From March 20th to 23rd, Shrewsbury was abuzz with energy and enthusiasm as the town hosted the Shrewsbury Moves Festival.
This four-day event, organised by Shropshire Festivals on behalf of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan partnership – which comprises Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council, and Shrewsbury Town Council – brought together residents, businesses, and visitors to celebrate movement in all its forms.
On Friday the 21st of March, a sustainable transport showcase was held in the Town Square, aligning with the second day of the Shrewsbury Moves Conference. Local cycling hubs, accessible cycling groups, sustainable delivery groups, and even the town’s tour boat showcased their offerings to the public.
On Saturday, the Town Square and High Street were transformed into vibrant hubs of activity – an all-day extravaganza of walking, cycling, dancing, yoga, tai chi and more, encouraging participants of all ages to get moving. Families could be seen roller-skating up and down the High Street and taking hula hoop lessons, while on the big stage, instructors led movement exercises including tai chi, stretching, and more.
Meanwhile, walking groups met in the square before embarking on trails around the town, including accessible wheelchair walks, a hike to view the seven bridges of the Severn, and a gathering of Shropshire’s Dykes Who Hike.
Sunday saw the unveiling of the Festival’s best kept secret – a giant Ferris wheel was installed in the Town Square in the early hours, and from 10am-4pm, offered free rides to all. Hundreds took up the offer, taking advantage of the chance for a unique view of Shrewsbury’s rooftops from the centre of the Square. As far as the organisers know, this is the first time anyone has ever installed a ride of this scale in the Town Square!
The festival significantly increased footfall in the town centre, providing a welcome boost to local businesses – despite grey and damp weather! According to Shrewsbury BID’s footfall cameras, installed on Pride Hill and the High Street, footfall was up 26% on same Saturday last year and the highest observed for the same Saturday since before COVID. Overall, the town saw the second highest footfall on same Saturday since the cameras were installed in 2016.
The results on Sunday were as impressive, with footfall cameras recording an 8.6% increase in foot traffic compared to the same Sunday in 2024, and the highest footfall on the same Sunday since 2016.
“The atmosphere in town over the Shrewsbury Moves weekend was fantastic – footfall across the town centre was significantly up, with lots of smiling faces and people of all ages getting involved in new ways of moving their bodies and moving around town,” said
Seb Slater, Executive Director of Shrewsbury BID. “It was great to see the town centre so full of life, with families, friends and visitors making the most of everything Shrewsbury has to offer. Events like this really show off the qualities of our town centre as a vibrant, welcoming place for everyone.”
Recognition on the National Stage
The impact of Shrewsbury Moves extended beyond the town, reaching the halls of UK Parliament. Speaking in the House of Commons, Julia Buckley, MP for Shrewsbury, highlighted the festival’s success and its role in advancing the town’s 10-year plan for inclusive and integrated public transport.
Additionally, Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, noted that Aviation Minister Mike Kane had attended the festival and “had a very good time” celebrating his wedding anniversary at the event.
Looking Ahead
The success of the Shrewsbury Moves Festival was made possible through collaboration between the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership and Shropshire Festivals, with both teams working together to create an event that celebrated movement while fostering community spirit and economic growth. Funding was provided by UKSPF as part of the wider Shrewsbury Moves project.
Tim Pritchard, Shrewsbury Programme Manager, Shropshire Council, stated, “The Shrewsbury Moves Festival was a real testament to what can be achieved when we work together as a town. It brought our vision for a more active, connected and vibrant Shrewsbury to life in a way that everyone could be part of and helped to communicate the potential of our Movement Strategy to the public in a really interactive way. The positive response has been incredible, and we look forward to continuing to bring connection and movement to our market town.”
Building on the momentum of the festival, the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan partnership remains committed to transforming the way people move around Shrewsbury town centre.
Projects currently in the works include the installation of cycle hangars for safe and secure bike storage in the town, an eCargo bike subscription to enable sustainable deliveries between town centre premises, and the installation of further parklets to provide free, accessible spaces to sit and enjoy the town.
For more information about the Shrewsbury Moves Festival and upcoming initiatives, visit www.shrewsburymoves.com
