39 pictures of Adur Festival over the years as community gets together to bring it back to life

With the news it is making a comeback after a 10-year hiatus, thanks to a community-led group, we take a look back at one of the district’s most cherished celebrations.

The annual festival missed out on its 30th anniversary but ran successfully from 1987 to 2015, having been started by Adur District Council as an annual celebration of arts and community.

When the council pulled the plug on funding in 2012, Ropetackle Arts Centre took over but the festival ran only for four more years, not quite making it to 2017 for the 30th.

After a decade away, the Adur Festival will return in 2026 and the uplifting theme of Revival! promises two weeks of creativity, connection and community pride across the district – with Fishersgate, Southwick, Shoreham, Lancing and Sompting all included.