Our first in-person ADHAF Emporium event was at Flackstock Festival ‘24, and what a day it was! In the very tent that myself and former ADHD AF Podcast host Dawn did a half hour Bingo slot; for Steph and I to host the whole tent for the entire day just one year on was an honour, a privilege and a dream come true!
In 2022 a group of Caroline Flack’s close friends and family organised a festival in her memory. The aim was to celebrate her life and to raise money for her favourite causes. Just two years on and they're on their way to being the UK’s biggest and most accessible festival promoting mental health awareness.
As discussed many times on ADHD AF Podcast, although ADHD is not a mental health condition, it is a neurodevelopmental condition; but the unidentified/unmanaged/untreated ADHD can have a serious negative impact on mental health due to adverse life experiences; but also there are many mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression which can commonly co-occur. ADHD AF and Flackstock were already aligned in values, so when you add a market place packed with handmade festival fashion accessories and unique jewellery - truly the perfect collaboration!
To be able to raise ADHD Awareness at this very special event with ADHD AF Podcast guest interviews and talks in the unique style that any who came to the live tours know - with karaoke and club classics thrown in, to top it all off we had vogue and burlesque dance workshops and even rave musical statues thrown in too, because.. why not! It really was a dopamine fest, and the stuff of leopard print dreams!
I played circus ringmaster overseeing the many events of the day, whilst Steph was in charge of our festival fashion boutique featuring creations from neurodivergent makers and small businesses, with 10% of all profits being donated to ADHDAF+ Charity which will be launching very soon!
Our Emporium at Englefield House was packed all day with happy shoppers purchasing Festival Capes and Jewellery handmade from recycled party decorations, Discobolt Earrings, Friendship Bracelets and more from All The Discos. Glitter and Mirror Acrylic Jewellery handmade by Working Clasp, conciously created anti-anxiety jewellery in the form of fidget rings and luxury gemstone rings and necklaces to align the chakras by Charlortes Web Jewellery, our Topple and Burn collaborative ADHDAF Hoops and Leopard Print Army Necklaces, and military hats, halo crowns, sunglasses and headpieces by Hathor. 
The Leopard Print Army were out in full force to support us, and we are so grateful to them and all who attended and cheered us on from afar! 
With very special thanks to photographer Dopamine and Daydreams, Her House DJ Collective Blackpool’s finest played back to back bangers throughout, and their incredible Vogue workshop had us all striking a pose, and thank you to Anita Dram, who travelled all the way from the Highlands to teach us Burlesque to the Too Much Tour anthem, Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I am What I am!’
AuDHD Author Hannah Huxford shared her inspirational story of not letting her neurodivergence, including dyslexia stop her from writing her memoir. Which she ended by paying homage to her idol with Madonna’s ‘Holiday’ - backing vocals from none other than Chewbacca!
Amy Polly gave us a mindful moment with her own unique concept of ‘Funfulness’ followed by singing the very song we’d closed our Bingo set with the previous year - that’s right, if you have ADHD, you really are ‘Born This Way!’
Journalist and Author of It's Not a Bloody Trend and No One Talks About This Stuff, Kat Brown filled Flackstockers in on why ADHD is NOT a bloody trend before a glorious karaoke rendition of Katy Perry’s Firework. 
Abigail Agyei-Jones MBE shared her passion for amplifying the voices of intersectional identities; how their lived experiences are shaped in the world and the added barriers and struggles faced by Black Women with ADHD before (Neuro)Spice(ing) Up our lives!
Alas Tanya Bardsley was unwell on the day, but we hope to collaborate with her next time.
My ‘Most ADHD Thing’ of the day was forgetting to ask Midlife Empowerment Coach and yoga teacher Kim Pierpoint to sing ‘Sex On Fire’ after her informative, inspiring and hilarious stand up about ADHD, menopause and intimacy.
Late Bloomers UK group facilitator Tracy Wilkes talked about exactly that, having come out as a lesbian later in life due to finally unmasking and getting to know her true self after discovering she has ADHD. Concluded perfectly with Diana Ross’ ‘I’m Coming Out’ of course! 
We concluded with a preview from Edinburgh Fringe Superstar Nicole Nadler’s ‘Why Am I (Still) Like This?’, the incredible show about the impact of undiagnosed ADHD is on at this years Edinburgh Festival. It’s truly phenomenall! You can get tickets HERE and find out more about it in this week’s ADHD AF Podcast HERE.
TOO MUCH?! NEVER! All this and much, much more! Children loved the rave musical statues and chill out zone with bubbles and sensory toys provided by Kirsty Mason. We were particularly touched by this incredible review! 
ADHDAF Emporium achieved exactly what we hoped and more at this magical and meaningful festival. A haven for and celebration of neurodivergent people, a place to unmask, be accepted and connect with likeminded legends, and a place for neurotypical and unidentified neurodivergent people to learn. 
We used our voices, not just to belt out karaoke classics, but to raise crucial ADHD awareness amidst a global diagnosis crisis. Just this week the BBC reported that there are an estimated 200 thousand people awaiting NHS ADHD assessment with up to 8 years wait on their hands for ADHD diagnosis! And all at a time when mainstream media has fed society the lie that this serious condition is merely a ‘trend’.
Well we certainly told them! As did ADHDAF Community legends who shared their personal experiences so that we could line the walls of our tent to help us raise awareness. It was an honour to share what they would like the world to know about ADHD to close the tent. I can’t tell you how much it means to our community to have a platform to be heard in public! Watch the video HERE
But the grand finale of course belonged to Steph with an iconic rendition of the Final Countdown complete with air guitar solo! 
And whilst we still can’t believe it happened, the cherry on top was to return home to an email from Anna & Jody of Flackstock telling us that everyone loved ADHDAF Emporium so much they’ve invited us back next year! EEEEEK! Is it July 2025 yet?! The next one will be even bigger and better… we could not be more grateful and excited!
To celebrate, we’ve put together some of our collaborative creations for the ultimate Festival Fashion Giveaway! We will draw the winner live on @adhdafemporium & @adhdafpodcast Instagram Friday 9th August. Enter HERE for a chance to WIN the whole lot! Good luck! 
And remember, in a world where you can be anything, be kind. 
Laura x