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Penrith May Day 2026 is almost here, and the town centre will come alive on Monday 4 May with an afternoon packed full of entertainment, activities and family‑friendly fun.
Organised by Penrith Town Council, this year’s event is inspired by the theme “In the Garden”, celebrating growth, nature and creativity alongside the strong community spirit that underpins Penrith’s long‑standing May Day tradition.
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2025 - a view of the Musgrave Monument with the land train.
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Date & Time: Monday, 4th May 2026, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Funfair starts at 10am – 7pm, all other activities start from 12pm- 5pm).
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Location: Penrith Town Centre
Penrith May Day is a free event, with activities and entertainment taking place across multiple locations in the town centre throughout the day.
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2026 Performance Schedule.
The 2026 programme includes a wide range of free entertainment and activities for all ages, including:
- Live music and performances
- Street entertainment
- Arts and crafts activities
- Table‑top and classic carnival games
- Bungees and inflatable fun
- Land train rides
- Trampolines
- Community stalls
These free activities sit alongside the much‑loved Taylors Funfair at Sandgate Bus Station and a children’s fairground on King Street, both running throughout the afternoon.
For the official Penrith May Day 2026 programme, please use this link.
 Image Description: Inspiration for Upfront Arts Green Man Parade as part of Penrith May Day 2026.
One of the standout moments of Penrith May Day 2026 will be the Green Man Parade, created and delivered by UpFront Arts and supported by local community groups and schools.
The parade will feature a lively carnival atmosphere, with contributions from Bjamba, Penrith Town Band and Eden Dance, alongside vintage vehicles and a range of performers.
Four Guardians and other wonderful costumed figures will join a huge Green Man, serenaded and dancing through the town centre.
Parade route
The parade will follow the route shown on the event map, travelling through:
- Middlegate
- Devonshire Street
- Cornmarket
- Great Dockray
The parade will conclude in Great Dockray, where it will rest on display.
Get involved
To find out more about the inspiration behind the parade, or how to get involved, visit Puppeteers UK.
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2025 - Penrith Mountain Rescue.
A number of local and regional community organisations will be attending Penrith May Day 2026 and taking part in the May Market area on Burrowgate. Groups confirmed to attend include:
- Penrith Lions
- Blood Bikes Cumbria
- Cumbria Advanced Motorists
- Cumbria Connect
- Red Squirrel Group
- Andy’s Man Club
- Hearts United
- The Inner Wheel
- Shared Lives
- Cumbria Fire Service
- Penrith Mountain Rescue
- Future Proof Cumbria
- The Masons
- Eden Animal Rescue
- Eden Police
- Penrith Pumas
- Woodland Trust
- Oak Tree Animal Trust
 Image Description: Eskimo Edith from Penrith May Day 2025.
A range of food and drink vendors will be based in the Food Court at Great Dockray. Vendors confirmed to attend are:
- Fiery Mammas Pizzas
- The Chippie Van
- Holly Bank Farm
- Cloud Nine Kitchen
- Dinky Donuts
- Aupa Street Food
- Dirty Dogs
- Vegan Spice
- Field to Fork
- Eskimo Edith
- Eden Whippy (Outside Natwest Bank)
- Cumbria Whippy Man (Opposite the Cornmarket Bandstand)
A number of Penrith town‑centre shops and cafés will also be open throughout the day, and visitors are encouraged to shop local where possible while enjoying the May Day celebrations.
Free Town Centre Shuttle Bus
Something new for Penrith May Day 2026!
Penrith Town Council is working with Fellrunner, a local charity bus service, to provide a free shuttle bus on May Day, helping residents and visitors travel into the town centre.
The service will run continuously from 11.30am to 5.15pm, bringing people from: Townhead, Beacon Edge, Scaws, Carleton, Wetheriggs and Castletown to a drop‑off point close to the town centre.
Away from the town centre, blue or white minibuses will pick up and set down passengers wherever it is safe to do so.
Please hail the bus from the pavement or at bus shelters only, and away from hazards such as bends, crossings and traffic lights.
The service is free, however as Fellrunner is a local charity, donations are welcome (cash donation boxes available on each bus).
Shuttle bus routes
- RED: Fell Lane, Beacon Edge, Salkeld Road, Townhead, Stricklandgate, Sandgate
- BLUE: Folly Lane, Carleton Road, Ash Road, Oak Road, Scaws, Brentfield Road, Fell Lane, St Andrew’s Churchyard (Friargate)
- GREEN: Castletown, Norfolk Road, Booths bus stop
- YELLOW: Ullswater Road, Clifford Road, Wetheriggs Lane, Castle Hill Road (behind Sainsbury’s)
Wheelchair access
Buses can carry passengers using wheelchairs, but spaces are limited and must be booked in advance by calling 07734 529432.
To help keep everyone safe during Penrith May Day, temporary road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place in the town centre on Monday 4 May 2026.
A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order has been put in place by Westmorland & Furness Council to support the event.
Road closures
Road closures will be in operation from 8.00am to 7.00pm only, and will affect the following areas:
- Little Dockray
- Market Square
- Great Dockray
- Cornmarket
- Rowcliffe Lane
- Brook Street
- Angel Lane
- Albert Street (section from Sandgate)
- Princes Street (partial)
- Burrowgate (partial)
The A6, including Middlegate, Devonshire Street, Market Square and King Street, will be closed between Brunswick Road and Crown Sqaure.
An alternative route will be signposted via Brunswick Road, Portland Place, Meeting House Lane, Benson Row, Friargate, Old London Road and Roper Street.
Pedestrian access and access for dismounted cyclists will be maintained at all times, and emergency vehicle access will be maintained throughout the event.
Further information, including a location plan, can be found on the Westmorland & Furness Council roadworks page and via one.network.
Public car parks in Penrith will be available as normal on Monday 4 May apart from Great Dockray and Sandgate (see below), and visitors travelling by car are encouraged to use town centre and edge‑of‑centre car parks and walk into the event area.
Due to temporary road closures and traffic restrictions in the town centre, some usual access routes will be affected. Drivers may need to approach car parks via alternative diversion routes, and are advised to plan their journey in advance and allow extra time.
Up‑to‑date information about Penrith car parks, locations and parking charges is available on the Westmorland & Furness Council website.
Visitors are also encouraged to consider using the free Fellrunner shuttle bus to travel into the town centre.
Sandgate Car Park (Public Notice)
Sandgate Car Park will be closed from 10.00am on Sunday 3 May until 10.00am on Tuesday 5 May 2026 for the Penrith May Day Event. No vehicles may be parked in the car park for the duration of the closure. Vehicles left in the car park during this period may be subject to enforcement action.
Great Dockray Car Park (Public Notice)
Great Dockray Car Park will be closed from 12.00 noon on Sunday 3 May until 7.00pm on Monday 4 May 2026 for the Penrith May Day Event. No vehicles may be parked in the car park for the duration of the closure. The closure is required to allow for event infrastructure and public safety arrangements.
Due to the temporary road closures, some scheduled bus services will operate from alternative locations on Monday 4 May:
- Bus services 104, 508 and 509 will pick up and drop off on Meeting House Lane
- X5 services will pick up and drop off at Penrith Rail Station
Passengers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and check service information before travelling.
(Further details about the free Fellrunner shuttle bus for May Day can be found above.)
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2025 - a view from the Cornmarket Bandstand. Click the image to watch a video of Penrith May Day 2025.
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2026 Grant Supporters (Penrith BID & Westmorland & Furness Council.
 Image Description: Penrith Arts & Culture Group (EVAN, Upfront Arts Venue, Sunbeams, Stomping Ground, Penrith Players).
 Image Description: Penrith May Day 2026 Event Stewards (Penrith Lions Club & Penrith Rotary Club).
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