From live music, street theatre and comedy, to literature and fashion, here are the festivals coming to Winchester this year.
From live music, street theatre and comedy, to literature and fashion, here are the festivals coming to Winchester this year.
Winchester Cocktail Week, held in February, will kick-start a season of over 20 festivals happening in Winchester throughout 2019.
Arts and literature enthusiasts will want to visit the city for the Winchester Writers’ Festival in June and the Poetry Festival in October. Other festivals that may be of interest include the Winchester Festival, which includes a programme of music, talks, drama and visual arts, and the Hat Fair, which features performances of all kinds, from jugglers to trapeze artists. Both events take place in July.
Upcoming comedy and musical festivals include the Chamber Music Festival in May, offering concerts and discover sessions. Meanwhile, the Jazz Festival in September will provide an array of acts performing throughout the city, and the Winchester Comedy Festival in October will present a line-up at various venues.
Food enthusiasts should note down the Hampshire Food Festival in July, which brings with it over 75 events and runs for the duration of the month. Other events include Winchester’s Cheese & Chilli Festival on 17th to 18th August, the annual Watercress Festival in May and the aptly named Ginchester Christmas Market, later on in the year.
Specific dates for the events are due to be confirmed.
Other events to look out for this year
Brickosaurs: Marwell Zoo will host a unique prehistoric exhibition this year, featuring 50 life-sized sculptures built with LEGO bricks, from 5th April to 1st September. A highlight will include what is believed to be the largest touring LEGO brick dinosaur model ever made – an eight-metre T-Rex.
Keats 200th anniversary celebrations: 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of when John Keats visited Winchester and was inspired to write one of his most famous poems, To Autumn. Visitors are being invited to celebrate autumn in the city of Winchester this year by taking part in a range of activities from poetry trails, to workshops and a Keats Banquet.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel exhibition: A new exhibition, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: A Different View, will run in the city at The Gallery at Winchester Discovery Centre from 5th July to 29th September and will provide the opportunity to view the works that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine chapel up-close.
GTOs wishing to attend the events should visit visitwinchester.co.uk/whats-on for more information.
Image: Winchester Hat Fair (Photo Credit: Harvey Mills Photography)
