Young entrepreneurs will be celebrated at a large two day event.
Huddersfield’s streets and markets will be awash with talented people on Saturday and Sunday to show case the wealth of talent in the area.
People can see street performances, buy creative crafts and meet young business people all using the town to turn their dream projects into full-time careers.
The vibrant event has been organised by Kirklees Council who got Huddersfield into one of just 10 places in the TestTown 2015 competition to find the brightest young entrepreneurs in the UK.
A look back to Easter's alternative market
Young performers will take over the Piazza, Market Street and Byram Street on both days with everything from circus skills to music.
Queensgate Market’s Events Zone will be used over the weekend by students from the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy based at Kirklees College and at Upper Batley High School, while 13 to 29-year-old stallholders from the popular Alternative Market will use other pop-up locations in the market.
Visitors will be able to find another part of the alternative market in two empty shops – the former Rawcliffe Uniform Shop on Byram Street and the former Gallery Estate Agents on New Street– the last of which will be co-ordinated by Huddersfield University students from the Duke of York Enterprise Centre.
On Saturday a vintage fair will cover the ground floor of the Byram Arcade.
On Sunday Byram Arcade and Queensgate Market will both be open with a number of independent businesses who usually close on Sundays while the Upmarket Sunday is back at Huddersfield Open Market, where shoppers will be able to try samples of artisan food.
And on Saturday two of the young entrepreneurs taking part will be chosen by a judging panel from across the UK to represent Huddersfield in the National TestTown final early in 2016 in Glasgow. One of the finalists from the 10 towns will be awarded a £10,000 grant to support their business.
Lucy Bye, Kirklees Council organiser of the event, said: “We’re very excited but a bit nervous because this is the big competition time.
“There are so many young entrepreneurs in Huddersfield it’s important that we showcase them and give them the support we can.
“The event is also about our town centre regeneration, for which we are working with young people.
In the long term our goal is to start bringing young people into the town centre on a regular basis and helping them to set up their own shop there.”
An event guide will be available from the W2H shop at the entrance of Queensgate market next to Superdrug.
