The Make Space Festival is back for 2025 and it’s bigger, bolder and has more events than ever! The festival is all about empowering teenage girls to take up space, try new things and have fun. From creative workshops to active outdoor sessions, the festival is packed with free events designed to spark curiosity and build confidence. Whether you’re into sports, arts, writing, photography, nature crafts, wellbeing sessions, or just want to try something new, it’s a brilliant event and it’s taking place at Rowntree Park (14th and 15th June) and Homestead Park (21st and 22nd June).
Who’s it for?
Make Space for Girls is primarily for girls aged 10-18, but they’ve got a few sessions open to girls aged 8+ and some for women too, so take your sisters, friends and mums along!
Why it matters
Research shows that as girls reach their teenage years, their use of parks and public spaces drops significantly compared to boys. Given how crucial these spaces are for physical and mental well-being, the Make Space Festival aims to reverse this trend, creating welcoming, empowering environments where girls feel free to explore, connect, and thrive.
Most activities are FREE, but some need booking in advance as spaces are limited – use the clickable links in the brochure.
What’s happening this year?
There are loads of great activities coming up in this year’s Make Space For Girls Festival, with many taking place in Rowntree Park and some in Homestead Park. You’ll find the full programme here, and here are some highlights:
– Yoga and squishy making
– Basketball
– TikTok dance
– Run like a girl
– Design a tote bag
– Musical theatre workshop
– All-star cheerleading
– Foraged printmaking
– Nature safari
Why do we need to ‘make space’ for older girls in parks?
The Friends of Rowntree Park have been running the ‘Make Space for Us’ project since October 2021. The project focuses on how to get more older girls (aged 10-18 approx) to use the park. They have carried out a range of research and are currently focusing on two key things: improving the park for older girls (including getting new equipment) and having more events in the park aimed at girls and women.
Each year, the festival hosts around 30 free events, with over 350 girls taking part. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and in 2023-24, the festival became the first-ever recipient of the Green Flag Award for the ‘Best Initiative to Increase the Use of Parks by Women and Girls’, a fantastic recognition of its impact.
