Dewsbury On Sea, organised by The Arcade group and Kirklees College, returned after 15 years in 2025, with this year’s event bringing plenty of smiling faces in the sunshine.
It was a completely free day of family-filled activities around the Princess of Wales Precinct – complete with the giant urban beach, free workshops, cream teas, and special character appearances, including from The Little Mermaid.
The event was also a chance for locals to chat about the future of the town centre, particularly the upcoming re-opening of The Arcade on Saturday, September 5, which will bring the historic Grade II listed Victorian building back to life.
Jenny Holden-Stokes, The Arcade manager, said: “Seeing the precinct packed with happy faces and feeling that brilliant town energy was just wonderful.
“Dewsbury has such a strong community heart. The warmth and excitement everyone showed for The Arcade re-opening this September reminds us why this project is so special, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back through the doors.”
The day also marked a fond farewell to The Arcade Pop-Up space, which hosted its final activities after a busy summer of workshops, events, and community catch-ups.
The Arcade team said “a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful volunteers and local partners whose hard work made the pop-up and Dewsbury on Sea such a massive success”.
All photos by John Clifton.
