Thousands celebrate creativity and community at Tapton Lock Festival 2025
Chesterfield’s Tapton Lock Festival returned bigger and better than ever on 6–7 September 2025, drawing thousands of visitors to the Chesterfield Canal for a vibrant weekend of outdoor adventure, creative exploration and community spirit.
Organised by local arts charity Junction Arts, this year’s festival marked its largest edition to date, thanks to a new partnership with Arts Derbyshire and their touring programme, Festivity. The expanded line-up offered a diverse programme from live music and storytelling to hands-on workshops and outdoor activities, all celebrating the natural beauty of Tapton Lock and the region’s rich creative talent.
Visitors enjoyed free canal boat rides, “have-a-go” canoeing and climbing wall sessions, circus skills workshops, and a wide range of art activities, including acrylic pouring and printmaking.
As part of Festivity, the festival showcased:
- Live performances from Derbyshire singer-songwriters Michael Vickers and Sarah Hinds
- A digital gallery featuring eleven visual artists from across the county
- A spoken word programme curated by the Derby Poetry Festival, highlighting diverse regional voices
Families were captivated by interactive storytelling sessions from Adverse Camber, while Arts Derbyshire hosted drop-in nature-inspired workshops. On Saturday, printmaker Nicki Dennett led creative print sessions, followed by artist Paola DeGio on Sunday, who introduced visitors to marbling techniques.
A standout feature was Junction Arts’ collaboration with VERBA – the Ukrainian Social Group of Chesterfield, who brought an eco-conscious art trail to the festival. Eco-Path – A Living Journey invited families to explore six interactive stations themed around sustainability, including climate awareness, recycling, biodiversity, textile waste and microplastics. Participants collected stamps in their Eco Passport while engaging in activities such as:
- Making instruments from recycled materials
- Creating seed bombs
- Junk modelling and textile art
Festival favourites returned too, with the Vintage Fairground and Bubbleologist delighting younger visitors.
“It has been an amazing weekend where friends and families have come together to appreciate this beautiful location,” said Jane Wells, Project Manager at Junction Arts. “Whether it’s listening to live music, getting active or creating your own masterpiece, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
Launched in 2013, the Tapton Lock Festival is a free, inclusive celebration designed to promote health, wellbeing and creativity. For over a decade, it has offered opportunities for people to try new skills, connect with nature and take part in cultural experiences right in the heart of Chesterfield.
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