Frequently Asked Questions
General questions FoTG
Can boys join in?
Yes! The festival is designed for, but not limited to, girls aged 7-11. We are all about removing limits – nobody will be turned away from our festivals on the basis of gender, age or ethnicity.
Why isn’t there a festival of the boy?
We believe that gender stereotypes are harmful for both genders. And we also believe that they place more limits on girls, or those who identify as female. Research shows time and time again that girls are in need of more of a confidence boost that boys. And as they become adults, you only have to look at the statistics to see women are underrepresented in a far greater range of careers and positions of power than men are.
Our focus is therefore on celebrating girls – it is in no way anti-boy. Feminism needs men and boys to get involved. So bring your boys along too and have conversations with them about why boys and girls are treated differently and what they can do to be anti-sexist.
Who is behind the festival?
You can find out more about us here.
We are a team of passionate volunteers who do this because we believe in it on top of our day jobs and family lives. We receive no payment for our time and have been able to create what we have created through the generosity of sponsors, donors, favours and a lot of late nights.
How can I get involved?
Contact us to tell us how you would like to help and we will get back to you (even though it might take us a little while!)
Questions specific to FoTG 2024
Where and when is FoTG 2024?
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Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October
Business Design Centre
52 Upper Street
London
N1 0QH
There are four different sessions available. For more information on the sessions and available and timings click here.
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For information on venue accessibility click here.
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Do I need to be there for the entirety of the session I've booked?
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We imagine you will have plenty to do in that time. You are however free to enter and leave at any time during the session you have booked.
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Can I come for both morning and afternoon?
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We now offer full day tickets which means you can join both morning and afternoon sessions.
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Do I need to buy tickets in advance?
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Yes please. Tickets can be bought here.
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How do I get to the Business Design Centre?
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Travelling by Car
The Business Design Centre is conveniently located outside of the congestion charge zone, and easily accessed from all major road networks.
Travelling by tube / train
The Business Design Centre is just a 5 minute walk from Angel tube, situated on the Northern Line. Highbury and Islington station is a ten minute walk, situated on the Victoria line and some mainlines. Kings Cross, St. Pancras and Euston mainline stations are all a short bus ride or taxi journey away.
Travelling by bus
The Business Design Centre is situated on Upper Street, which is serviced by the following bus routes: 4, 19, 30, 38, 43, 56, 73, 341, 394, N19, N38, N4.
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Is there parking?
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There is parking at the Business Design Centre however you need to pre-book and it costs £3.90 per hour. Details here.
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Once I'm in, will I need money?
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Almost all the activities and workshops are included in your ticket. Like most festivals, we do also have a small retail section, a raffle, and face painting which you might like to get involved with, and where small charges apply. Please note we are a cashless venue.
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Filming and photography
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As part of your attendance at Festival of The Girl 2024 press may film or photograph you. Any such recordings or photography may be used in marketing and promotional material for Festival of The Girl. We may share these recordings or photographs with media organisations and Festival of The Girl partners. You agree to grant us a non-exclusive and irrevocable right to use photographs, recordings or any other media of you at Festival of The Girl for the purposes of promoting the event and/or Festival of The Girl.
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Is there a buggy park and baby changing facilities?
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Yes
Will there be food and drink at the venue?
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Yes, there will be a cafe selling drinks, snacks, cakes and sandwiches.
How do I know the timings of the workshops?
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Upon arrival everyone will be given a festival map and workshop timetable. Please note there are limited spaces in the workshops. You can go to the workshop area to book your place on your chosen workshop.
What if workshops are full?
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There’s plenty to get involved with on the day, both timed and free-flowing. Some will get full though. So when you arrive do look at the timed workshops, and if there’s a particular one you really want to do, head straight to there to book your place. We also always encourage everyone to try something new and explore, so if something is full or busy when you arrive, try something nearby and come back.
What do I do if I have a complaint or issue on the day?
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We really want you to have an amazing day. We are also aware that as a team of 3 with other full time jobs and a limited budget, we might not think of everything, and something might not be as excellent as we would all want it. Please bear with us and respectfully raise the issue with one of us, or one of our on-day volunteers, and we will do our very best to help sort it.
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How does it work with ticket refunds and exchanges?
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Unfortunately we are unable to refund any purchased tickets. If you can no longer make the event, we’d love you to pay it forward and encourage friends or family to take your place. If you need to swap to a different session due to unforeseen circumstances we will do our best to help, subject to availability. Please email us for this. Please note we may struggle to respond in the days leading up to the event due to being such a small team so we can’t guarantee anything.
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How does a virtual hub work?
Videos for our virtual hub will be available on our YouTube channel here from Wednesday 11 October. Go to the 2023 playlist for this year's activities and some of the best from previous years.
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Do I have to sign-up to take part?
No.
Where can I download a 2024 Activity Book?
Once this is available we will provide a link.
Is everything suitable for my child to watch unsupervised?
Everything was designed with girls aged 7-11 in mind. That said, some things are more suited to the older age group. And we know many parents/guardians of younger (and indeed older) kids have signed up too. We urge you to use your Parental Guidance and look out for a PG symbol on some potentially sensitive topics.
Please note that joining the festival is at participant (and parent/guardian) discretion and in line with our terms and conditions.
Can my child join the virtual hub on their own?
Yes they can. Nevertheless…
We believe that you can create an even more special experience by joining in with them. There’s plenty for you to learn and explore as adults. We also recommend you supervise the following particularly: interaction with the shopping planet, physical activity, craft involving sharp objects or objects that may stain, cooking involving hot ovens or hobs, anything marked with a PG symbol.
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Being that the videos are on YouTube there will be adverts before videos start.
What do I do if I have a complaint?
Firstly, please bear with us: our resources are extremely limited, and we are doing our very best.
Secondly, we want to keep learning. Please email us with your feedback (doesn’t have to be just complaints – tell us what you loved too). Please be as specific and constructive as possible so we can act on it and rectify it more easily.
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Why is there not signed or audio-descriptive content?
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Our aim is to make our festival as available as possible for everyone. As a start up not-for-profit initiative, our resources are extremely limited. As a result, and with regret, we're unable to provide signed or audio-descriptive content at this time. We hope we will be able to in future.
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Disclaimer
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Please note that we have done the upmost to create a safe environment for the festival. That said, any activity undertaken by participants is done at participants’ own risk. Festival of The Girl CIC does not take any responsibility for any injury or harm sustained as a result of taking part in the festival sessions. Adult supervision may be required/recommended at times.
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Inclusivity Statement
Festival of The Girl is committed to advancing equality and promoting inclusivity for all young people, regardless of their identity or gender expression.
We are passionate about inspiring girls to believe in their futures and the programme is designed to provide female role models for young people. We believe challenging gender stereotypes and breaking down barriers to inclusion benefits young people of any gender.
While we use the term “girl” to address the barriers that girls face at a young age, our mission is inclusive of trans and non-binary communities, and we encourage young people of any gender to take part.
