Chester offers a vibrant Arts & Entertainment programme spanning the whole year. The variety of festivals and events keeps growing year on year.
CHESTER.COM - WHAT'S ONFor full details of What's on in Chester please go to the web site link below.
If you would like your event listed free of charge, please e-mail info@chester.com.
Cheese Rolling Chester, 2008The Annual Cheese Rolling competition took place Tuesday 26th February.
4 teams including Made in Cheshire, Healers Cheese, Marcher Sound and Stilton Cheese Makers took part in this landmark competition
The 2008 winning team Made in Cheshire:
were Neil Bates Brasserie 10-16, Peter Clayton, Crabtree Cheese and Dave Clarke and Anthony Mullock Chester Cheese Shop.
Congratulations to Made in Cheshire on their fifth consecutive win.
For more information about other events happening over the Chester Food & Drink Festival please visit www.chesterfoodanddrink.com.
The Chester Film Festival is organised by the Chester Film Society.
Performances take place at the Little Theatre, Gloucester Street or at the Steam Mill, Steam Mill Street. Both venues are centrally located in Chester with parking facilities near by.
For further information telephone 07980 812 965 or 01244 371 750.
Held in the Spring of every year the Folk Festival showcases some of the biggest talent in the Folk Music world. The festival takes place annually over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend in the village of Kelsall, about 8 miles from Chester.
The dates for the next Chester Folk Festival are Friday 23rd May to Monday 26th May (Spring Bank Holiday Weekend) 2008
Chester Food and Drink Festival 2008The Chester Food and Drink Festival is now in it’s 7th year and takes place from 14 – 25 March. This year the Taste Festival will be held at the new venue of the Chester racecourse over the Easter weekend 22 – 24 March.
For 2008 there are more cooking demonstrations, more exhibitors, more tastings and seminars and more things for the kids to do.
Celebrity chefs attending this year are Simon Rimmer, Lotte Duncan and Mike Robinson
Chester and Cheshire is a wonderfully rich county for top quality produce and exhibitors will be out in force for you to enjoy their food and drink!
For more details visit the official Chester Food and Drink Festival 2008 website (www.chesterfoodanddrink.com)
Chester Mystery PlaysThe Chester Cycle of Mystery Plays is a unique blend of the sacred and secular performed only every five years in this 2000 year old walled city, here is a rare chance to witness the entire unfolding of the greatest story ever told.
The earliest reference to a Chester play performed by the guilds occurs in a document of 1422.
The next Mystery plays take place on Cathedral Green in the heart of Chester from JUNE 28th - JULY 19th 2008.
Chester Youth FringeThe Youth Fringe has been running since 1996 and is funded by Chester Festivals Ltd and through the Regional Arts Lottery Programme. We are committed to developing innovative, imaginative and enjoyable ways of giving young people (aged 12-21) opportunities to improve their creative and artistic skills through a variety of high quality workshops and events.
For further information please contact youthfringe@yahoo.co.uk
Lantern Parade (Christmas Street Festival)The Parade comprises staff and children from local schools, parents, individuals and community groups carrying lanterns made in special workshops, plus a Christmas marching band playing seasonal music.
In addition, Street Theatre and musicians, choirs, and other local music groups perform seasonal music including carols, Mediaeval and Renaissance pieces.
Midsummer/Winter Watch ParadesFirst held during the mayoralty of Richard Goodman in 1498, it was organised by the City Guilds and took place in the years when the famous Mystery Plays were not performed.
The Midsummer Watch Parade was revived in 1990. The Giants and Beasts were re-built by local schools and community groups and a spectacular new Merchants Mount was re-created. Every effort has been made to ensure the essential character of this unique Parade is as true to the original as possible.
There is a second chance to see some of the Summer Watch characters as they come together in December for the Winter Watch Parades, a smaller version with a Christmas feel including Cooks, chefs and Christmas puddings.
An environmental, art day at Grosvenor Park in July organised by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Chester City Council, arts and crafts plus music, a free day for all the family. A celebration designed to raise awareness of our environment through a variety of activities including arts, crafts, science, technology and fun.
For further information on next year’s event please contact Lee Greenhough at Bickley Hall Farm on 01948 820728.
The Chester & District Charity Dragon Boat FestivalDragon Boats are a giant Chinese canoes capable of holding up to 18 people at a time and we will be racing these on the River Dee on June 15th 2008.
Seventeen people (8 pairs of paddlers and a drummer) are made up of the team members, whilst the eighteenth person is a Dragon Boat Events Ltd. (www.dragonboatevents.com) qualified helm. Each Dragon boat team is usually made up of between 13 - 20 people (with reserves) and the dragon boat races are run throughout the day over a course of around 250 metres.
No previous experience is necessary as each team gets full instruction and training - and up to thirty teams will be competing on the day. Rather than have just the one race, each team will get three timed races - with their single best time then being used for qualification into the final round in the afternoon.
The grand final is a spectacular race in which the fastest teams will race together using all the available dragon boats. China trophies will be presented to the top three teams and special 'Olympic' style medals will be awarded to each member of the winning team.
As this is a charity fund raising event, each team member is tasked with raising a minimum £50+ to support their team's nominated charity (although £100 would be even better!).
Event: The Chester & District Charity Dragon Boat Festival
Date: 15th June 2008
Location: River Dee, Sandy Lane, Chester
Timings: 9:30am - 3:30 pm
Contact: Chester@dragonboatevents.com
Website: www.ChesterDragonBoatFestival.co.uk
