New Mills One World Festival is one of the High Peak’s most popular events. The free open air festival, which celebrates the themes of peace, the environment, cultural diversity, community and world development, traditionally takes place on the first Saturday in July, from 12 noon until 6 pm at High Lea Park, St Mary’s Road, New Mills. 

Join us for:

– Live music from local (and not so local) bands and performers
– Talks and Discussions
– Activities for all ages
– Food and drink stalls
– Dance and art performances
– Stalls from campaign groups, charities, organisations and local businesses
– and much, much more…

The festival is free to attend. It does, however, cost a considerable amount of money to put on, and is organised by a small group of volunteers. We rely on contributions from local councillors’ initiative funds, local fundraisers and donations on the day.  Around 50% of the cost of the festival comes from donations on the day – so please donate generously to the bucket collection on the day!

Pedalling from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, the HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK.

Join the troupe at High Lea Park for a fantastically funny bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’.

What’s the play about? Well – Rosalind and her cousin Celia flee to the Forest of Arden, where they bump into Rosalind’s love interest Orlando. However, Rosalind is disguised as a young man. Cue some local Shepherds getting involved and the stage is set for a wild ride of wooing, hilarious mistaken identity and the odd wrestling match.

This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!

The Strangest Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is a choreographed mass dance event inspired by performance collective Shambush’s ‘The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience’ which took place in Brighton back in 2013. At this event Shambush attempted to set a world record for the most people dancing to Wuthering Heights whilst dressed as Kate Bush. After Shambush, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever events started to take place in various locations around the world, with participants recreating the music video for Kate Bush’s 1978 hit Wuthering Heights. Last year it was held in over 40 countries across the world, this year we are bringing it to the High Peak

In the beautiful setting of High Lea Park, New Mills, we are combining the dramatic, theatrical spirit of Wuthering Heights with the Upside Down eerie, sci-fi aesthetic of Stranger Things. Participants wear red, ideally a dress, but you can choose to incorporate an 80’s Stranger Things look, we’re thinking distressed denim or leather jackets, highline baseball boots, bad perms….

All the funds we raise will go to – Blythe House Hospice- a charity that is dear to us all in the High Peak.

Join the troupe at High Lea Park for a hilariously high-octane production of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ like you’ve never seen before. Forget the tears and tragedy, our Macbeth is chock full of mishaps, mayhem and mirth.

We all know the story. Three Witches promise Macbeth the Scottish crown and like any normal people would, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill the king. Things get rapidly out of hand from there as foul deeds are done, plots unravel and mysterious spirits appear…

Suitable for all ages and apparitions.

The HandleBards are an intrepid three-strong troupe spending the summer touring Macbeth by electric van, bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK.

This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!