Stereotypes matter because they stop people from achieving their full potential. Harmful gender stereotypes start early, wrapping their toxic tentacles around young people’s lives.

In a bid to challenge this, The Festival of The Boy is launching to celebrate what it means to be a boy today. The festival is launching in London, bringing boys together in one shared space to break down harmful stereotypes. Created by the team behind the Festival of The Girl, the not-for-profit event aims to bring boys together into a community to inspire, engage and break down gender stereotypes surrounding boys and their families.

Netflix’s standout hit Adolescence, which tackled toxic masculinity, isolation in boys and the role that the internet is playing in shaping behaviour, has placed wellbeing firmly into the spotlight.

Lee Chambers, Founder of Male Allies UK, explains: “Boys today are going up social first, in a world where their online profiles mean as much if not more than their offline selves.

He continued: “They are facing misogyny classes at school, and are surrounded by AI and tech that can feel overwhelming. What we want to do at this festival is to create a space for boys to just be boys, to meet other boys and to connect with each other over shared activities and discussions in a place that celebrates being a boy today.”

The festival has been designed to help families and society to start conversations before stereotypes become too ingrained. It follows in the footsteps of the Festival of The Girl, which launched eight years ago. Their increasingly popular interactive festivals give primary school aged girls access to an incredible line-up of female role models, workshops and activities. This same opportunity will now extend to boys too. 

Abi Wright, Co-Founder of Festival of The Girl and the Festival of The Boy, added: “2026 is the right time to dedicate a festival to boys. Today’s boys are growing up with unprecedented pressure and confusion around identity, and we believe there is no better moment to challenge limiting gender stereotypes while their understanding of the world is still forming. Festival of The Boy is a natural evolution of Festival of The Girl - a safe, celebratory space where boys can explore who they are, build confidence and be inspired by positive role models from all walks of life.”

The line-up will be announced in the lead-up to the festival, with tickets going on sale the month before. Although aimed at boys, everyone is welcome.