HEADLINE SPONSOR
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NBT Fest 2026 – Back by Popular Demand!
After an incredible 2025 event that welcomed families from all across Nottinghamshire and beyond and brought together 60+ amazing providers, we’re thrilled to announce that NBT Fest is back for 2026 — and it’s going to be bigger, better, and even more magical!
Join us for a vibrant, family-first mini festival created especially for babies, toddlers, and the people who love them.
📅 Saturday 4th July 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 3:00pm
📍 Haydn Road Pavilion & Sports Ground, Sherwood, Nottingham NG5 1EB
Just £2 Entry – Keeping It Affordable for Families
Entry to NBT Fest 2026 is just £2 per person. Last year’s event was free as part of our 5th year anniversary celebrations, and this year we’ve introduced a small £2 contribution to help cover event costs while keeping it affordable and accessible for all families.
Click for more information:
What is NBT Fest?
NBT Fest is a joyful, inclusive celebration of early years, parenthood, and community — hosted by the Nottingham Baby & Toddler Community.
Now in its fifth year, the festival brings together families and trusted local providers for a day filled with play, creativity, connection, and support. It’s more than just a day out — it’s a space where families can explore, learn, and feel part of something special.
Why We Do It
With increasing pressure on local services and funding cuts across Nottingham, events like NBT Fest are more important than ever.
We believe:
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Early years matter — shaping lifelong health, wellbeing, and development
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Parents and carers deserve support during these crucial years
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Community connection builds stronger families
NBT Fest brings everything together in one place — making it fun, accessible, and meaningful for every family who attends.
What to Expect in 2026
Get ready for a full day of fun, discovery, and entertainment:
🧸 Free-flow play for babies and toddlers
🎨 Music, messy play, crafts & interactive sessions
🧚 Meet & greet with favourite characters
🌳 Outdoor and forest play experiences
🎤 Live entertainment and performances
🍔 Delicious food stalls and refreshments
🛍️ Local family-friendly stalls and services
🎈 Activities for older siblings
🗣️ Parent talks and wellbeing sessions
📸 Pop-up photography moments
🎠 Rides, inflatables & adventure play
Plus, much more including meet a wide range of local providers, from activity leaders and educators to support services and community organisations — all there to connect with you.
Who Can Attend?
NBT Fest is designed primarily for children aged 0–5 years, but it’s a day for the whole family:
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Older siblings are welcome
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Grandparents, relatives, and carers encouraged to join
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All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
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(and Adults must attend with a child!)
Event Information
Accessibility
The event takes place in a pram-friendly outdoor space with accessible facilities.
Facilities include:
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indoor Toilets and baby changing (indoor & outdoor)
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Space for blankets, chairs, and small sun shelters
Please note:
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No large tents or gazebos
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No dogs (except registered assistance dogs)
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No alcohol permitted on site
Payments:
Cash and card accepted
Food & Drink
A variety of hot food and drink vendors will be available throughout the day.
You’re also welcome to bring your own picnic and enjoy the relaxed festival atmosphere.
A Growing Community Event
Last year’s event showed just how powerful this community is:
🌟 3,000+ families attended
🌟 60+ providers and vendors involved
🌟 A full day of connection, joy, and support
We also listened carefully to your feedback. You told us that clearer signage was needed for toilets, so this year wayfinding will be more visible and easier to follow throughout the site. You also asked for better access to caffeine for tired parents and carers, so we’ve added two dedicated coffee vans to keep everyone fuelled throughout the day.
Many of you said you’d love more opportunities to contribute, so while entry remains just £2 per person, we will also continue to welcome voluntary donations on the day, including additional fundraising at the gate in support of our Charity of the Year, Home-Start Nottingham.
We’re also improving:
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Additional baby changing facilities to reduce waiting times and improve accessibility
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Clearer zoning of older sibling activities
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A more visible “help point” for lost children, questions, and support.
Stay Tuned
A full event schedule, lineup, and activity details will be announced soon.
👉 Follow us on social media to be the first to hear updates, announcements, and exciting reveals!
https://www.instagram.com/nottinghambabytoddlercommunity/
Join Us
Whether you’re coming for the play, the community, the support, or simply a great family day out — NBT Fest 2026 is not to be missed.
We can’t wait to welcome you 💛
Thank you to our Headline sponsor
CORE AQUATICS
An multi award winning, inclusive swim school based in Nottinghamshire for children and adults.
Core Aquatics are a multi award winning, inclusive swim school who provide high quality swimming lessons to children (3+) and adults. We provide small groups, one to one and two to one lessons for all abilities. Once swimmers are advanced, we can continue their journey through our Junior Lifeguard Academy where swimmers can learn other skills such as CPR, first aid, distance swimming, pool snorkelling and more.
Core Aquatics are an inclusive swim school and we have partnerships with Level Water and Autism Swim, one for partially subsidising lessons for swimmers with other abilities or who provide training for swimming teachers respectively. We have proudly maintained our Autism Swim Approved status for the last 4 years and are ‘Gold’.
Thank you to our event partners and community sponsors
Exhibit With Us at NBT Fest 2026
Exhibit your activity or service to families from across Nottingham at one of the city’s most loved early years events. With over 3,000 families attending last year, it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your brand, engage little ones in what you offer, and grow your visibility through promotion across our website and social media.
We’re looking for a diverse mix of providers and traders to help create a vibrant, welcoming festival atmosphere. Our workshops and activities are a key part of what makes NBT Fest so special, and we’re keen to hear from those offering creative, engaging, and inclusive sessions for children aged 0–5 and their grown-ups — from crafts to circus, movement to mindfulness, music to mayhem.
Please note: We are now fully booked for food and drink vendors, face painters, and charity stalls.
Spaces are limited, so get signed up now to be part of NBT Fest 2026.
PARTNER OR SPONSOR US!
Partnering NBT Fest offers more than just brand exposure — it connects you with a passionate, engaged family audience and aligns your organisation with a meaningful community cause.
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Targeted Reach: Promote your brand to 500+ attending families and over 6,000 online followers.
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Positive PR: Be seen as a supporter of early years wellbeing and local community impact.
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Direct Engagement: Meet your audience face-to-face, showcase your services, and build trust.
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Digital Promotion: Get featured across our social media, website, and event marketing.
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Community Legacy: Be part of a much-loved celebration with long-lasting local impact.
If you’d like to partner with us for NBT Fest 2025, we’d love to hear from you.
Let’s build a memorable event for Nottingham families together!
We’re happy to discuss the partnership in more detail and explore how we can tailor the opportunity to suit your goals and values. from Monetary to in-kind service partnerships.
Drop us a email, and we will send you our partner with us proposal pack.
Thank you