ETRURIA CANALS FESTIVAL 2026

Etruria Canals Festival 2026 FAQs

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘆?

No. Entry to the event is completely free. Hooray! 

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

The event takes place at the junction of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals and the land surrounding the Etruria Industrial Museum. You can access the site via the entrance off Etruria Vale Road, Kilndown Close, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 4RB. This entrance is over a stepped footbridge (see below for disabled access).

𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸?

PARKING IS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR-the usual car park at Clough Street Recreation Ground will NOT be available for public attendees this year.

Free Public Parking Alternative

Stoke on Trent College (Caldon Campus) have kindly offered us use of their car park for the event weekend. The entrance to this is Stoke-on-Trent College Stoke Road Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DG.

This is a 15-minute walk from the site.

FREE SHUTTLE BUS

There will be a FREE shuttle bus leaving from Stoke College carpark and dropping off/collecting from Etruria Museum Car park (next to the footbridge entrance to the site) every 15 minutes from 10.45am-5.45pm.

At busy times we would encourage those who are coming in groups to drop off their party at the museum car park so just the driver needs to access the shuttle/walk.

Stewards will be on-site to support.

Please note the shuttle bus will drop off at the footbridge, which is stepped and so not accessible for wheelchair users. For the disabled parking on the right side of the canal you need to come in by the Castlefield Street and Lower Bedford Street entrance (Sat Nav ST4 7AF)

The site is also in walking distance from Festival park and Hanley.

Please do note that many of the residential streets in the area are now permit only.

You can also access the festival walking or cycling along the towpaths of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals to the junction at Etruria.

If you’re coming by train the site is a 10-minute walk along the Trent & Mersey Canal towpath from Stoke station, just head north and enjoy a pleasant walk to the festival.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

If you are a blue badge holder & have a disability where you can use steps, there are places in the main museum car park off Kilndown Close (ST1 4RB) BUT as entry to the site this way is via a staircase footbridge over the canal this only shortens the distance to walk and cannot be used by a wheelchair. 

For the disabled parking on the right side of the canal you need to come in by the Castlefield Street and Lower Bedford Street entrance (Sat Nav ST4 7AF).

This leads to a small number of disabled parking spaces on the right side of the canal.

Please get in touch if you have further access questions (info@b-arts.org.uk // 07557 797695) or speak to a steward on the day.

𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸

At the top of the main field Lymestone Brewery will be running the on-site bar throughout the festival and there will be food offers on-site including baked potatoes (v&v+), crepes (v&v+), burgers, tasty savoury food from Mr Bigz, Thai Food (v&v+), Morrocan Food, Ice Cream and a variety of cakes and sweet treats. The museum tearoom will be open selling a selection of drinks, cakes and meals.

You’re also very welcome to bring your own food and have a picnic (but do note NO barbeques are allowed for safety reasons)

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗴?

Yes dogs on leads are very welcome at the festival AND on the Shuttle bus 

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗱

There will be a first aid tent on the main field.

𝗧𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘀

There are toilets inside at the museum (including disabled toilet and baby change). This can be accessed from the side entrance which is flat.

There will also be 5 portaloos in the top section of the field with a hand sanitation area next to them.

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆

There will be an information gazebo at the base of the white footbridge, if you have any questions over the festival or want to hand in/collect any lost property please pop in to see us.

Volunteer stewards will also be around site (wearing hi viz jackets)

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺?

No, unfortunately due to an issue with the boiler the mill will not be in steam this year. But the museum and mill will still be open for visitors to explore (usual charges apply)

Photos: Natalie Willatt and Holly Johnson.