A new festival designed to open up conversations around grief, loss and death is coming to Blackpool this autumn.

Good Grief Blackpool will take place from 8^th-11^th October, bringing together leading experts, artists, performers, community groups and local organisations to explore one of life’s most universal experiences. Over four days, the programme will feature talks, workshops, performances and creative activities.

The festival will be headlined by bestselling author and palliative care consultant Dr Kathryn Mannix, whose acclaimed books With the End in Mind and Listen have helped thousands of people approach conversations about death and dying with greater confidence and understanding.

Dr Kathryn Mannix said: “As a woman with North West roots, I’m thrilled to be part of the first ever Good Grief Blackpool! The festival offers a rare opportunity for communities to join together and speak honestly about death, grief and caring for one another through life’s hardest moments. I know how powerful it can be to talk about what matters most and I’m looking forward to being part of the conversation in this famous seaside town.”

Taking place across venues including Blackpool Central Library, Funny Girls, Blackpool Grand Theatre, Bootleg Social and Art B&B, the festival will offer opportunities for people to join together, share experiences, learn from others and explore grief through storytelling, music, creativity and conversation.

Festival highlights include poetry workshops, grief cafés, live performances, panel discussions, creative arts sessions, community choirs, a mobile storytelling SoundVan and a silent disco on Blackpool Promenade. Events will explore themes of remembrance, creativity, community, end-of-life care, LGBTQ+ experiences of love and loss and the many ways people navigate change, grief and bereavement.

Good Grief Festival Co-Director Dr Lesel Dawson said: “We’re thrilled to bring Good Grief Festival to Blackpool. The incredible community response has shown just how much appetite there is to talk about grief openly and creatively. Grief touches all of us; yet it’s still too often met with silence. We want to change that.

“With the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council and our Blackpool partners, we’re proud to be part of a festival that brings people together to share, listen, create and connect and, hopefully, leave feeling a little less alone.”

Trinity Hospice Chief Executive, David Houston, added: “At Trinity Hospice, we see every day the impact that open, honest conversations can have when people are facing illness, bereavement and some of life’s most difficult experiences.

“Grief is something that touches every family and every community, yet many people still feel they must face it alone. Good Grief Blackpool creates a welcoming space where people can come together to share experiences, learn from one another and discover that it’s okay to talk about death, dying and loss.

“We are proud to be supporting a festival that encourages compassion, connection and understanding across our community.”

The festival has been developed through the Coastal Community & Creative Health Project, a three-year initiative bringing together researchers, health organisations, local authorities, community groups and residents to improve wellbeing and tackle health inequalities in coastal communities. It is supported by further funding from Hospice UK’s Dying Matters Commnity Grants scheme.

Local partners include Trinity Hospice, whose specialist teams support thousands of people across the Fylde coast every year, as well as Swan Team based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Empowerment. The festival is produced by Phill Fairhurst.

Many events are free or low cost and are open to anyone interested in exploring grief, loss and what it means to support one another through life’s toughest moments.

Whether attending after a bereavement, supporting someone else, working in health and care, or simply curious about conversations society often avoids, organisers hope the festival will provide a welcoming and inclusive space.

Tickets and full programme information are available at www.goodgrieffest.com/good-grief-blackpool.