Free: Wayne Hemingway’s The National Festival of Making 2018 in Blackburn

Readers willing to travel a bit for their retail therapy should head north to the National Festival of Making. The event takes over Blackburn town centre one weekend in May. Co-founded by the famed designer Wayne Hemingway, the event will showcase some of the region’s most popular designers and makers. You’ll find art prints, contemporary jewellery, bespoke fashions, homewares, and much more. The ‘Taste Lancashire’ marquee will play host to many food and drink sellers. Standouts include cooking sessions from Cracking Good Food and Fareshare. Together they aim to tackle hunger by utilising fruit and veg that would otherwise have gone to waste. For more of a guilty pleasure, there will also be street food, including local favourite Ginger’s Comfort Emporium. Other attractions include live music, performances, and children’s workshops. The inaugural festival last year drew over 30,000 visitors, and the organisers are aiming for an even bigger turnout this time.

Sat 12 – Sun 13 May, Blackburn town centre, opening and event times vary, FREE entry, festivalofmaking.co.uk