Posters and PVC Banners for Town Centre Festivals: Planning Ahead for Stockport Events
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Stockport town centre knows how to throw a party. Stockport Council's events page listed Stock Party on Saturday 4 July 2026, a free festival celebrating the town's independents, spreading out across the town centre from the Great Underbank to Robinsons Brewery Yard. Add in market events, seasonal celebrations and community days, and the town has a lot going on.
If you're an organiser, or a trader joining in, you'll know that print is one of those jobs that sneaks up on you. One minute the festival is months away. The next, you're asking why the posters aren't up yet.
This guide helps you plan festival posters and banners properly. What to print, which sizes to choose, and how far ahead to order.
Just to be clear: we're not involved in running any of these events. We're simply using them as examples of what Stockport's calendar looks like. If you're planning around a festival next year, check the council's events page for confirmed dates.
What a town festival needs printed
Most town centre festivals need print for three stages.
Before the event: getting the word out
- Posters in shop windows, cafes and community spaces.
- Flyers handed out and left on counters.
On the day: helping people find their way
- Banners at the main sites.
- Weatherproof signs for stalls, toilets and directions.
For traders taking part
- Window posters saying "Part of the festival".
- Signs for special offers or pop-up stalls.
Get organised early
- Pick one person to lead on print. They hold the list and the dates.
- Agree one design style for everything. It makes the whole festival feel joined up.
- Collect all the details first: dates, times, places, websites. Then design.
Poster sizes for windows and walls
Posters do the heavy lifting before the event. They need to be in place weeks ahead.
| Size | Dimensions | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm | Shop windows, cafes, noticeboards |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm | Big windows, foyers, main walls |
- An A2 poster fits most shop windows and is easy to read from the pavement.
- An A1 poster makes a bold statement in bigger windows and venues.
What to put on town centre event posters
- The festival name, big.
- Date and times.
- Where it's happening, with the main areas named.
- What's on: music, food, family activities. A few words each.
- "Free entry" if it is. People love seeing that.
- A website or QR code for the full line-up.
Get traders on board
Most independent shops are happy to put up a poster for a local festival. Make it easy: deliver the posters yourself, offer to put them up and promise to collect them after.
PVC banners for outdoor use
Standard paper posters are for indoors or behind glass. For anything outside, you need print that's made for it.
- A PVC banner is made for outdoor use and can be printed much bigger than a poster.
- Use them at entrances, main stages, on railings and across key streets, with permission.
- Check the product page for sizes and finishing options before you design.
PVC event banners: tips
- Measure first. Know exactly where each banner will go.
- Keep it short. Festival name and maybe one line.
- Leave the year off if the festival happens every year. Then you can use the banner again.
- Fix it well. Wind will find any loose corner.
Weatherproof signs for the day
For smaller outdoor signs, like directions, stall names or "Toilets this way", an A2 waterproof poster is a sensible choice. Check the product page for details on the material.
Permission matters
Before putting anything up in public spaces, on railings or on lamp posts, check with Stockport Council. Ask property owners before fixing anything to their buildings.
Flyers for handouts
Flyers reach people who don't walk past your posters.
- A5 flyers are pocket-sized and easy to hand out.
- Leave stacks in shops, cafes, libraries and community centres.
- Hand them out at other local events in the weeks before.
Use both sides
- Front: festival name, date, a big image and the key message.
- Back: a simple map, the line-up, times and a list of venues or traders taking part.
Event promotion print that keeps working
A flyer with a map on the back gets kept and carried on the day. That's a flyer doing two jobs.
Order timeline
Here's how timing works when you order to Stockport.
- Standard UK shipping is 2 to 3 working days of production, then about 2 days for delivery.
- Working days are Monday to Friday. Bank holidays don't count.
- Same-day delivery is only for London and inside the M25.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 10 weeks before | Agree the print plan and the print lead. |
| 8 weeks before | Designs finished. Check every date and time. |
| 7 weeks before | Order posters and flyers. |
| 6 weeks before | Posters up, flyers out. |
| 4 weeks before | Check permissions. Order banners and waterproof signs. |
| Event week | Banners and signs up. Spare flyers ready. |
Summer festivals
Summer is a busy time for events everywhere, and the late May bank holiday can fall right in your planning window. For a festival in June or July, aim to have your promotional print ordered by early May.
Treat these dates as a guide, not a promise.
Make your festival impossible to miss
Good festival posters and banners turn a great event into a well-attended one. Plan early, keep the design clear, and let the whole town know it's coming.
Choose your posters, banners and flyers, upload your designs and we'll print and send them to you. Questions? Call us on 020 7701 2515. You can also read more about our poster printing in Manchester City Centre, or our page on poster printing in Stockport.
