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Preston Entrepreneur Creates Holiday Club with a Difference Inviting Next Generation to Show Up, Wise Up & Rise Up

Following years of phenomenal growth and sell-out success, The Big Festoon – the UK’s fastest-growing personal and professional development event founded by Preston mum of 3 Dani Wallace, is returning to Bolton bigger, bolder, and more inclusive than ever before, later this month.

Taking place at Bolton Stadium, on 30th and 31st October, for the first time, this Big Festoon will feature The Mini Festoon – a brand-new addition designed to support entrepreneurs with children and inspire the next generation of dreamers, doers, and leaders. Taking place during half term, this innovative experience enables parents to fully engage in the main event while their children enjoy a specially curated programme packed with creativity, confidence-building, and fun.

Founded by Dani Wallace, 41, who grew up on the council estates of Preston, The Big Festoon has always been about encouraging people to fight for their dreams. Dani who has now built a £2million business over the last 6 years sees this event, the last in Bolton before she takes it to the AO Arena next year, as a way to give back.

The Big Festoon has evolved from humble beginnings in Manchester, into a global celebration of connection, courage, and community after she took it to LA earlier this year. Dani launched the first Festoon six years ago with just 40 guests. The event quickly gained momentum – selling out Manchester United’s event space, then moving to Bolton to accommodate its rapid expansion.

“Marking the end of an era feels really special”, Wallace says. “Over the years at these fabulous venues we’ve helped thousands of people step out of their comfort zones. This is true of those who have chosen to step up onto the stage to share their stories and knowledge, but also it’s true of every single person who has joined us as guests. Being in the room at The Big Festoon is like a giant hug, mixed with a friendly kick up the backside - people leave different  - and inspired for more.”

“This year I’m over the moon to be able to offer sponsored spaces to up to 100 young people as we partner with Helen Wilson and Loudspeaker to make a difference in the lives of the next generation too”.

The Mini Festoon is set to offer a fun, creative and empowering programme for children, with storytelling, workshops, and hands-on challenges focused on communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence, designed to help young people build confidence and curiosity. Helen Wilson, award-winning Founder of Helen’s Hub & Gootopia is hosting children between the ages of 5-11 and for 11-17 year olds Loud Speaker will be providing unique, high-energy workshops that give learners the tools that enable them to speak professionally and leave them confident enough to take up opportunities.

An Event Producer, International Speaker Coach and Bestselling Author, recently recognised by Attitude Magazine as one of the Top 10 Business Owners Supporting the LGBTQIA+ Community, Dani has made inclusion the heartbeat of The Big Festoon and she likes to think of it as a ‘place people can call home”. The event celebrates people from all backgrounds and lived experiences, united under her core belief that “we are better together” and “we all do well when we all do well.”

Over 850 guests from across the globe will travel to Bolton Stadium for two days of inspiration, education and entertainment. The Big Festoon brings together powerful voices from across the LGBTQIA+ community, the global majority, and the neurodivergent community whom have trained directly with Dani — to share their knowledge and experiences.

Speakers will explore topics spanning Business Growth, Human Design, Identity, Sales and Wellbeing, with the aim not only to educate and inspire but also, as Dani puts it, “to make people feel uncomfortable enough to question the status quo.”

Alongside the speaker’s talks, Dani, a professional singer who’s featured on ITV’s The Voice, regularly takes to the stage, using music to further connect with her audiences and the messages she wishes to share.

Recognised as a ‘safe space’ for minority and underrepresented groups, The Big Festoon is designed with accessibility at its core — featuring sensory-friendly zones, captioned talks, trigger warnings, and a wellbeing team on hand throughout the event.

Hosting proceedings alongside Dani this year will be Brody Lee – visionary entrepreneur,  strategist, professional host, speaker and entertainer.

The 2025 event also introduces a special “Voices of Tomorrow” panel on stage at The Big Festoon, giving young people a platform to share their experiences, perspectives and hopes for the future to hundreds of guests — a bold new step in amplifying intergenerational dialogue.

This year’s Big Festoon is proudly supported by a line-up of inspirational partners: High Level, ADHD360, Shaa Wasmund MBE, The Bloomfields, MenoAid – The Menopause Subscription Box, and Expert Empires.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chocolate PR .