An explosion of lights, colour and culture hit Preston as a three-day festival brought an estimated 30,000 people to the county.

Lancashire Encounter celebrated life through dance, music, theatre and food, with organisers hailing it their best-ever event.

The action from Friday 16 September to Sunday 18 September, centred on Preston with a packed programme of performances for all the family at venues including Preston Bus Station to Winckley Square, UCLan and Preston
Covered Market.

The event paid tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II, while also celebrating the wonder of life and the
joy of communities coming together during difficult times.

Read more: UCLan and Preston City Council make Lancashire Encounter Festival a success

The Saturday was headlined by a dazzling torchlight procession weaving its way from Moor Park to Preston Bus Station, led by Spark!, a live music, movement and lighting spectacular.

This was followed by Lancashire community groups including Preston Mela, Swati Dance Company, Burnley Youth Theatre and UCLAN dance, who performed for the crowds along the route.

Sunday’s action saw families descend on Winckley Square for a picnic while enjoying a variety of entertainment, including a Punch and Judy show, a dance performance by Black Victorians and circus strong lady Strong Enough.

Executive producer Esther Ferry-Kennington, was delighted with the weekend and the response from those attending.

Read more: Lancashire Encounter torchlight procession to include Queen tribute

She said: “We’re really pleased with the audiences we had at all of the events and we believe we had 30,000 people attending over the three days, which is just fantastic.

“A highlight, for me, was the procession, which was visually stunning and everyone really seemed to enjoy. I also absolutely loved Born to Protest at the Flag Market, and all the shows had a great response.

“There was a really good vibe throughout the three days and, for me, it was the best Lancashire Encounter yet.”

During the procession, girls from Preston Girl Guide groups paid tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II by
carrying photographs from different eras of her life.

Speaking about taking part, Daisy Wallace, 12, from 48 th (St Michaels) Preston Guide Group, said: “It was a really amazing experience to be in the parade and pay tribute to the Queen.”

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Her friend Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Kenton, 11, said: “It was quite scary though, because there were so many people
looking at us.”

Preston Mela brought 80 people to take part in the procession and proved a hit along the route as they encouraged onlookers to join in with the Bhangra and Bollywood dancing.

Gulab Singh, production manager of the Mela, was proud the group had been part of the event. He said: “Part of our role is to get engagement from the public and the reception we received was brilliant.

“We asked people if they’d like to join us dancing so that they felt part of it and it was great to see them enjoying themselves.

“I’m really pleased that the city council dedicated the parade to the remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II.

“It was such a fitting tribute and all of our dancers and artists were even more pleased to be involved because it meant so much.”

Charles Quick, professor of public art practice at UCLAN, who is involved in the MET project, also praised the varied locations.

The MET hosted dance performances by groups including Swati Dance Company, Dance Syndrome and JazzSwing Dance, during the weekend.

He said: “The real success story for me was the imaginative use of all the public spaces, from new spaces like the University Square and the new Bus Station square to more established spaces like the Flag Market and Covered Market.

It’s the first time we’ve had a city-wide event that’s used all of these different spaces and that’s really quite significant in showing what an asset they are to the
city.”

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Caroline Heap, creative programmer from The Harris Museum and Art Gallery, was overseeing events at Preston Bus Station, which drew the crowds. She said: “Urban Astronaut was visually stunning and really captured people’s attention, as did circus theatre artist Hold On.

“We saw people of all ages enjoying the entertainment, especially the finale on the stage, with the choir and the
projections on St John’s Shopping Centre.”

Families converged on Preston for three days of activities designed to bring communities together. Helen Giles, from Darwen, enjoyed the acts and performances centered around Winckley Square with her family on the Sunday.

Helen, who visited with her husband Chris, children Tristan, nine, and Thea, four, and step-daughter Madisen Ainsworth, 13, said: “There was so much to see and do and all set in such a stunning environment.

“It was something different and there were acts for all of us to enjoy. The kids loved the Punch and Judy Show – so much so that they watched it twice.

“My favourite was the performance by Black Victorians. They are incredibly talented and the story
they told through dance was really powerful and moving.”

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines

Did you attend the Lancashire Encounter Festival? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments below.