Basingstoke Festival

09/10/2026

Join former Willis Museum manager Jenny Stevens for an informative talk on food from the past!

🦚 Sunday Tea & Talk -Medieval Tudor Food - Pottage & Peacocks

Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery
Sunday 25 October
£7 per person
https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/sunday-tea-talk-medieval-tudor-food-pottage-peacocks-jenny-stevens

Are you curious about what we were eating during one of the most turbulent times in our history?

Film and television may give the impression that we lived off stuffed boars heads 🐗 or turnips🫜, all consumed with a complete lack of table manners and followed strict rules laid down by the church - but is that the truth?

Join Jenny Stevens for a look behind the myths of what our Medieval and Tudor ancestors were eating!

Book Now! https://buff.ly/Pj17ocs

You can also book in person in the museum café!

06/10/2026

Congratulations and best of luck to the finalists in the Creative and Cultural Business of the Year category in the Inspire Business Awards 2026!

⭐ Azure Art Academy
⭐ Scratch Built Productions
⭐ Sian Storey Art
⭐ The Pop Star Party - The Pop Star Academy

The INSPIRE Business Awards from Destination Basingstoke showcase business success, innovation and achievement and celebrates outstanding achievements, connection, and community spirit.

05/10/2026

🎨 New art and craft club for teens in Basingstoke!🎨

📍 Kings Café, South Ham,
📅 Tuesdays during term time
⏰ 6pm to 7.30pm
🎟️ £4 per session

Creative Connections is a new art and craft group for 12 to 16 year olds, it offers a supportive space to explore creativity, build confidence and express themselves through hands-on projects.

To find out more and book a place, email Emma at: [email protected]

02/10/2026

✨ What a summer. What a festival. What a community✨

Basingstoke Festival 2026 brought people together across the borough, celebrating 15 years of creativity, culture and community spirit with spectacular performances and unforgettable moments over three weekends.

Our highlights video captures the magic of the festival, showcasing the incredible artists and performers who inspired us, the audiences who embraced every moment (and the heat!) and the shared experiences that made this year's festival so special.

A huge thank you to every artist, volunteer, partner and ‘festival-goer’ who helped make it happen. What a way to start summer….

🎥 Watch the highlights video and relive an unforgettable summer of culture, creativity and community.

Thank you for being part of the story.

🩵What were your favourite moments? 🩵


Without Walls UK | Tit for Tat | Mr Wilson's Second Liners | Fit Up Productions | Scratch Built Productions | Autin Dance Theatre | Gandini Juggling | Junk Jodie Art and Storytelling | Pirates of the Carabina | Artizani | Highly Sprung Performance | Last Baguette | NoFit State | One Tenth Human

01/10/2026

🥁 We've paraded to it 🎪 We've gasped to it
😂 We've laughed to it🥹We've welled up to it
💃 We've absolutely danced to it 🎤We've sung along to it
🎶 We've even had a go at creating it!

Over the years, Basingstoke Festival has been filled with music that's provided the soundtrack to so many magical festival moments, here's just a few of these moments to celebrate on !

💭 What have been your favourite music moments at Basingstoke Festival?

Image 1 - The Journey from Perhaps Contraption (Festival 2025)
Image 2 - Patois by Jeanefer Jean-Charles (Festival 2025)
Image 3 - Bamboo from NoFit State (Festival 2026)
Image 4 - Philharmonia Orchestra (Festival 2025)
Image 5 - Mr Wilson's Second Liners (Festival 2026)
Image 6 - The Juke Boxes from Bootworks Theatre Company (Festival 2021)
Image 7 - Distant Drums from Whispered Tales (Festival 2022)
Image 8 - Serving Sounds from Working Boys Club (Festival 2024)
Image 9 - Sound Garden from Orchestra of Objects (Festival 2024)
Image 10 - Basingstoke Festival opening parade (Festival 2022)

Festival

29/09/2026

🐁Family Theatre Show, The Tailor of Gloucester is coming to Basingstoke Discovery Centre & Overton Library - Hampshire County Council 🐁

Four fabulous actor-musicians bring Beatrix Potter’s beautiful story to dazzling new life.

With live music, inventive puppetry, and a wardrobe of surprises, the story whirls into the twenty-first century, reimagined against the glamorous, high-pressure world of fashion.

Friday 6 November at 11am
Price: £5
Find out more information and tickets available at:
https://shop.hants.gov.uk/products/the-tailor-of-gloucester-family-theatre-show-basingstoke-discovery-centre-friday-6th-november-2026-11-00am

🐁Four fabulous actor-musicians bring Beatrix Potter’s beautiful story to dazzling new life, retold through the eyes of the resourceful mice who live between the hems and stitches. With live music, inventive puppetry, and a wardrobe of surprises, the story whirls into the twenty-first century, reimagined against the glamorous, high-pressure world of fashion.

🎟 Book tickets: https://shop.hants.gov.uk/products/the-tailor-of-gloucester-family-theatre-show-basingstoke-discovery-centre-friday-6th-november-2026-11-00am

Farnham Maltings

21/09/2026

Did you miss the 'Basingstoke in the 90s' exhibition at The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery? Don't worry - there's still a chance for you to reminisce on our town during the 90s!

Due to popular demand, a selection of photographs and memories from the exhibition into the downstairs display!

You can see the 'I Grew Up 90s' until Sunday 1 November.
https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/i-grew-90s-exhibition

Did you miss our 'Basingstoke in the 90s' exhibition?

Don't worry - there's still a chance for you to reminisce on our town during the 90s!

Due to popular demand, we have added a selection of photographs and memories from the exhibition into the downstairs display!

You can see this until 'I Grew Up 90s' ends on Sunday 1 November

https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/i-grew-90s-exhibition

18/09/2026

🧸If you loved 'The Magical Toy Hospital' at Basingstoke Festival this summer (or if you didn't get a chance to catch it) then you're in luck as Scratch Built Productions are bringing an extended version of the show to Proteus Creation Space this October half term.

📅 Monday 26 October
⏰ Shows at 11am, 2pm and 4pm
📍 Proteus Creation Space, Basingstoke

An experience of two parts, beginning with a show that blends physical theatre, comedy and puppetry, followed by a fully immersive medical role-play and an interactive personalised experience for every child!

Find out more and book tickets at:
https://www.ticketsource.com/proteus-theatre/the-magical-toy-hospital/e-ljeeqe

15/09/2026

🗣️Upcoming Poetry and Spoken Word Open Mic event with BSK Poets!

Whether you'd like to perform, listen, write, or simply enjoy an afternoon of creativity, everyone is welcome.

Join Basingstoke Discovery Centre & Overton Library - Hampshire County Council and BSK Poets for an afternoon celebrating creativity through words and images.

📍Basingstoke Discovery Centre
📅Saturday 26 September from 2pm
ℹ️Free, one ticket per person
Book your free ticket at:
https://shop.hants.gov.uk/products/poetry-and-spoken-word-open-mic-with-bsk-poets-basingstoke-discovery-centre-saturday-26th-september-2026-2-00pm

Age guidance: 11+

Join us for an afternoon celebrating creativity through words and images at Basingstoke Discovery Centre. An open mic for all, whether you're an experienced performer or stepping up to the microphone for the first time, this is a friendly and supportive space to share your poetry and spoken word.

Find out more and book free tickets: https://shop.hants.gov.uk/products/poetry-and-spoken-word-open-mic-with-bsk-poets-basingstoke-discovery-centre-saturday-26th-september-2026-2-00pm

14/09/2026

Does your child/ teenager love all things arty? 🫟 Take a look at the Creative Club with Scratch Built Productions.

📅 Tuesdays, term time at Proteus Creation Space.

CREATIVE CLUB FOR AGES 8-16

Does your child/ teenager love all things arty? Bring them down to join us at The Creative Club! ✏️🎨
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The perfect place for both children and parents to socialise, learn, make, free their imagination and most importantly have fun.
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There are only a handful of seats left so if this sounds like your kind of place, book your spot online to join us today!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/autumn-term-4-week-creative-club-workshop-for-ages--8