A new festival giving people the chance to try their hand at a host of arts and crafts activities is coming to Huddersfield.

Organised by rural regeneration agency Pennine Prospects, in partnership with hundreds of local artists and artisans, the South Pennines Making and Doing (MAD) Festival will run across the weekend of October 5 and 6.

More than 50 interactive workshops, taster sessions and ‘Meet the Maker’ events will be held over the two days, with many of these happening in the Colne Valley and surrounding villages.

They range from lino printing at the Packhorse Gallery in central Huddersfield, to spinning, weaving, fabric painting and embroidery at a special ‘Meet the Maker’ event at the Loft Space at the Standedge Tunnel Visitors Centre in Marsden.

There will be landscape drawing at Edibles in West Slaithwaite and the creation of a giant piece of art at Back Lane Artspace studios in Holmfirth.

A spokesman said: “The festival has been organised to shine a light on the diverse creative talent in Huddersfield and the wider South Pennines, and to encourage members of the public to try something new.”

Rebecca Yorke, Pennine Prospects’ local distinctiveness coordinator said: “We have an incredibly rich, independent, creative scene in the South Pennines, and this new, family-friendly festival will showcase the best of what we have to offer.

“Members of the public will get to sample all sorts of different crafts, skills and techniques throughout the festival weekend. We hope it will inspire them to try different things at home, and of course, to continue supporting the wide range of talented craftspeople who live and work in Huddersfield and surrounding areas.”

As well as putting the region’s artistic talents on the map, it is intended that the festival will have an impact on local businesses, by stimulating additional trade for shops, cafes, pubs and accommodation providers.

The full festival programme is available at www.southpennines.co.uk