Lowedges Community Festival is returning to Sheffield after missing last year due to a lack of funding.
Stephen Rich, longstanding festival secretary, explains the difficulties they’ve seen over the years trying to successfully establish the event.
“We started in 2008 with four free rides and an ice cream man, but he left after 20 minutes.
“Now in 2024, we’ve rearranged a new committee, and as we had outgrown our Greenhill Park venue, we are now reborn as Lowedges Festival.”
The festival is making its comeback at the Bowshaw Showground.
The Covid pandemic of 2020 halted the running of the festival after 10 years of success, causing funding and volunteer problems.
It will now be run by volunteers, and has Veezu City Taxis as their sponsors.
Explaining how they got this new venue, Mr Rich said: “I had talks with Mr Mike Snow, who owned the big 20 acre Bowshaw Showground and runs 10 car boots.
“He said he would move the time of his car boot for one week each year, and could offer his insurance.”
Despite this taking 18 months, and with many councillor meetings, the festival was finally able to move there.
From its first show in 2008, the festival has grown massively in popularity, attracting 15,000 people at its peak.
The attractions on offer this year are as follows:
Arena one – viking arena with battles, living history and marquees.
Arena two – medieval arena with battles, living history and tents.
Arena three – dog show.
Arena four – main stage with singers, dancers, belly dancers, birds of prey and the knighting of John Burkhill, top Cancer walker.
Arena five – half sized football pitch represented by local league teams Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.
Arena six – A mine detecting area run by the local army cadets.
Other events taking place include a farmers market, funfair, funfair stalls, bars, classic car, bike and trike show, and hot and cold food from around the world.
The festival will be jointly opened by the mayor of Sheffield and John Burkhill.
Lowedges Community Festival will run on Sunday 11 August, from 12pm-5.30pm at the Bowshaw Showground.
Photo credits: Stephen Rich