About Homestead Park Festival

Homestead Park was gifted to the people of York by social reformer Seebohm Rowntree, son of Joseph Rowntree. The festival will echo this wonderful tradition of giving back to the community. In years gone by the park held an annual family carnival, and this year this tradition will be revived with Homestead Park Festival: Here is Hope. This celebration takes place in the year the City is remembering the Centenary of Joseph Rowntree. 

The festival will create a joyful and magical setting for people of all ages and backgrounds with something for everyone.

The festival is free to attend and open to all.

“For 120 years, Homestead Park has been a beloved gathering place for the people of York. Inspired by the park’s early tradition of hosting family carnival weekends, we’re thrilled to present Homestead Festival: Here is Hope - which will offer communities the chance to play, reconnect with nature, with each other, and dream of a brighter future.The festival isn’t just a celebration of the past, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for the park - one that will inspire future generations and demonstrate new possibilities.”

We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with Wild Rumpus, who are the perfect collaborators to help bring this vision to life.”

Victoria Hughes, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

“As we look ahead with bright hopeful faces towards the summer, there couldn’t be a better time to announce this joyful project - a celebration of Homestead Park as it begins the next part of its journey into a regenerative future.

We are honoured and excited to be working alongside the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to welcome the people of York, from the doorstep of the park and beyond, to a weekend of hope, talks, workshops, music, performance and wonder. 

We’ll spend a fleeting weekend in the bright future, imagining what the park could become as roots take hold and long-term projects spread their tendrils out from the park into York and beyond.”

Rowan Cannon, Director, Wild Rumpus