Grimsby town centre will come alive this March as Love Your Town returns for 2026, bringing a vibrant celebration of local pride, creativity and community spirit to St James Square, Riverhead Square, Freshney Place and Grimsby Minster.
From 10am to 4pm, the town centre will be filled with live music across two performance areas. Riverhead Square will showcase bands, acoustic artists and performers throughout the day, while St James Square offers a more intimate performance space. Together, the programme creates a joyful soundtrack that reflects the creativity and diversity of Grimsby’s local scene.
Throughout the day, street theatre and roaming performers will animate the high street. Visitors can expect towering Stilt Walking Grannies weaving through the town with playful humour, tough trawlermen spinning exaggerated fishing tales, colourful circus performers bringing interactive circus skills into the town centre, and Random Acts of Kindness characters popping up with uplifting moments of connection and surprise.
Art and creativity sit at the heart of the event. The Heart of the Community Art Trail will see a series of striking artworks appear in shop windows and public spaces across the town centre. Created with local groups, each piece reflects stories of pride, heritage and belonging.
Alongside this, the Loved by Locals Red Plaque Trail celebrates favourite people, places and businesses nominated by residents, creating a storytelling route that encourages exploration and supports town centre retailers.
Grimsby Minster will be home to the Love Notes to Grimsby community mural. Created with residents and communities attending the event and led by House with the Blue Door, the mural captures personal messages, reflections and expressions of civic pride, forming a lasting legacy piece for the town.
Visitors can also take part in storytime sessions with local author Katie Hopper. Alongside this, there will be drop-in creative workshops and a colourful silent disco, creating an inclusive, all-ages activity space throughout the day. Katie Hopper’s storytime is free, but bookable online.
Families will find plenty to get involved with at Freshney Place, where Abstract Circus will host interactive circus play sessions. Children and adults alike can try juggling, hula hooping, diabolo and other ground-based circus skills in a relaxed and supportive setting designed to build confidence and spark joy.
In addition, a special ticketed Guided Comfort Food Trail, will invite visitors on a guided walking tour of four independent venues, where they can sample nostalgic dishes and hear the stories behind them. This curated experience is designed to support hospitality businesses and highlight the town’s evolving food scene. Tickets are free but bookable online.
Councillor Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and the Visitor Economy, said: “These events are the perfect chance to show off exactly what our towns have to offer. Grimsby in particular has an amazing, rich history in fishing and the events planned over the day will exhibit this in many ways. Make sure not to miss out on what is sure to be a great day for people of all ages – and of course, it proves why Grimsby should be the Town of Culture for 2028.”
Elizabeth Atkin, Creative Producer at Checkmate Productions Ltd, said: “Grimsby has an incredible sense of community and pride, and Love Your Town is about celebrating exactly that. With our roots in Grimsby, it’s particularly special for Checkmate Productions to be delivering an event in the town. It’s been a real joy to work with local groups, artists, businesses and performers to create a day that brings people together and shines a light on everything that makes this place special.”
Love Grimsby forms part of a connected Love Your Town programme across North East Lincolnshire, celebrating the distinct identities of Immingham, Grimsby and Cleethorpes while creating a shared cultural experience.
Delivered by Checkmate Productions in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council through Discover North East Lincolnshire, the event is supported by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is designed to shine a spotlight on local talent, independent businesses and community groups.
All tickets to be booked online via
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/checkmateproductionsltd
For all event information, please follow:
https://discovernortheastlincolnshire.co.uk/event/lovegrimsby2026
https://www.facebook.com/discovernortheastlincolnshire
https://www.instagram.com/discovernel
Love Cleethorpes takes place on Saturday 28 March, 10am until 4pm, transforming Seaview Street, St Peter’s Avenue, the Market Place, St Peter’s Church and the beach into a joyful showcase of coastal character.
Delivered by Checkmate Productions in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council through Discover North East Lincolnshire, these events are supported by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and are designed to provide some vibrant and interactive activity in each town centre and aims to shine a spotlight on local talent, independent businesses and community groups.
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