Accessible family festival to take over Doncaster this weekend

The space-themed family event has a real focus on accessibility and will feature a signing Princess Leia, interpreted performances and a subtitled cinema screening.

Right Up Our Street is bringing the festival to Sir Nigel Gresley Square and the Village at Waterdale Shopping Centre on Friday and Saturday (27-28).

Sally Lockey, project director for arts collective Right Up Our Street, said: “We are really excited for this year’s festival and really pleased to be working with organisations including Doncaster Deaf Trust and The Hesley Group to make sure that this year’s festival has a real focus on accessibility. 

“The festival site already offers disabled and changing places toilets within CAST, stair free venues and a quiet zone room for people who need to take time away from the hustle and bustle of the festival.

“We know that lots of people love to come to Doncaster and watch and take part in the DN Festival events and this year we wanted to make this even easier for people who have additional needs.”

Using the theme of space Right Up Our Street has invited and commissioned a number of Yorkshire-based artist to showcase ambitious work alongside a small number of hand-picked nationally touring pieces. 

Doncaster’s own Lioness Theatre presenting The Black Stuff and Jenkinson-Parks will be some of the many highlights.

Sally said: “Working closely with specialist organisations in the town we’ve now added British Sign Language interpretation for scripted performances throughout Saturday. We have Becky Barry, who has performed in and signed throughout a number of pantomimes at CAST, as Princess Leia who will be signing.

“There will also be makaton friendly helpers and signage and our two pop-up cinema screenings will be subtitled.”

Innovative dance theatre piece Urban Astronaut and the beautifully post-apocalyptic The Wheel House (pictured) will also be performing.

“As with all our past festivals, empty spaces within the Village at Waterdale Shopping Centre will be reimagined and shop units will become hands-on free activity spaces for families alongside festival food, and pop-up performances,” she added.

The summer festival will see a giant inflatable venue called The Big M take over Sir Nigel Gresley Square, which will also become a pop-up cinema on

Friday evening with subtitled screenings of Wall-E at 5pm and Blade Runner at 7.30pm.

Festival-goers can buy refreshments from Cast or take a picnic.

For further information visit www.rightupourstreet.co.uk