A festival of free events for teenage girls will take place in York parks this June.
The Make Space For Girls Festival is back for 2024, with over 30 free activities and events taking place in York parks.
The festival will run throughout the month of June, also encompassing May half term, and aims to create safer and more welcoming parks – and encourage young girls to engage in public spaces, try new things, and have fun.
The festival is aimed primarily at 10-18 year olds, with some events suited to younger ages and some for women too.
The programme is primarily based in Rowntree Park, as well as Homestead Park and West Bank Park. Events for the 2024 festival include sports and exercise, arts and crafts, performing arts, creative writing, nature crafts, wellbeing sessions, photography, and more.
The inaugural Make Space For Girls festival took place in 2023, and won a Green Flag Award for ‘Best Initiative to engage and increase the use of parks by women and girls’.
The festival is supported by partners including Benenden Health, the National Lottery Community Fund, and The Mount School.
The ongoing project ‘Making Space for Girls’ is led by Abigail Gaines of the Friends of Rowntree Park. Research highlights that the number of girls using parks and open spaces decreases compared to boys as they enter their teenage years – the project wants to reverse that trend and get York girls out into the public space, as parks are beneficial for both physical and mental health.
Abigail started the project in autumn 2021, and with input from teenage girls in York, has created this festival as well as an area in Rowntree Park that is welcoming for young girls, featuring equipment they asked for.
“We want to create a space where girls can feel safe, confident, and empowered to be themselves,” said Abigail.
“Every girl deserves access to public spaces and the opportunities they offer. Our events aim to inspire girls, foster supportive networks, and challenge the societal norms that limit girls’ use of parks as they grow older.”
To find out more about the project and upcoming Make Space For Girls festival, visit the Rowntree Park website.