Record crowds turned out to the National Festival of Making this weekend – filling the streets of Blackburn town centre.

Visitors from far and wide flocked to the award-winning event which enjoyed its fifth outing with festival goers unanimous in it being the ‘best one ever!’

They were blown away by the packed programme which boasted 180 participating artists and makers across 50 workshops, 10 exhibition spaces and 15 different performances over the weekend.

A real hit with the crowds was the North Light ‘Art in Manufacturing’ installation in Blackburn’s Cathedral’s impressive Crypt.

Working with Darwen’s Herbert Parkinson Ltd – a successful textile mill and John Lewis Partner for 70 years – they transformed the space into a remarkable immersive environment for young families and families with additional needs.

It included interactive visuals, projections, a soundscape and a slide Inspired by Jacquard Looms and the factory floor, which were expertly demonstrated by Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Councillor Parwaiz Akhtar and his Mayoress as they toured the event.

Also popular was a ‘magical chocolate shop’ in Northgate – a collaboration between celebrated artist Illuminos and long-supporter of the festival, Accrington-based, The Cardboard Box Factory. Illuminos is renowned for its large-scale projections, mapped on buildings around the world, but they brought their work in a miniature scale for the festival, creating the most beautiful work depicting the story of their grandfather’s chocolate shop, opened in Accrington in the 1950s.