Hundreds of people attended a youth-led festival in West Cumbria.
Energy Coast LIVE! 2026 took place at the Energy Coast UTC in Lillyhall, near Workington, on July 7.
Delivered by Northern Equality and Diversity with Energy Coast UTC, the event provided a full day of live music, careers opportunities and entertainment.
The festival was planned and organised by a team of young people who worked alongside local businesses, performers, sponsors and volunteers over several months.
Visitors watched performances from Triggers Broom, Luke Mat, Chris Pears DJ, the Energy Coast UTC Band, Nyla and Denni and Kyle Newrick.
The event also featured local traders, food vendors, community organisations and a careers zone.
Attendees were able to discover local employers, training providers and community groups while enjoying free entertainment.
The festival was created to demonstrate what young people could achieve when they were given responsibility.
The young team managed sponsorship, booking performers, budgets, marketing and logistics with guidance from experienced professionals.
Organisations that supported the event included Westinghouse, The Cumberland, BEC, Six Social Impact, Prospect, TEG Retail CIC, Test Inspect, Illumination Events, Dobies Cumbria, Carlos Reina Photography, FlexiRental, Street Food, Harry and Jack, Wimba, Whitehaven AFC, Proud & Diverse Cumbria, YAZ and LL.
Rocco Boyd, co-chair of Northern Equality and Diversity and event manager, said: “It exceeded every expectation. Seeing hundreds of people enjoying the festival, supporting local performers, meeting employers and celebrating everything our community has to offer has made every hour of planning worthwhile.
“Energy Coast LIVE! has always been about much more than music. It was created to prove that young people are capable of delivering ambitious, professional projects when they’re given the opportunity.
“Our youth team has shown exactly that, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved.
“I’d like to personally thank every sponsor, partner, performer, trader, volunteer and visitor who believed in our vision.
“This festival simply wouldn’t have happened without your support.
“We’re now taking some time to reflect on this year’s event, gather feedback and consider the future of Energy Coast LIVE!. We look forward to sharing more in the coming months.”
