About
Expect a whole host of exciting Fringe Activity at this year’s Rhubarb Festival – from screen printing to making cermaics and much more!
The Art House @ RhubarbFest
The Rhubarb Lounge
Monday 16 – Sunday 22 February
The Art House has transformed its Tiled Gallery into a colourful haven of rhubarb-inspired delights, free activities and creative exploration.
Savour the flavours of the season with delicious rhubarb-inspired drinks and mouth-watering sweet treats in The Art House’s Coffee Shop. Sink into plush armchairs in a cozy pink-and-green whilst little ones can dive into a host of free, rhubarb-themed activities running throughout the week – there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Find out more here.
Make a Mini Ceramic Rhubarb
Wednesday 18 February, 10am-12:30pm
Drop into The Art House’s ceramics studio to make your very own ceramic rhubarb from clay. Learn how to mould your own small clay rhubarb decoration and paint your rhubarb with coloured slip.
Find out more here.
Screen Printing with Rhubarb
Saturday 21 February, 10:30am – 3pm
Discover the art of printmaking in a hands-on workshop where families can create stunning rhubarb-inspired artworks using inks made from rhubarb root!
Find out more here.
Darkroom Printing with Rhubarb Developer
Sunday 22 February, 10am – 3pm
Step into The Art House’s Darkroom to discover the magic of analogue photography! Blending traditional printing processes with innovative plant based alternatives to brew your own rhubarb photo developer, which you’ll then use to print a photograph in the darkroom.
Session times are: 10am-11am | 11:15am-12:15pm | 12:45pm-1:45pm | 2pm-3pm
Find out more here.
The Hepworth Wakefield @ RhubarbFest
Rhubarb Supper Club
Friday 20 February, 5:30pm-8pm
Celebrate Wakefield’s Rhubarb Festival and the start of the forced rhubarb season with a fine dining supper club experience at The Hepworth Wakefield café.
Book your place here.
Rhubarb Afternoon Tea
Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 February, 12pm-4pm, £36-£40
Join The Hepworth Wakefield Café for a traditional afternoon tea with a rhubarb twist – the perfect way to celebrate the Rhubarb Festival!
Book your place here.
House of Makers: Rhubarb Festival
Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February, 10am-5pm
The House of Makers: Rhubarb Festival is an intimate showcase of independent makers selling artisan food and drink, homeware, jewellery, prints and textiles inspired by the rhubarb season – including lots of rhubarb-themed things for you to buy! In addition to the makers’ showcase, there will be a range of rhubarb-inspired cakes, savoury dishes and drinks available to purchase in their café.
Wakefield Museum @ RhubarbFest
Let’s Sow Rhubarb Seeds
Friday 20 February, 10am-3pm, £2.50
Join Wakefield Museum at this fun hands-on workshop to find out why rhubarb is so important to our local history!
Session times are 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm
Book your place here.
Family Fun
Saturday 21 February, 11am-3pm
Visit Wakefield Museum to make your own cheery rhubarb craft to take home! All activities and materials are provided.
WX Wakefield Exchange @ RhubarbFest
Rhubarb Shed: Music, Poetry, Comedy
Saturday 21 February, 7:30pm-10pm
Soul Shed (or rather Rhubarb Shed!) returns with a night of poetry, music and comedy during Wakefield’s famous Rhubarb Festival!
Launchpad x WX
Friday 20 February, 7pm-10pm
Wakefield Exchange is once again teaming up with Launchpad to host more showcase gigs for 2026. Shining a spotlight on incredible musicians from across Yorkshire. Launchpad is a non-profit organisation which provides advice, funding and opportunities for Yorkshire artists and music projects. Best of all, the gigs are free entry and open to everyone!
Chantry Chapel @ RhubarbFest
Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 February, 11am-4pm
The Chantry Chapel will be open for the Rhubarb Festival. Visitors can explore this unique medieval chapel and enjoy craft stalls and refreshments.
Rhubarb Rocks @ RhubarbFest
Saturday 21 February, From 8pm, Black Horse Pub
Hosted by the Wakefield Music Collective, Rhubarb Rocks will be taking place at The Black Horse Pub, Westgate, Wakefield and features The Dean England Band.
Wakefield District Markets @ RhubarbFest
Friday 20 February 8:30am – 4pm / Saturday 21 February, 8:30am – 4pm
The open market in Wakefield sits in the heart of the city in the stunning Cathedral Precinct. It is as much of a shopping attraction as the Trinity Walk and Ridings shopping centres that it sits between. And what’s more you’ll find everything you could ever want (and probably more) amongst our stalls and street food stands.
The Ridings Shopping Centre @ RhubarbFest
Premier Record Fair
Saturday 21 February, 10am-4m, Middle Mall
Little Hummingbird Market
Saturday 21 February, 10am-4m, Lower & Middle Mall
Persue a range of handmade crafts and gourment delights alongside food stalls and trucks.
Star Wars Cosplay
Saturday 21 February, 10am-4m, Centre-wide
Courtesy of Phoenix Squad.
Little Shop of Horrors Pop-Up
Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 February, 11am – 3pm, Upper Mall
Audrey II is coming to The Ridings and wants rhubarb! Come along for a fun photo op and craft activities.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park @ RhubarbFest
The Weston Restaurant
Saturday 14 – Sunday 22 February, 9am-4pm (Lunch menu served until 3pm)
Book a delicious lunch at The Weston Restaurant and experience some rhu-tastic food and drink options including Braised beef brisket with rhubarb & apple dauphinoise and rhubarb jus, Salt & pepper squid with pickled rhubarb and fennel salad and pomegranate yogurt alongside Rhubarb & Apple Gin Sling, Yorkshire Rhubarb Victoria Sponge and Yorkshire Rhubarb & Custard Blondie.
Kitchen Cafe
Saturday 14 – Sunday 22 February, 10am-5pm
Enjoy a selection of rhubarb treats at YSP’s Kitchen Cafe and other catering outlets including: Rhubarb & Custard Pavlova, Rhubarb & Ginger Infused Cake with Vanilla Frosting, Individual Mini Rhubarb Crumble, Rhubarb & Vanilla Cup Cakes and Rhubarb & Custard Cookie Sandwich!
Wakefield BID @ RhubarbFest
Rhubarb Scavenger Hunt
Monday 16 – Sunday 22 February 2026
Explore more of Wakefield in a free, family-friendly Scavenger Hunt designed by Wakefield BID!
How to Take Part
1. Pick up a Rhubarb Scavenger Hunt entry sheet from Wakefield BID or a participating businesses.
3. Look out for rhubarb stickers in shop windows or inside businesses.
4. Write down the names of the businesses where you find each rhubarb sticker.
5. Return your completed entry sheet to the Wakefield BID or as directed on the entry sheet.
The participant who finds the most rhubarb stickers will win with prizes including a rhubarb hamper and theatre tickets!
The Rhubarb Festival is taking place in Wakefield City Centre from 20-22 February 2026. Find out more: expwake.co/RhubarbFest
10:00 - 16:00 