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Garforth Feastival Closes

 

 

After eight wonderful years, beginning as a small idea on Main Street with a few independent food and drink businesses, the Garforth Community Feastival team has been forced to hang up our t-shirts for the final time.

We are puzzled.

Since relocating to a much safer, off-road venue in 2023 at the Garforth Leisure Centre car park, we have successfully organised a larger free community event. This new setup allowed us to add a seating area, hire tables and benches, and create a space where everyone could sit and relax for a while. This initiative has been overwhelmingly successful, thanks in large part to the incredibly proactive and helpful Garforth Leisure Centre team. Our small group of volunteers has worked diligently to ensure that accessible parking spaces are always available and supervised near the entrance for safety. Every year, we receive outstanding positive feedback from local attendees and from the wonderful group of small independent food traders, who benefit from reasonable pitch fees and the opportunity to promote their amazing businesses in their own community.

Feastival 2026 was ready to go.

Stallholders were booked.

Stalls were arranged.

The music itinerary for the day was well underway.

Volunteers were rallied.

Funds were raised and a sponsor secured.

This does not all happen on its own - it takes hours of time.

For some inexplicable reason, without any prior complaints (which we inquired about and were not made aware of), the General Manager of Scott Hall and Garforth Leisure Centres (Active Leeds), has overturned the decision to allow the Feastival to proceed during the Leisure Centre's opening hours. To clarify, on the days we choose for the event, we always ensure that Garforth Tigers have no planned activities, maximizing access to an additional car park just a minute’s walk away. We guarantee that a full row of accessible parking spaces is available and supervised for any Leisure Centre users who may have difficulty walking or parking elsewhere. Furthermore, we engage with Leisure Centre users on the Feastival day, thanking them for their patience as we take over the car park for our event. Bronwen and the Garforth Leisure Centre team could not be more accommodating; they publicise the event well in advance, communicate with regular users of the Leisure Centre, and most attendees on Feastival day end up staying and enjoying some of the wonderful products available.

We have always paid to use the car park; it has never been free to use for our FREE COMMUNITY event.

While an offer was made for afternoon and evening use of the car park, the logistics make it impossible to set up in time to ensure our family-friendly daytime event finishes before the early evening hours, which would completely change the dynamic of the Feastival.

So, with heavy hearts, and after countless hours our team of four has already dedicated to securing sponsors, stallholders, and entertainment, we are putting away our Feastival t-shirts for the very last time.

We sincerely hope that the decision about the car park does not negatively impact other users—especially the fantastic G-Fest—because we believe that our community deserves better.

Regrettably, we did not receive the local support needed from those in a position to give it, which has directly affected our FREE COMMUNITY EVENT

Thank you all for attending the Garforth Community Feastival over the years; it has been a joy to see everyone enjoying such a fantastic day.

With much love, Rebecca, Christine, Jen and Shelly

@theginshack

@angelsandbutterfliescrafts

@thecoffeeporter

@homegrownhospitality

@pansushi

@the_pizzaboxco

@cocktailpickers

@sweettreatsbycharlotte

Caribbean Cafe (Junior)

@edibleGarforth

@nellsurbangreens

@clocoffee_

@olliemakeschocolates

@undergroundbakery88

@pennyscommunityarts

@yoyolaossauce

@freshcurrysauce  (really indian)

@bostonspagin

@thatoldchestnutuk

@peacosleeds

@cryerstott

@reetyorkshirefood

@mallowdramatic

@annabelsdeliciouslybritish

Barrett's Bees

@quirkycraftales

@thebottledbakingco

@dumouchelpatisserie

@stationhousegarforth

@juliascakesandbakes

@vicsbrowniepoints

@thecheesylivingco

Humpit Hummus

@sugarrushsweeties

@barebrassband

@willpitchforkmusic

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