Winter Droving 2024
Overview
The Winter Droving 2024 lit up Penrith once again on the 26th of October, celebrating its 13th year with a vibrant mix of music, art, and tradition. Thousands gathered to enjoy live performances, street entertainers, a vintage funfair, bustling market stalls, and the iconic fire and light procession. This year, the magical finale featured 100 torchbearers, along with musicians and giant animal lanterns parading through the town in a spectacular celebration of community and creativity.
The festival proudly showcased its local roots, with 34 of the 66 market traders coming from Cumbria, and 8 pitches donated to local charities and community groups to help them fundraise and connect with attendees. These contributions underlined the event’s commitment to supporting its community while offering a rich and diverse experience to visitors.
Beyond the festivities, the Winter Droving made a significant economic impact by creating 45 jobs for people in and around Penrith, from event staff to technical crew. The bustling arts and food markets provided a valuable platform for local businesses and artisans, further solidifying Penrith’s reputation as a creative and cultural hub.
The Winter Droving continues to be a cornerstone of Penrith’s identity, blending community spirit with economic growth. It’s a festival that not only entertains but also reinforces Penrith’s position as a great place to live, work, and celebrate.
"A fantastic day and great for Penrith, good for businesses!"
"A fabulous feat of organisation with something for everyone! Huge fun."
"A diverse and eclectic event perfect for families!"
Aims
- Attract a wide audience from across Cumbria, the UK, and beyond, positioning Penrith as a must-visit cultural destination.
- Celebrate the spirit of inclusivity by keeping the event free, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
- Present an eclectic programme featuring not only live music and street performances but also new highlights like international acts, sideshow booths, and immersive experiences.
- Encourage local businesses to thrive, with initiatives like our expanded artisan market and collaborations with shops, pubs, and cafés, ensuring the town feels fully part of the festivities.
- Enhance community participation, with opportunities to create and wear masks, join the fire-lit procession, and take part in creative workshops that build excitement and ownership in the event.
- Celebrate cultural exchange, as seen in our 2024 programme, which welcomed a group of Irish performers who brought fresh energy and a global perspective to the Droving.
- Promote sustainability and environmental awareness, with initiatives to reduce waste and carbon emissions across the festival.
- Reinforce the Winter Droving’s importance as a cultural cornerstone of Penrith, proving that the event is not only beloved but essential to the town’s identity and vibrancy.
Performers
Peformers
Bands
Street Performers
Street Performers
Musicians
Highlights
The Sideshow Booths
A new addition to the Winter Droving this year were our 'carny' Sideshow Booths, scattered throughout Penrith’s streets and squares. These quirky installations, created by theatre designer Eve Oakley, offered visitors a chance to peek into the bizarre and unexpected, with interactive shows ranging from fortune-tellers to comedy strongwomen. Each booth was a gateway to another world, delighting audiences of all ages. The sideshow artists, many of whom traveled from across the UK and Ireland, created intimate moments of wonder and surprise, making this addition a standout feature of the 2024 Droving.
The Drovers' Cup
The Drovers' Cup once again took center stage as one of the most eagerly anticipated and chaotic highlights of the festival. Local teams competed in a series of hilariously challenging events, from egg-throwing to hay bale racing, all cheered on by a roaring crowd. This year’s competition reached new levels of intensity as rivalries between teams played out in good-humored but fierce battles - with the reigning champions 'Penrith Superlatives' retaining their title and glory. The Drovers Cup embodies the community spirit of the festival, bringing people together to laugh, cheer, and celebrate the quirky traditions that make Penrith unique.
Fancy Dress for Dogs
The ever-popular Fancy Dress for Dogs contest brought wagging tails and plenty of laughter to Penrith once again. A parade of pooches delighted audiences as they strutted their stuff before a judge from Vets4Pets, who also sponsored the competition. The contest has become a beloved feature of the Droving, showcasing creativity and providing dog lovers with a chance to celebrate their four-legged friends.
In The Press
"Brings thousands of visitors to our town and puts Penrith on the map as a place to come to. It's an opportunity to take part in an event that everyone can join in on even if you have a low income. A fantastic day!"
Local groups who took part
Environmental Impact
This year, we remained committed to reducing the environmental footprint of the Winter Droving through practical, sustainable measures:
- Market traders adhered to our strict ‘minimum standards,’ including bans on single-use plastic bags, single-serving sauce sachets, and polystyrene serve-ware to reduce waste.
- Reusing resources remained a priority, with leftover stock from previous years—such as Droving masks—reused for sales this year. Any remaining stock will be saved for future events.
- Noise pollution was minimised by the funfair’s use of a super silent generator, ensuring a more pleasant experience for attendees and residents alike.
- Sustainable promotional materials were used wherever possible, including non-dated items that can be reused in future years. Most information was shared digitally, encouraging attendees to photograph or download event details rather than relying on printed materials.
- As a charity committed to sustainability, Eden Arts adheres to our environmental policy and reports annually to Julie’s Bicycle, ensuring ongoing accountability and improvement in our practices.
Through these efforts, we continue to explore ways to make the Winter Droving a model for environmentally responsible event management while celebrating the magic of Penrith’s cultural heritage.
Economic Impact
The Winter Droving 2024 once again proved its value as a key driver of economic activity in Penrith, drawing an estimated 25,000 visitors to the town. With attendees traveling an average distance of 41 miles, the event attracted a mix of locals and visitors from further afield, showcasing Penrith as a cultural destination. Visitors spent an average of £66.32 each, contributing significantly to the town’s businesses, from market stalls to shops, cafes, and accommodation providers.
Altogether, the event generated an impressive £1.6 million for the local economy, reinforcing its position as an essential part of Penrith’s cultural and economic landscape. The Winter Droving continues to demonstrate that investment in arts and culture not only enriches the community but also delivers tangible financial benefits to the region.
< A home postcode cross section of the 316 people we surveyed.
Income Sources
Public Sector Funders
Partners
Event Sponsors
Fancy Dress for Dogs Sponsor
Sponsorship
This year we raised £15,000 in cash sponsorship.
Our key sponsors were Cumberland & Westmorland Herald, Leo Group, AST, The Idol and Penrith Chamber of Trade and Commerce.
We received in-kind support from 11 local businesses:
- Cranstons
- Sissons Decorators
- The George Hotel
- TJ Ewebank
- St Andrew’s Parish Rooms
- Beacon Fire Protection
- Vets 4 Pets
- The Lion Gallery
- Angel Lane Chippy
- Sainsburys
- Waitings
- Penrith Conservative Club
- Lloyd Ltd
In addition to the in-kind sponsorship, businesses also sponsored lanterns which were then carried, pulled and pushed in the fire torch procession which is the penultimate event of the day.
- Strictly Dental
- Lake District Estates/Ullswater Steamers
- Brunswick Yard
- Dodd & Co
- Thermafleece
- Leo Group
- Vets4Pets
- The Idol
Method Statement
The audience responses and data were collected via an online survey and in person on the day of the event. We collected 316 responses.
In 2019 we used an app for measuring crowd density to get an approximate figure for overall attendance.
The same calculations were used this year. Measured through https://www.mapchecking.com
The average spend and the spend into local economy calculations are based on data collected in the survey and multiplied by the estimated audiences.
Join the Celebration: Support The Winter Droving!
Contribute or volunteer to help us continue this quintessential Cumbrian tradition celebrating culture, arts, and rural life.