Everything you need to know about return of SO Festival to Skegness and Mablethorpe this weekend
A packed programme of performances, workshops and family-friendly activities will bring colour, creativity and entertainment to the Lincolnshire coast this weekend as SO Festival returns.
The annual arts festival gets underway on Friday, with events taking place across Skegness and Mablethorpe and organisers promising something for all ages to enjoy.
This year's festival will showcase a mixture of local, national and international talent, with performers travelling from countries including France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Italy to take part.
At the heart of the programme is a celebration of home-grown creativity through the festival's "Made in Lincolnshire" strand, highlighting artists from across the county, from emerging talent to established professionals.
Alongside the performances, visitors can enjoy a range of free activities and workshops throughout the weekend.
Young people aged between seven and 16 can take part in the Urban Sports Zone Mini Sports Challenge at XSite Skatepark in Skegness, while accessible aerial circus workshops will be available in both Skegness and Mablethorpe, offering people of all abilities the chance to experience aerial movement and performance.
Festival-goers can also explore Audio Tales, a self-guided trail featuring stories created by more than 60 local writers, performers, illustrators and musicians. The trail invites participants to discover imaginative audio experiences inspired by Lincolnshire's landscapes, history and communities.
Families visiting the Embassy Theatre can pick up free activity sheets, enjoy board games and browse free books provided by the National Literacy Trust.
One of the festival's most popular attractions, the giant SO Festival deckchair, will also return, giving visitors the chance to capture a memorable seaside photograph.
The celebrations begin with the SO Festival Welcome Party at The Playa Bar on Skegness Pier on Friday evening. The informal gathering offers residents and visitors the opportunity to meet artists, organisers and festival partners ahead of a busy weekend of events.
Organisers are encouraging residents and visitors alike to get involved and experience one of the coast's biggest annual cultural celebrations.
Most activities are free to attend, although some workshops require advance booking due to limited places.
The full festival programme is available online by visiting sofestival.org/so-festival-2026-programme.