe Civic, Holmfirth
Ceitidh Mac Trio + opening act VanjaSat 20 SeptHade Edge Band Room
BIG FREE WEEKEND
FREE/PAY AS YOU DECIDE EVENTS - Donations Welcome
Click on an image for more information
Friday 13 June to Monday 16 June River Holme, Holmfirth A community co-created art trail along the banks of the River Holme in Holmfirth made with Holme Valley schools and community groups working with local artists. Take a wander along the river in any direction from Crown Bottom to see how many installations you can spot, or ask a volunteer for a trail map and tick them all off.
Saturday 14 June 12noon & 1.30pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Enjoy infectious percussive rhythms from this friendly, local samba band comprising adults of all ages and from all walks of life.
Saturday 14 June, 12noon-1.30pm & 2pm-4pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Learn how to turn your recycled materials into beautiful works of art to take away.
Saturday 14 June, 12noon-5pm Methodist Church Gardens, HD9 7EQ Explore Experience Community's equipment for inclusive and accessible outdoor experiences.
Saturday 14 June, 12.30pm & 2pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Saturday 14 June, 3.15pm Methodist Church Gardens, HD9 7EQ Have a wash in the Fairy Garden! Use all kinds of wands to make magical bubbles! You can even stand in them, learn a fairy dance and of course everyone's favourite... pop the bubbles with Fairy Poppy!
Saturday 14 June, 12.30pm & 2pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Get ready to move, dazzle, and celebrate in vibrant Bollywood style with dance sessions perfect for all ages and abilities - henna, bindis and costumes provided. Stick around to show off your moves in the pageant at 4pm.
Saturday 14 June, 12.45pm Holmfirth Parish Churchyard, HD9 1HA Saturday 14 June, 2.30pm & 3.15pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB A chance to hear world-class opera in the most unexpected of places! Offering a fresh take on the art form, Nicola's enchanting, powerful voice will fill the streets of Holmfirth with beautiful arias and classic opera hits.
Saturday 14 June, 1pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB A brief site-specific walk of Holmside Gardens telling the story of the 1812 Upperthong Incident with music and song.
Saturday 14 June, 2.45pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Spoken excerpts from Holmfirth Writers' new anthology of poetry and prose set to music and song.
Saturday 14 June, 3.30pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Accompanied by Lloyd Buck, Vocal Expressions sing a range of songs from the classics to the musicals, many with a theme of nature and landscape.
Saturday 14 June, 4pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB A pageant that weaves together the stories and imagery of the seven townships of The Graveship of Holme into a colourful performance.
Saturday 14 June, 12noon-5pm Upstairs at the Magic Rock Tap, HD9 7DE A half-hour film by video-artist John Coombes with a soundtrack of writing by Holmfirth Writers' Group. This eclectic mix of poetry and prose takes the theme of Weave from fashion and fleas, to Luddites and love, families, grief, and tapestries. The film will run continuously from 12pm-5pm. Anthologies of Weave will be on sale.
Saturday 14 June, 12noon-5pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Get creative and explore the biodiversity of the River Holme
Saturday 14 June, 12noon-5pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB An opportunity to submit ideas for a new mural to welcome people to Holmfirth, which will be created for the exterior wall of the building occupied by Linley & Simpson on Huddersfield Road.
Sunday 15 June, 12noon & 2.45pm Holmside Gardens HD9 1AB Sunday 15 June, 2pm Town Gate Car Park, HD9 1HA A mass of percussion energy and a head-turning, foot-tapping sound that just makes you want to dance! This "Band on the Street" is more than just a Samba band, blending world music with funk and drum n bass - all arranged by experienced band leader Katie Mallard.
Sunday 15 June, 12.15pm & 1.15pm Holmside Gardens HD9 1AB Sunday 15 June, 4.15pm Town Gate Car Park, HD9 1HA A chance to hear world-class opera in the most unexpected of places! Offering a fresh take on the art form, Nicola's enchanting, powerful voice will fill the streets of Holmfirth with beautiful arias and classic opera hits
Sunday 15 June, 12.30pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Sunday 15 June, 2pm & 4.15pm Town Gate Car Park, HD9 1HA Have a wash in the Fairy Garden! Use all kinds of wands to make magical bubbles! You can even stand in them, learn a fairy dance and of course everyone's favourite... pop the bubbles with Fairy Poppy!
Sunday 15 June, 12.30pm & 3pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Created by a skilled company of artists with learning disabilities, this multi-sensory show invites audiences to connect with, and care about, our natural world. Interactive theatre, songs, live music, puppets and sensory props made from repurposed and recycled materials are combined to create a magical experience. Pre and post show workshops explore the themes of nature connectedness and environment through the senses.
Sunday 15 June, 1.30pm & 3.45pm Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB Join rockabilly tree-planting anarcho-nomad, Wilford, planting trees where he shouldn't, living in his shed and on the run from his past and his arch-enemies, SLUGS! They are out to get him for his contraband seeds. Seed is a wild Rock and Roll journey into nature fighting back.
Sunday 15 June, 2.15pm & 4.30pm Town Gate Car Park, HD9 1HA Returning to Holmfirth with their brand-new show, Accelerate from Highly Sprung is a daring physical spectacle. Combining dark humor, bold movement, aerial performance and conveyor belt dance, the show exposes the flaws of our relationship with energy. When it comes to the environment are we really ready for change? Accelerate explores how 'dirty' energy that fuels us and climate change is running out of steam.
ECO EXPO (part of the Big Free Weekend)
FREE/PAY AS YOU DECIDE EVENTS - Donations Welcome
Yorkshire-based artists, activists and scientists present a range of models, interactive artworks, performances, games, and activities in an exploration of climate sustainability and our shared journey towards a more eco-conscious future.
Click on an image for more information
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June, 12noon-5pm Methodist Church, HD9 7EQ An interactive sound sculpture featuring sounds collected from Suzie's numerous walks in the Holme Valley. It explores the sensory life of trees, imagining the sounds they "hear" in their environment. Immerse yourself in this unique fusion of art, nature and sound, where the landscape resonates through you. At 2pm join Suzie for a "deep listening" walk from her into the town centre.
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June, 12noon-5pm Methodist Church, HD9 7EQ An engaging model from Leeds Institute of Fluid Dynamics that shows how rainfall affects a river-catchment landscape giving a visual representation of urban flooding and the unpredictable nature of extreme weather.
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June, 12noon-5pm Methodist Church, HD9 7EQ Explore the exciting world of food and sustainability and discover how we can make alternative proteins more enjoyable to eat by playing a fun curling-inspired game that helps explain the textures and qualities of plant-based foods and investigating the textures of a 3D printed tongue.
Saturday 14 June, 12non-5pm Methodist Church, HD9 7EQ How certain are you about recycling? Come and play our recycling game to help build your confidence. There's a small plant prize for all winners.
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June, 2-3pm Methodist Church, HD9 7EQ We've known about climate change for years... so why are we badly prepared? With the help of some buckets, some sand, and a few old vinyl records and a dash of dark humour, this solo performance explores some difficult questions and presents some modest proposals for positive change.
Sunday 15 June, 12noon-5pm Methodist Church Gardens, HD9 7EQ Award winning Urban Oasis combines street theatre and science to show how much insects do for us, how much we need them, and what we can all do to help reverse the very worrying loss of insects in due to the use of toxic chemicals. Come and meet our giant bees, butterflies, and musical ant, do our painted lady jigsaw and help us plant for pollinators.
PARTICIPATION
Go to Participate for more information
A creative exploration of the ancient Graveship of Holme constabulary that remains today) with ocal events in seven communities (see participate page) and a pageant on Saturday 14th June (see free/PAYD events)
visual arts project that teams up local artists with schools and community groups to co-create an art trail along the banks of the River Holme in Holmfirth
Bringing festive activities to local care homes. If you would like craft, singing and musical activities in your care home, please contact access@ holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk
See ticketed events for three walks 1) Sonic Ramble with Suzie Cross 2) Accessible Amble 3) The Graveship of Holme Walk
Thank you to our 2025 funders, donors and sponsors
You can help too.
Every pound you donate goes towards bringing the best artists and arts activities to the Holme Valley. Please donate generously.
Click the DONATE Logo or green button or QR code to donate an amount of your choice
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Fundraising, payments and donations will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme (Charity No: 1149800), operating as DONATE. Texts will be charged at your standard network rate. For Terms & Conditions, see www.easydonate.org
Holmfirth Arts Festival is looking to recruit new Trustees join our Board of Directors help oversee the strategic direction and governance this charitable company. This an exciting time become involved with festival as we enter next three years activities in Holme Valley.
Click the JOIN OUR BOARD button above to download more information.