Women Who Make Festival at Masson Mills
WHEN
AGE RESTRICTIONS
ACCESSIBILITY
TAGS
Celebrate the power of women who make, create, and innovate- during a day-long festival at Masson Mills.
Saturday 10 October 2026 | 10am–5pm
Masson Mills, Matlock Bath
Free
Celebrate the power of women who make, create and innovate at the Women Who Make Festival at Masson Mills – a free day of creativity, community, ideas and shared experience.
Returning to the historic Masson Mills in Matlock Bath, this year’s festival takes inspiration from World Circular Textiles Day. Built in 1783 by Richard Arkwright as one of the world’s first water-powered cotton spinning mills, Masson Mills provides a powerful setting to explore how textile innovation, labour and sustainability intersect – past, present and future.
Across the day, explore how we make, use, value, repair and reimagine the things around us – from textiles, fashion and traditional skills to nature, materials and the spaces in which we live.
Expect a vibrant and welcoming day featuring:
✨ Women Who Make Artist Showcase
✨ The Ethical Atelier – celebrating women manufacturing in the UK
✨ Dare to Dream Sewing Bee
✨ Talks, panels and conversations
✨ Hands-on workshops and shared making
✨ Creative walks, textile demonstrations and heritage skills
✨ The Ripple Effect Installation
✨ Live music, food, coffee and places to pause
Whether you're a maker, creative, textile enthusiast, interested in sustainability or simply curious, come for one activity or spend the whole day exploring.
Festival entry is free
The Women Who Make Festival is free to attend.
We'd love you to register for the festival so we can keep you informed of any updates and important information ahead of the day. Registering also helps us understand how many people will be joining us and plan for the day.
Register your free festival place – Eventbrite
Booking activities
Most of the festival is drop-in – simply turn up, explore and join in.
A number of talks, workshops and creative walks have limited capacity, so you'll also see Add-On Tickets available when you register.
For workshops and walks marked Bookable, you'll need an Add-On Ticket to reserve your place.
For talks marked Bookable Seating, booking an Add-On Ticket guarantees you a seat. There may also be a small number of seats available on the day on a first come, first served basis, with additional space to stand and listen.
All tickets and Add-On Tickets are free.
To book an activity, select your free Women Who Make Festival ticket first. You'll then be able to choose from the available Add-On Tickets.
Accessibility
We want you to have the information you need to plan your visit and enjoy the festival.
Masson Mills is part of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and is a Grade II* listed historic building. Some original features remain, including uneven floors and floor surfaces, narrow walkways, doorways and some obstructions at head height.
Access at Masson Mills includes:
Accessible parking located on Levels 1 and 2 of the car park. There is a lift that will take you to a foyer on Level 3. From here there are further lifts located within the Home By Milestone and another that gives access to outside that leads to the Visitor Centre and 1783 Mill. For vehicles over 2 metres there are accessible spaces on the entrance level- from here you will need to access the Mills via the main road pavement.
Lift access between all floors of the 1783 Mill and Home By Milestone.
Accessible toilet facilities on Level 2 of the 1783 Mill and Level 1 of Home By Milestone.
Baby changing facilities in the Visitor Centre, Level 1 of the 1783 Mill and Level 1 of Home By Milestone.
Breastfeeding is welcome throughout the site.
The Visitor Centre is part of the Derbyshire County Council Safe Spaces Scheme.
Information, first aid, meeting point at the Visitor Centre.
Guide dogs are welcome throughout the site. Other dogs are welcome in the Visitor Centre but are not permitted within the wider site.
You can find more detailed information about the historic site on the Masson Mills Accessibility page.
If you have an access requirement or would like to discuss your visit with us, please get in touch. We'll be happy to talk through the festival, where an activity is taking place and how we can best support your visit.
Getting here
Masson Mills
41 Derby Road
Matlock Bath
Derbyshire
DE4 3PY
By car
Paid parking is available on site, including accessible parking and a drop-off area.
Parking can be paid for at the pay station on Level 2 using coins or card, or through the PayByPhone app.
Current parking charges are:
1 hour – £1.20
3 hours – £3.00
5 hours – £5.00
Over 5 hours – £9.00
By train
Masson Mills is less than one mile from both Matlock Bath and Cromford railway stations, on the Derwent Valley Line between Matlock and Derby.
By bus
The Masson Mills bus stop is directly outside the site entrance, with local bus services connecting the site with surrounding towns and villages.
Plan your day
There's lots to discover, so you can make the festival your own.
Come for a particular talk or workshop, spend a couple of hours exploring, or stay for the whole day and move between making, conversations, demonstrations, shopping, heritage and the spaces of Masson Mills and Home by Milestone.
Most activities are drop-in, so there will always be something to discover between your booked sessions.
Food and coffee will be available, alongside places to pause during the day.
Saturday 10 October | 10am–5pm | Free
