When I’m asked where I live, most times I’m met with a blank stare. Parbold may not be well known, but it does have a wonderful village show. In 2019, as a graphic designer in Parbold, I wanted to see if I could get more involved in the community. I spotted an advert asking for volunteers for the village show and turned up to a meeting. Since then, I’ve been helping the committee with their brand identity, promotional materials and social media.
In 2024, we realised that 2025 would mark 250 years since the Leeds Liverpool Canal reached Parbold. There’s a small but interesting story behind the canal here. If you’ve visited the village, you might have noticed it bends sharply at Parbold. It was originally planned to head north to Leyland via Eccleston. But a series of decisions changed the route and sent it east towards Wigan.
The committee wanted to celebrate this part of our heritage, so “Celebrating 250 Years of Parbold’s Canal Heritage” became the theme for the 2025 show. I was then tasked with steering our visual identity in a fun, heritage-inspired direction.
I started with a feature graphic that mixed bold lettering with decorative painted flourishes, inspired by traditional canal boats. I wanted it to feel joyful, historic and a little bit quirky. This artwork became the anchor for the full identity, and set the tone for every design that followed.
The Show Tent is a huge part of the event, and the branding needed to feel charming and welcoming. I redesigned all the certificates for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Best in Show. The designs use soft florals, bright colours and vintage borders to hint at canal-boat artwork without feeling dated.
I also designed the full category list for the 2025 competition. To make the information easy to read, I laid it out in simple blocks with warm colours and friendly headings. These designs were then adapted into shareable social posts so the committee could promote the categories online.
The Show Tent aims to attract a wide age range, so we offer two ways to submit entries. Many elderly residents prefer paper forms, so we continue to print the full entry booklet each year and distribute it through local drop-off points. For those who prefer digital, I designed a clear and simple online entry form that matches the printed version.
This balance keeps the show inclusive and ensures no one is left out.
Social media is now one of the show’s main tools for promotion, so I created a full set of templates for the committee. These included performer announcements, sponsor spotlights, reminders and “What’s On” graphics. Each design uses the canal-heritage identity, which helps keep the show recognisable across platforms.
Every year, the main promotional leaflet is hand-delivered to every house in Parbold and the neighbouring village, Newburgh. The leaflet contains the schedule for the main entertainment arena, details about some of the entertainers on the day, parking and bus information, plus a section on the back for local businesses to be listed as sponsors. It needed to carry a lot of information without feeling cluttered, so careful spacing and clear hierarchy were key.
Working on the Parbold Village Show is one of the most rewarding parts of being a graphic designer in Parbold. The show is run by volunteers who care deeply about our village. Helping them bring the event to life through colour, storytelling and design is something I’m really proud of.
