Why Events Like the Accrington Food & Drink Festival Matter for Local Makers and Side Hustlers

If you’re a maker, crafter, or currently building a side hustle in the Hyndburn area, there’s one date you need to clear in your calendar: the upcoming Accrington Food & Drink Festival.

On the surface, it’s a brilliant day out packed with great food, live music, and incredible energy. But if you look closer, events like this are the absolute heartbeat of our local creative economy.

Having lived in Oswaldtwistle and run my own shop in Accrington, I know firsthand what this kind of footfall means for independent businesses.

For anyone trying to scale a side hustle into a full-time venture, large-scale community events offer three massive opportunities:

• Real-World Market Testing: There is no better way to test a new product, tweak your branding, or see what customers are willing to pay than getting face-to-face with thousands of local people. Handing out free samples with a business card is one of the strategies we employed at every major event in our area.

You can create a free business card in our Ops Room, complete with scannable QR code, just attach it to your free sample and you have an inexpensive advertisement for your business, and it gives you an excuse to get chatting!

• Building a Local Fanbase: A single conversation at a market stall can turn a passing visitor into a lifelong supporter who follows your website, joins your newsletter, and buys from you year-round.

  
  

• The Chance To Network With Other Businesses: The side hustle journey can feel a bit solitary when you're working from a spare room or kitchen table. Events like this bring the region’s best independent talent into one space. It’s the perfect place to share tips, find collaboration partners, and get inspired.

  
  

Our local towns are packed with creative talent, and our hardworking small business community is hungry for more collaborative events that bring people together.

Whether you are trading at the festival or just heading down to absorb the atmosphere and support local creators, let's get out there and show what the Oswaldtwistle and Accrington business community can do.

Planning your visit? Head over to the official Amazing Accrington Festival Page to check out the full schedule, stall line-up, and event maps.

See you there!