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X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Festival of Chichester
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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260613T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260613T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260227T224014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T183732Z
UID:10000709-1781377200-1781384400@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M1: Tesoro Duo - 100 Years of the Musicals
DESCRIPTION:Festival regulars Tesoro Duo return in 2026\, accompanied by the Fine Voice Choir\, to bring you an enchanting performance of songs from the past 100 years of the musicals. Les Miserables\, Phantom of the Opera\, Mamma Mia\, Oklahoma\, Evita\, Cabaret\, The Sound of Music and many more.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m01-tesoro-duo-100-years-of-the-musicals/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Regular-Musicals-2026-Poster-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260617T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260617T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260211T135138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T184010Z
UID:10000663-1781724600-1781730000@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event SW4: Prehistoric Sites in Sussex: Mystery and Legend
DESCRIPTION:Before archaeology unlocked the secrets of so many prehistoric sites in Sussex\, landmarks\, such as the Trundle\, Kingley Vale\, Chanctonbury Ring\, and the Long Man of Wilmington\, were explained through local folklore. \nThis talk by Chris Hare delves into the legends and superstitions of Prehistoric Sussex.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw04-prehistoric-sites-in-sussex-mystery-and-legend/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Spoken word
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/prehistoric-sites-in-sussex.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260620T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260620T203000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260225T121740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T120450Z
UID:10000742-1781982000-1781987400@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M11: Sogdian Ensemble: Tales of the Silk Road
DESCRIPTION:This performance is a co-creation between Persian traditional music and jazz\, exploring rich cross-cultural dialogues between the electric bass guitar and the kamancheh\, an ancient Persian spike fiddle. The ensemble brings together Saba Safa\, a virtuoso Persian musician\, and Dr Nick Reynolds\, Head of Jazz at Chichester University. \nMaking this debut performance\, the Sogdian Ensemble unites these two accomplished artists in a distinctive and compelling collaboration that celebrates cultural exchange and artistic exploration. The Sogdian Ensemble\, founded in 2025 by artistic director Saba Safa\, draws inspiration from the historic Persian region at the heart of the Silk Road\, which connected East and West.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m11-sogdian-ensemble-tales-of-the-silk-road/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MG_2421-2-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260624T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260624T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260211T135517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103557Z
UID:10000652-1782329400-1782334800@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event SW10: Sussex Castles: History and Folklore
DESCRIPTION:Sussex has so many castles – some are still lived in\, others are today only ruins\, while still more have disappeared completely. \nThis talk will look at this fascinating history\, combining fact with folklore and the legends and superstitions that are linked to castles\, including Arundel\, Chichester\, and Pulborough Castles.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw10-sussex-castles-history-and-folklore/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sussex-castles.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260627T163000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260627T173000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260203T190208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103555Z
UID:10000647-1782577800-1782581400@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M23: Strings of Light (Secrets of the Harp Guitar)
DESCRIPTION:International award-winning guitarist and composer Jon Pickard presents a rare solo performance on the extraordinary 23-string harp-guitar. Blending classical\, folk and original music\, shimmering textures and lyrical storytelling create an immersive\, transporting experience. “Weaves a flying carpet on the strings… almost unbelievable\, technically and stylistically.” — Akustik Gitarre Magazine. \nInternational award-winning guitarist and composer Jon Pickard presents a rare solo performance on the extraordinary 23-string harp-guitar\, an instrument whose extended range and resonance create a soundworld unlike anything else in contemporary guitar music. Melody\, harmony\, and deep sympathetic bass lines unfold together\, surrounding the listener in layers of sound that feel both ancient and alive. The programme moves between classical\, folk\, and original compositions\, shaped into music that feels less like a conventional concert and more like a shared experience. There is an echo of older traditions here — when musicians were storytellers\, and music carried memory\, place\, and meaning. The performance invites stillness and attention\, drawing audiences out of everyday time and into something slower and more elemental. \nRooted in an instrument with over 300 years of history\, the harp-guitar carries traces of early European music while opening up textures that feel strikingly modern. Pickard’s approach is immersive and cinematic\, allowing resonance and silence to work together. Audiences frequently describe a powerful sense of journey and transformation\, with BritishTheatre.com observing\, “In Pickard’s hands the ability of the instrument to teleport the listener is breath-taking.”\nEmotion lies at the centre of the music. The performances are quietly intense\, offering moments of reflection\, wonder\, and emotional depth. As The Fine Times Recorder writes\, “Beautiful\, atmospheric….profoundly emotional and spiritual…You want to close your eyes and let the pictures created by the musician take you.” \nWidely respected on both sides of the Atlantic\, Pickard is recognised as one of the foremost harp-guitarists of his generation. In 2025\, he won Best Guitar Composition at the Široki Brijeg Guitarist Festival\, affirming his voice as both composer and performer. Critics consistently highlight the rarity of the experience\, with Akustik Gitarre Magazine praising his playing as “almost unbelievable\, technically and stylistically.”
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m23-strings-of-light-secrets-of-the-harp-guitar/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Strings-of-Light-landscape.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260627T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260627T204000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20251218T155040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103555Z
UID:10000646-1782588600-1782592800@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M24: Strings Of Light (Secrets of the Harp-Guitar)
DESCRIPTION:International award-winning guitarist and composer Jon Pickard presents a rare and spellbinding performance on 23-string Harp-Guitars. Classical\, folk and original compositions. Shimmering textures\, lyrical storytelling. A truly immersive musical journey. “Weaves a flying carpet on the strings… almost unbelievable\, technically and stylistically.” — Akustik Gitarre Magazine.\nBar refreshments available. \nStrings Of Light will transport audiences back to a time when bards would play music and tell stories around a fire. The music creates atmosphere as much as it creates form\, surrounding the listener and encouraging imagination to take over. \nRooted in an instrument with over 300 years of history\, the harp-guitar carries echoes of early European traditions while revealing possibilities that still feel startlingly new. Many audience members describe a vivid sense of journey and transformation\, as quoted by BritishTheatre.com: “In Pickard’s hands the ability of the instrument to teleport the listener is breath-taking.” \nMusical storytelling lies at the centre of the programme. The music speaks directly\, offering moments of reflection\, wonder\, and stillness. The Fine Times Recorder describes it as “Beautiful\, atmospheric… profoundly emotional and spiritual… You want to close your eyes and let the pictures created by the musician take you.” Each piece becomes a space for personal interpretation\, where images and stories arise naturally in the mind. \nJon is respected on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the foremost harp guitarists of his generation\, both for his playing and his beautiful compositions. He designed both of his instruments himself (inspired by others)\, and still continues to work on new variants. \nCritics and venues consistently highlight the rarity of the experience itself:\n“A rare musical treat… a consummate musician… a sensitive and versatile player.” — Buxton Fringe \n“I have been involved with music all of my life and have never seen nor heard anything to match this. The harp guitar is really quite amazing and your mastery of it is simply staggering.” — The Old Theatre Royal\, Bath \nFor audiences seeking something authentic\, immersive\, and quietly powerful\, this performance offers a chance to reconnect with music as storytelling — intimate\, evocative and unforgettable.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m24-strings-of-light-secrets-of-the-harp-guitar/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Strings-of-Light-Image-Landscape1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260701T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260701T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260211T135802Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103554Z
UID:10000685-1782934200-1782939600@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event SW16: Sussex Folk Song and Folk Song Collectors
DESCRIPTION:Historian and folk singer Chris Hare will introduce the old folk songs of Sussex\, explaining their origin and meaning. He will also consider the Victorian and Edwardian folk songs collectors who saved so many old songs from oblivion. Chris will also be singing some of these ancient ballads.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw16-sussex-folk-song-and-folk-song-collectors/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Spoken word
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/chris-hare-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260708T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260708T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260211T140414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103552Z
UID:10000675-1783539000-1783544400@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event SW17: Sussex Rural Writers
DESCRIPTION:Between 1880 and 1914 there was a remarkable outpouring of prose and poetry that took Sussex\, and especially the South Downs\, as a point of inspiration. \nThis talk by Chris Hare will look at the work of Richard Jefferies\, W.H.Hudson\, Rudyard Kipling\, Sheila Kaye-Smith\, and many other writers who lived in or visited Sussex.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw17-sussex-rural-writers/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Art & Craft
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/hudson-and-jeffries.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260715T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260715T210000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260211T140652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103550Z
UID:10000667-1784143800-1784149200@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event SW22: All Change! How the Coming of the Railway changed Sussex Forever
DESCRIPTION:Before the railway came to Sussex in the 1840s\, the county was poor and underpopulated: after its arrival\, both prosperity and population increased. \nThis talk by Chris Hare will look at the new industries that sprang up and thrived\, and old ones that were revived.
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-sw22-all-change-how-the-coming-of-the-railway-changed-sussex-forever/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Spoken word
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sussex-rail.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260718T150000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260718T160000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260215T215740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103549Z
UID:10000641-1784386800-1784390400@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M54: Serene Sounds: Classical Music Sound Bath
DESCRIPTION:Serene Sounds blends soothing sound bath vibrations with classical voice and piano\, featuring music by Debussy\, Ravel and Strauss. Award-winning duo Eleanor Penfold (soprano) and Elena Toponogova (piano) lead this enchanting\, meditative experience. Lie back and immerse yourself in a beautiful sound bath of relaxing classical music. \nClassical soprano Eleanor Penfold has performed around the world from the Paris Opera to the BBC Proms. She will be joined by the mesmerising playing of concert pianist and chamber musician\, Elena Toponogova. \nA combination of voice andpiano with traditional instruments used for sound healing meditation will transport audiences to a place of relaxed focus. The audience will lie down on a candle-lit stage close to the performers\, providing a unique way of experiencing classical music. \nWhile some yoga mats are available\, we encourage you to bring yoga mats\, pillows and blankets to be as comfortable as possible. \n“The best & most relaxing way to end a hard week”; “Restorative”; “Enchanting”; “Regenerative” \nTickets for 15:00 session:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath-tickets-1983217608253?aff=oddtdtcreator \nTickets for 17:00 session:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath-tickets-1983219988372?aff=oddtdtcreator
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m54-serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/High-res-Serene-Sounds-Copyright-Kate-Kantur-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260718T170000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260718T180000
DTSTAMP:20260613T133356
CREATED:20260409T103548Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T103548Z
UID:10001166-1784394000-1784397600@festivalofchichester.co.uk
SUMMARY:Event M54: Serene Sounds: Classical Music Sound Bath
DESCRIPTION:Serene Sounds blends soothing sound bath vibrations with classical voice and piano\, featuring music by Debussy\, Ravel and Strauss. Award-winning duo Eleanor Penfold (soprano) and Elena Toponogova (piano) lead this enchanting\, meditative experience. Lie back and immerse yourself in a beautiful sound bath of relaxing classical music. \nClassical soprano Eleanor Penfold has performed around the world from the Paris Opera to the BBC Proms. She will be joined by the mesmerising playing of concert pianist and chamber musician\, Elena Toponogova. \nA combination of voice andpiano with traditional instruments used for sound healing meditation will transport audiences to a place of relaxed focus. The audience will lie down on a candle-lit stage close to the performers\, providing a unique way of experiencing classical music. \nWhile some yoga mats are available\, we encourage you to bring yoga mats\, pillows and blankets to be as comfortable as possible. \n“The best & most relaxing way to end a hard week”; “Restorative”; “Enchanting”; “Regenerative” \nTickets for 15:00 session:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath-tickets-1983217608253?aff=oddtdtcreator \nTickets for 17:00 session:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath-tickets-1983219988372?aff=oddtdtcreator
URL:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/event/event-m54-serene-sounds-classical-music-sound-bath-1700/
LOCATION:Chichester City Arts Centre\, Chichester City Arts Centre\, Mount Lane\, Chichester\, PO19 3DQ\, Chichester\, West Sussex\, PO19 3DQ\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://festivalofchichester.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/High-res-Serene-Sounds-Copyright-Kate-Kantur-1.png
END:VEVENT
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