Derby Festé returns to city with circus and theatre

Derby Festé is returning for 2025 after being cancelled last year

Derby Festé is set to return with a mix of circus, dance, and interactive theatre in the city centre.

The free outdoor festival, which takes place on Saturday from 12:00 BST to 18:00, features a range of shows from local talent and UK and international artists.

It was cancelled in 2024 due to rising costs.

Phil Hargreaves, the festival producer, said: "It's a bit smaller than it's previously been, but I'm glad it's back."

"The idea is that it comes back this year and we continue to grow and grow and get it back to the original Festé that everyone knows and loves in the area," he added.

When and where is the festival?

All the festival locations are centrally located, within a five- to 10-minute walk from each other.

Cathedral Green and Derby Market Place will host most of the performances, with others at Cathedral Square, Derby Museums, Derby Market Hall, Osnabruck Square and QUAD.

Some performers will also be around the Cathedral Quarter area.

Derby City Council said the programme is highly accessible to audience members with additional needs, with many performances completely non-verbal and some featuring British Sign Language and Makaton.

Each performance will take place two or three times throughout the day.

The majority of acts are suitable for all ages, while a few are recommended for older children aged six and over, and over eight.

The free outdoor festival features a variety of performances in the city centre

What can I see?

The festival includes a mix of circus, dance, and interactive theatre, including:

• Race Horse Company: Spinsane – a contemporary circus performance with wheel-of-death acrobatics.

• Pirates of the Carabina: Pirate Taxi – live music, humour and an aerial performance involving an old London taxi.

• Hikapee: Everywhere's a Beach – a performance taking place on a giant revolving beach parasol.

• Bedlam Oz: Big Mob – a roving performance featuring giant slinkies.

Derby-based Maison Foo and Hubbub Theatre will also bring performances to the programme.

An immersive virtual reality experience will take place at QUAD from 12:00 until 18:00.

The sessions are 15 minutes long, suitable for ages eight and above and accessible to wheelchair users.

Booking for the VR experience on the Derby Festé website is advised.

Meanwhile, Derby Festé Fringe will host events into the evening, including an after-party with Soul Sunset at Derby Market Hall.

Details of every performance, including timings, locations, age suitability and accessibility information are available on the Derby Festé website.

How do I get there?

Most of the events and performances are a few minutes' walk from Derby Bus Station.

The closest Derby City Council car parks are Chapel Street, Bold Lane and Darwin Place, which are within five minutes of Festé locations.

On-street parking in the city centre has a two hour maximum stay. On the outskirts of the city centre, there is a four hour maximum stay.

The council said drivers have the option of buying another pay-and-display ticket when a ticket expires.