Farnham's business district is backing the Food Festival, Craft Month, Christmas Market, Literary Festival and Farnham in Bloom with £10,000. The dates to diary.
Make It Farnham, the Business Improvement District that represents more than 460 levy-paying businesses in the town centre, is putting £10,000 into Farnham’s major community events over the coming year. Farnham Town Council announced the investment on 3 August. (Farnham Town Council, 3 August 2026)
The money supports five of the biggest fixtures in the town’s calendar: the Food Festival in September, October’s Craft Month, the Christmas Market in December, the Literary Festival in March, and Farnham in Bloom’s floral displays through the year. The BID becomes principal sponsor of Craft Month and a Gold sponsor of the other four.
Why the BID is paying
A Business Improvement District is funded by a levy on businesses within its boundary, and can only spend that money on things its members vote for. Gemma McBride, who chairs the Farnham BID, said its role is “to invest in initiatives that deliver value for our levy-paying businesses”; the town’s big events bring thousands of visitors into the centre, and the BID’s calculation is that footfall on festival weekends is worth paying for.
Councillor George Murray, Leader of Farnham Town Council, which organises the events, said the council was “incredibly grateful to the Farnham BID for working with us on events which feature as highlights in the town’s calendar”. (Farnham Town Council)
The announcement follows a separate town council decision in July to award £20,000 in grants to local groups running free school holiday activities for children, part of the same programme of council spending on the town’s community life. (Farnham Town Council, 24 July 2026)
What it means for you
For your diary: the sponsored events run through the year, starting with the Food Festival in September and Craft Month in October, then the Christmas Market in December and the Literary Festival in March. Exact dates are published by the town council as each event approaches; our things to do in Farnham guide covers the town’s regular attractions in the meantime.
If you run a town centre business: the sponsorship is levy money being spent on footfall. Make It Farnham publishes what it does for members at makeitfarnham.co.uk, and the town council’s events team is the contact for trading at the festivals themselves.
If you volunteer or perform: the town council organises these events and regularly appeals for stallholders, performers and volunteers through its news pages at farnham.gov.uk.
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