A new free family festival is hoping to inspire a brighter future in York this weekend.
The Homestead Park Festival, taking place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, is bringing together artists, musicians, and change-makers for an inspiring weekend of family fun and creativity.
The festival is created in partnership with Wild Rumpus.
Homestead Park was gifted to the people of York by social reformer Seebohm Rowntree, son of Joseph Rowntree – and 2025 is a significant year, as this year is also the the Centenary of Joseph Rowntree.
“For 120 years, Homestead Park has been a beloved gathering place for the people of York,” said Victoria Hughes, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
“Inspired by the park’s early tradition of hosting family carnival weekends, we’re thrilled to present Homestead Festival: Here is Hope – which will offer communities the chance to play, reconnect with nature, with each other, and dream of a brighter future.
“The festival isn’t just a celebration of the past, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for the park – one that will inspire future generations and demonstrate new possibilities.”
With over 60 events across two days, there are performances, talks, workshops, games, and music with six different areas: Here is Action, Here is Conversation, Here is Hope, Here is Music, Here is Play, Here is Future.
We’ve put together a guide to nine festival highlights – take a look below.
There will also be a number of food and drink vendors at the festival, serving up everything from crepes to pizza to baked goods to fish and chips.
For more information about the Homestead Park Festival and to see the full programme of events, visit their website.
Giant Marble Run
From broomsticks to colanders, piping to bamboo, our giant upcycled marble run is an interactive installation for all ages to enjoy! Help to build and wind a giant run for our oversized marbles, then see if you can get it to roll all the way to the bottom.
- Here is Play
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jul
- All day
- More info
Eternal Optimists
Come and meet the eternal optimists Albert and Millie. They live in a radically transformed York in the year 2125, where the Tansy Beetle is now guardian of our planet and provides humans with the shelter and nutrients we need to survive. They have travelled back through the portal to share their stories of the last 100 years of significant change, hope and resilience. What have they learned?
Performed by local story tellers, Lara McClure and Stephen Lee Hodgkins.
- Here is the Future
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jul
- All day
- More info
Print Room Party: Make Your Own Merch!
Join Mek Summat in the Print Room and make your own festival merch. Bring along your old, unloved item and turn it into your new favourite Homestead Festival t-shirt / tote bag / pillow case! Or just grab a piece of our paper and make a popping poster for the walls.
- Here is Action
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jul
- All day
- More info
Edible York – activities and inspiration
Discover Edible York’s work across the city, and take inspiration for your neighbourhood. Sow seeds, build a bug hotel and learn about our abundant project (and find out more about apples than you thought possible!)
- Here is Action
- Sat 5 Jul
- All day
- More info
Ray Aggs
Discover Edible York’s work across the city, and take inspiration for your neighbourhood. Sow seeds, build a bug hotel and learn about our abundant project (and find out more about apples than you thought possible!)
- Here is Music
- Sat 5 Jul
- 11am
- More info
Cardboard City
Discover Edible York’s work across the city, and take inspiration for your neighbourhood. Sow seeds, build a bug hotel and learn about our abundant project (and find out more about apples than you thought possible!)
- Here is Action
- Sun 6 Jul
- All day
- More info
Sanctuary of the Hopeful Sun: Threads in the Ground
Join Threads in the Ground at the Sanctuary of the Hopeful Sun all weekend, they will be exploring future food systems and the superpowers of fungi! Threads in the Ground believe in climate hope and they use creative and community engagement to inspire hopeful action in the face of the climate crisis. They use creative engagement to explore climate futures and inspire communities to be good ancestors for future generations.
- Here is Hope
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jul
- All day
- More info
TRUTH!
TRUTH! by Ramshacklicious and Hijinx. A unique outdoor performance by a 5 strong, inclusive ensemble of playful troublemakers! A Dadaist’s take on a brighter future, a gentle call to action, a quiet rebellion. In a world so divisive and full of conflict, can we take a moment of time to rebuild our trust?
- Here is Hope
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jul
- 11am & 2:45pm (Sat), 11:15am & 2:30pm (Sun)
- More info
The Antidote for Overwhelm: Matt Golding
In an age of constant crisis and doom scrolling, what if the stories we told made us feel more powerful-not more paralysed? In this session, Matt Golding from Rubber Republic’s Antitode project invites us to explore the radical power of hope-driven storytelling.
- Here is Hope
- Sun 6 Jul
- 11:45am
- More info