Bingley 26 Festival: A Creative Celebration in the Heart of the Aire Valley

Bingley’s cultural scene will burst into life this year with Bingley 26 – a vibrant, two-day festival of creativity, community, and heritage which will take place over the first weekend of June (June 6–7, 2026).

The event returns as a two-day celebration of art, culture, history and community, coordinated under the Bingley Creates! initiative. From heritage exhibitions and live music to family activities and guided walks, the festival once again celebrates everything that makes Bingley unique.

• Saturday, 6 June kicks off with a focus on heritage and community. Visitors can explore local history displays and exhibitions at Damart Mills, including the Frank West Collection of 1950s-60s Bingley street photography, maps and records from the 1919 Ferrand estate sale, and artefacts from Cottingley village and the Cottingley Fairies. Myrtle Park hosts a pop-up farm, allotment tour, children’s craft activities and live jazz on the bandstand, while Market Square fills with art, craft and community stalls. Bell tower visits and an arts and craft festival run at All Saints Church, with a ticketed evening concert at 6pm.

• Sunday, 7 June brings arts, performance and outdoor fun. Jubilee Gardens hosts music, dance and performance from 10.30am to 4pm, with Studio21, the Bingley Ukulele Band, Ockerby Dance Academy and Voices of Yorkshire among the performers. Myrtle Park is the place for the RSPCA dog show, duck race, children’s rides, an artisan market and free tennis sessions. Children can try puppet making, mural painting and other craft activities at the Arts Centre Theatre Upstairs.

Across both days, Bingley Walkers are Welcome lead the Bingley Heritage Trail walk at 10am from outside the Arts Centre, with additional photography and mindfulness walks on Sunday. A town-wide photography trail runs throughout the weekend, with photos displayed in shop windows for visitors to vote on their favourite.