Expansive green space, excellent transport links, thriving independents and local expertise make Winchester an ideal festival location.
Winchester district is proud to host a range of events every year, from small community events through to large scale festivals, with events throughout the year that inspire, intrigue and enchant thousands of visitors every year ensuring there’s always something to look forward to.
Alongside an already excellent festivals and events offer, Winchester is well placed to support more. We offer support and guidance to organisers to ensure your event is safe, successful and well attended.
Our spaces
Our historic high street is perfect for hosting pop up performances and roaming events, we regularly host street markets and specialist events such as antiques, arts and farmers markets. The cathedral grounds are also just a stones throw away and work with many providers to host a wide range of festival activity.
Further afield our market towns are steeped in history and unique features from water meadows, distinctive architecture, historic mills and the one of the largest medieval town squares in the country. Winchester district is also home to many sprawling and magnificent private estates such as The Grange, Rookesbury Park and Avington Park.
The Matterley Bowl, a 50-acre natural amphitheatre just outside the city, has hosted Boomtown since 2011, hosting over 50,000 people across one weekend in August. The bowl has also hosted MotoGP, Homelands festival, JLS and Olly Murs, and is a perfect location for large-scale festivals in the district.
Furthermore, Winchester district has an abundance of farmland which is often used for annual festivals, including: Wickham Festival, Jerk Jam, Wild Festival and Mucky Weekender. Whatever your requirements are, get in touch, we are bound to be able to introduce you to the right people.
"If you want a friendly, welcoming city with a great festival atmosphere, Winchester is definitely worth considering. My experience with the Winchester Cheese & Chilli Festival has shown just how well festivals can do here. Whether you’re launching something new or looking for a fresh location, Winchester has everything you need for a fantastic event."
Simon, Cheese & Chilli Festival
Our suppliers and expertise
Whether you are looking for a stage, marquees, audio-visual support or the ever-crucial Portaloo, Winchester has a local supplier than can support your event. Sound and lighting engineers, medical teams, traffic management staff and caterers are in no short supply across the district.
StageTruck UK are your trusted supplier for transporting all things music, having recently toured with artists such as Beyonce, Billie Ellish and Greenday. From a 12-tonne box, to custom built sleeper trailers for up to 24 crew, StageTruck can accommodate (almost) any request.
Whether it’s Pimms, prosecco and champagne at the summer fete, real ale and cider at the country fair or a multi-bar set up at a music festival, Winchester Bar Services has got it covered. Their specially designed Fast Pour System helps to lower waiting times and reduce queues, ensuring your visitors spend time enjoying the event itself.
Winchester district is also home to wonderful creatives that can offer those added extras to your festival: kids drop-in activities with BellaCrafts, Puppetry workshops with Animate, fun-loving tunes from Winchester A Cappella, or showstopping drumming from Swan Samba – add Winchester flavour to any event!
Events catalogue
Our events catalogue has been compiled to help inform event organisers of the venues, suppliers and support available for delivering an event in Winchester district. All suppliers listed are based within (or very near to) Winchester district, reducing carbon emissions due to travel. The catalogue also provides links to useful resources on sustainability, health and safety, event management and local advertising opportunities.
The festivals group
The Winchester Festivals Group is facilitated by Winchester Business Improvement District and Winchester City Council and is an opportunity for festivals organisers to get together, in-person, once a quarter.
These meetings offer an opportunity to come together with other local individuals delivering festivals to share insights and knowledge, offer mutual support and advice as well as explore opportunities to work in partnership. To join the group, simply send Sarah an email.
