Preview: Festival Of Thrift

Photos by Luke Witcomb

Festival of Thrift returns to Billingham on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September with a packed weekend of free performances, workshops and installations celebrating sustainable living, creativity and community. Billingham Town Centre and John Whitehead Park will host over 80 outdoor events, 90 ethical stalls, and a full programme of hands-on activities designed to inspire resourcefulness and joy.

This year introduces Slow Fashion Alley, a new zone dedicated to conscious style, with vintage catwalks, charity retail pop-ups and dance theatre premieres exploring fast fashion. Best in Show returns with rosettes awarded for standout looks — including dogs.

Highlights include Mud Plant Rave, a new Tees Valley production by Institute of Thrifty Ideas, with work by Helen Mort and Me Lost Me, plus large-scale bamboo sculpture (BAMBOO), storytelling kiosks (World Kiosk), and immersive installations like Life Boat and The Hide. Family-friendly performances include Hydropunk, Early Weaves, and Right to Play.

Workshops cover everything from eco-cleaning products to clay sculpture, with stalls from The Vegan Society, WWF, RSPB and more. Street food, bars and vinyl DJs round out the weekend.

Festival of Thrift runs 11am–5pm daily. Free entry. To see the full programme www.festivalofthrift.co.uk