Hopefest 2025

Hopefest started during lockdown as an online festival of creativity & hope on social media. Created by the fae folk of Fairyality (with a little help from me, and Sue Archer from #MakersHour), it’s a festival that anyone can enjoy and join in with from home – or even bed. When it was created, I wrote ‘HopeFest ends when we stop needing hope’. Now, we need hope now more than ever so from Monday May 5th, Hopefest returns – and this time it’s on Bluesky. When does it end? When we stop needing hope.

What can you expect from Hopefest? Music, film, crafting, poetry, books, cabaret, art, science, storytelling around the fire, and the Nearby Nature tent with brilliant nature writer Nic Wilson. If you want to be part of Hopefest, there are various ways to join in.

• Dress up in festival clothes, make a picnic in your living room or garden and share a photo of yourself – and your cuddly toys or pets – enjoying #HopeFest.
• Share a recycled crafting, upcycling or make-do-and-mending idea in the crafting tent
• Share an easy experiment that can be done at home without spending lots of money on materials, in the Science Tent. Hopeful and funny science tips , papers and videos welcome too, from posters to Dance My PhD films. Science of utopia, calm, hope and pain relief particularly welcome.
• Decorate your space with fairy lights and home made decor, from bunting to paper flowers, Christmas tree decorations to a cheese grater with a torch in it to cast stars over your surroundings. Join the festival mood – and share your festival-at-home pics.
• Create a #HappySongs or #MindfulMusic playlist to share. (Check out Calm.com for many free mindfulness resources too)
• Share links to hopeful books you’ve written or recommend a book you love for the hope it brings in the World’s Smallest Bookshop Books Tent. Utopian fiction activity encouraged. Author readings, writing prompts, competitions and offers are welcomed too – tag #HopeFest so I can share it.
• Suggest a hopeful act in the open mic music or comedy tents, or if you’re a performer, add your music or comedy clips (and Patreon links) to the appropriate tents.
• Make a video of a hopeful poem you love or have written to share in the poetry tent. Written or visual poems are welcome too.
• Share a nature photo, video or picture and swap nature facts, talks, book recommendations and articles in the Nearby Nature tent.
• Share links to hopeful films you love in the Fairyality Film Tent
• Try meditation, self-care rituals, storecupboard toiletry and cleaning product making, therapeutic song, grounding rituals or self massage techniques in the healing fields (no snake oil or pyramid selling. Plantlore and ancient wisdom, on the other hand, is actively encouraged)
• Share a story you’ve written, classic folklore, story-inspiring images and videos, and storytelling tips, to share around the Storytelling Fire, or record a storytelling video for the children’s tent.
• Write about hope in the Writers’ Tent, and share writing competitions, tips, techniques and opportunities. Meet other writers and help each other find an audience.
• Share art you love in the HopeFest gallery.
• Support artists, makers and small businesses in the Goblin Market: a place designed to support small and ethical businesses. Share links to lovely things you make (better yet if you’re a disabled artist or maker).

Join in with Hopefest on Monday May 5th – just search Bluesky for the #Hopefest tag. See you there!