A festival for the living

It happens to every one of us, so why do we find it so hard to talk about death – or even to think about it, let alone prepare for it? York’s Dead Good Festival re-imagines death, dying and bereavement and brings to light ways we as a society can do things differently. The more we learn, the more we see the dignity, respect and wellbeing we can bring to the end of life. Through education, practical information-sharing, music, art, and conversation we can, together, discover how to accept and prepare for the inevitable, to everyone’s benefit. We hope you’ll join us!

What we’ve lined up so far, with more to come:

Monday 11 May

• The Hand Blessing Workshop

• Open Day at Mill Cottage Pet Crematorium

Wednesday 13 May

• What do end-of-life doulas do?

Friday 15 May

• St Leonard’s Hospice open day (details to come)

• Crematorium tour

• Consciousness post death with David and Linda Fryer

• And more!

Saturday 16 May – York Explore, talks, workshops and Dead Good Information Fair

• Dead Good Information Fair 9 to noon:

  • York End-of-Life Doulas

  • St Leonard’s Hospice

  • Francesca Green, Celebrant

  • York Grief Alliance

  • Ageing Without Children

  • A solicitor to discuss wills, power of attorney, probate, and so on

  • Grief, bereavement, and nutrition

• Afternoon talks and workshops:

  • Don’t want a traditional funeral?

  • York death cafe

  • Why do we fear death?

  • Feeding grief (nutrition and bereavement)

Sunday 17 May

• Open day at Mindful Memorials in York Cemetery with talks, workshops and practical information – details to come!

• Poetry in York Cemetery by Clive Dawson

• Music in the York Cemetery Chapel:

  • A sound bath by Sounds of Divinity

  • A song bath with a group of threshold singers

  • A set of songs of love and death by Acomb folk trio Steam Pigeon

• Drumming Circle with Elaine the Humble Drummer

• Light and Lineage – Understanding Ancestral Healing Through Ancestry