Some of the UK’s best theatre, dance and music companies are coming to Selby and Sherburn-in-Elmet this August, as the Now Then! programme has announced the full line-up for two free festivals taking place for families this summer.
The Now Then! festivals will take place in Selby on Saturday 2nd August 2025 in the Abbey Quarter and Market Place, and then in Sherburn in Elmet at Eversley Park on Sunday 17th August. Both festivals run 1 – 6pm and are packed with original and interactive outdoor performances.
At both festivals audiences can look forward to ‘shapeshifting creatives” Trigger fresh from Glastonbury Festival but this time performing ‘TEABREAK’, an uplifting performance that invites audiences to rest with a free cup of chai or peppermint tea, accompanied by live dance and a transportive audio piece that explores the history and ritual of tea. Plus, Perhaps Contraption’s ‘The Journey’ will also feature – a musical promenade combining progressive pop, movement, choral harmonies and British Sign Language, guiding audiences through a joyful and curious story about community and presence. The day will also see the return of ‘Family Catwalk Extravaganza’ to the area following well-received performances programmed by Now Then! last year. This is a dazzling, interactive celebration of fashion, lip-sync and self-expression from artists Ghetto Fabulous, where the audience chooses the winner, and everyone is encouraged to join in.
Sherburn’s Festival also has some additional performances to enjoy including Tit for Tat Circus’ ‘Now I Am Become D/deaf (Destroyer of Words)’, a visually striking, clown-led show that explores hearing loss, identity and miscommunication through humour, chaos and
In addition, audiences can look forward to ‘Eshu at the Crossroads’ at the Selby festival, a new collaboration between Theatre-Rites, a leader in the creation of experimental theatre for children, and Afro-Cuban choreographer Miguel Altunaga. This magical tale of choice, transformation and trickery features live dance and puppet theatre suitable for ages four and over. This is joined by ‘Go, Grandad, Go!’, a family-friendly show about the bond between a grandfather and his grandchildren as they prepare for their family talent show from newly-launched Company DHW. It’s been described as an outdoor theatre reminiscent of Disney Pixar’s ‘UP’.
sincerity. As well as this, audiences can be blown away by ‘RPM’ from Gorilla Circus which features acrobats, roller skaters and dancers performing on a giant treadmill, confronting Britain’s colonial legacy through movement and spectacle.
Alongside the performances, there will be food stalls and creative activities for all ages.
Sherburn’s festival will also showcase new work co-created with local people. These include theatre and spoken word by pupils from Athelstan Primary School in collaboration with writer Chris Singleton, puppetry created by children from Monk Fryston C of E Primary School with artist Amily Galhand, sculptural fashion works by students at Sherburn High School working with artist Sally Wright and Hafifa Ahmed, and original writing developed with Sherburn residents alongside BAFTA nominated writer Rob Young.
Now Then! is a two-year creative programme bringing artists and communities together in Selby, Sherburn and Tadcaster (Tadcaster’s Festival, Summer Fields, took place on 13 July). It is funded by Arts Council England, North Yorkshire Council, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and led in partnership with local organisations including ARCADE, Sherburn and Villages Community Trust, Selby Abbey, The Barn (Tadcaster), and Heart of Yorkshire Education Group (Selby College).
Since its launch in June 2024, the programme has delivered 128 events, workshops and activities, reaching over 9,000 people and engaging more than 1,700 active participants. It has created 23 paid opportunities for artists and arts companies and supported a wide range of public and community-led creative activity, from Selby Light to artist residencies in schools, writing workshops, and the creation of a new youth theatre group in Tadcaster.
Tess Farley, Creative Programme Manager for Now Then!, said:
“We’ve brought some of the best outdoor performance in the UK to the heart of Selby and Sherburn. These line-ups are packed with joy, thoughtfulness, spectacle and fun – and every single event is completely free.”
Councillor Simon Myers, Executive Member for Culture at North Yorkshire Council, said:
“The number of people that Now Then! has reached in its first year shows the thirst for arts and culture that exists here. It is fantastic that people will now get to experience such a huge range of outdoor music, theatre and more as part of these festivals.”
All events are free to attend. No booking is required for Selby or Sherburn. For more information and updates, follow Now Then Creative on Facebook.
Selby Festival – Full Line-Up:
Eshu at the Crossroads – Theatre-Rites and Miguel Altunaga
Go Grandad, Go! – Company DHW
TEABREAK – Trigger
The Journey – Perhaps Contraption
Family Catwalk Extravaganza – Ghetto Fabulous
Sherburn Festival – Full Line-Up:
TEABREAK – Trigger
The Journey – Perhaps Contraption
Now I Am Become D/deaf (Destroyer of Words) – Tit for Tat Circus
RPM – Gorilla Circus
Family Catwalk Extravaganza – Ghetto Fabulous
Plus: co-created work from Athelstan Primary, Monk Fryston Primary, Sherburn High School and local residents
