Organisers of the hugely popular Festival of Thrift have announced its return for 2020.

In a renewed commitment to its host town, the national celebration of sustainable living is returning to Redcar Town Centre on Friday 11 and Kirkleatham on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September.

This year’s event marks the eighth consecutive outing for the Festival weekend which offers a unique and fun-filled celebration of the joys of a greener way of life.

Families, fashionistas, coach trippers, foodies and climate warriors were some of the thousands of visitors that flocked to the 2019 event, all taking part in a packed programme of activities on offer at the Festival’s woodland site of Kirkleatham near Redcar, on the north east coast.

Throughout the weekend people of all ages immersed themselves in everything from ‘die-ins’ to ‘dye-ins’.

Every corner of the picturesque village and grounds offered festival goers a new experience; alfresco dining, clog dancing, music making, spoon carving, den building and debating.

“It was another huge success,” Festival of Thrift director, Stella Hall, said. “We brought people together from near, far and wide, and celebrated the future of sustainable living together.

“We work hard to make sure the Festival is different every year but the message about the importance of sustainability in our lives remains the same.”

She added: “For example our Viewpoints project, which bookended the Festival weekend in September and positioned temporary art installations across the Tees Valley, was focused on prompting discussions on the highly topical issue of clean air.”

Stella is busy finalising the programme for this year’s event.

“There will be lots that’s new to look forward to, but the core of the event will still be about gently encouraging people to take steps that will secure the future of our planet.

“We were delighted that our launch parade, which brings the event to the centre of Redcar ahead of the Festival weekend, doubled in size last year so we will also be building on that.

“When the Festival launched in 2012, our focus on how to live sustainably was well ahead of its time. Now the demand for what we offer is higher than ever.”

The results from the Festival’s annual survey have reinforced that the team are on the right track as respondents rated it very high in satisfaction levels.  They also felt inspired, immersed and informed by what they experienced at the festival.

One visitor said “I look forward to this event all year! It’s quirky, diverse, immersive and fun. Love the atmosphere, the shopping, the swap shop, and the food, it’s fabulous.”

Another added: “It’s an incredible event and I love the way it focuses on sustainability in a fun way. There’s loads to see and do. I definitely be back in 2020.”

For further information about the 2020 Festival, including a film of highlights of the 2019 Festival of Thrift, visit https://www.festivalofthrift.co.uk/