Georgian Derbyshire Festival 2022
Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September 2022
DERBYSHIRE in the Georgian Era was a place of wonder, of surprises and innovations – a place which attracted the attention of the rich and provided better homes for workers.
To celebrate this fascinating era, the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership are working together to provide three days of public events and activities to raise the profile of Derbyshire’s contribution to world history at that time.
The first Georgian Derbyshire Festival runs from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September. Over 40 activities are planned for the World Heritage Site and Buxton, from walking tours and expert talks, to crafting and play sessions for all ages; from traditional skills demonstrations to costumed encounters; and from exhibitions and showcases to a Regency Ball in the stunning Assembly Rooms ballroom at Buxton. It’s a great mix of celebratory activities to suit a whole range of ages and interests.
Each of the three days will have a different theme related to Derbyshire in Georgian times – for 2022 these themes are water, architecture, and society.
After some deliberation, it has been agreed that the Georgian Derbyshire Festival 2022 will be going ahead on 16, 17 and 18 September. However, at this time of national mourning for our late Queen, it has been agreed that whilst activities will go ahead, there will be none of the planned celebratory bunting and external information boards outside the venues. It reduces our visibility but we wish to be mindful of those people in the surrounding communities and the impact of HM The Queen’s death, and feel it is appropriately respectful at this sad time.
Buxton
Within an hours drive of Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham, Buxton, the home of Buxton Water, is a thermal spa town right in the centre of the UK’s oldest National Park, the Peak District. Come and appreciate the stunning architecture in the Buxton Crescent, the Devonshire Dome and the Buxton Opera House as well as the natural beauty of the Pavilion Gardens and Pooles Cavern.
Friday 16th September
Saturday 18th September
Sunday 18th September
Derby
At the southern end of the World Heritage Site, Derby is a city known for centuries of innovation, celebrated in the new Museum of Making. Nearby, Darley Abbey is a well-preserved early mill complex and industrial community.
Friday 16th September
Belper
The Strutt family turned Belper into the world’s first cotton mill town. It now has an award-winning high street, an outstanding mill-workers community and beautiful riverside gardens with boating near the old mills.
Saturday 17th September
Cromford
Cromford is home to the first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill established by Richard Arkwright in 1771. The mills, and the mill community Arkwright created to support it, are a picturesque destination on the southern edge of the Peak District.
