Winchester Hat Fair 2011

Winchester Hat Fair, Britain's longest running Festival of Street Theatre and Outdoor Arts, returns annually on the first weekend of July. A crazy, colourful celebration of theatre and music, now in its 36th year, where entertainers perform voluntarily in exchange for money to be thrown into their hats. Supported by local businesses, colleges and organisations, this FREE festival takes place in the city centre.

Line-up

Friday: A taste of the weekend ahead - performances, activities and workshops centred around the High Street and Cathedral Green. Double dance bill early evening Scarabeus/Candoco and Cie Beau Geste. The Hat Club opens from 8pm-late. Saturday and Sunday: No Fit State Circus, Red Herring Productions 'That's The Way To Do It', Wet Picnic Time for Tea, Secret Garden Roustabout Theatre Co. present 'Calling all young gardeners', Jon Hicks, Hoodwink 'Leap of Faith ', Charli Encor, Fraser Hooper– Boxing, Stickleback Plasticus 'Cat’s Chorus', Les Apostrophés 'Passage Désemboîté', Juggling Jake, Thingumajig Theatre 'Hippochondriac', Plunge Boom 'The Vegetable Nannies', Magmanus, Dizzy O'Dare 'From the Inky Deep + Tiny Traveling Tightwire Show', The River People'Little Matter', Beautiful Creatures –'Airquarium', Weirdy Beardies, Matt Pang, Derek Mcallister, Bamboozled Productions 'Enrico - The Strange', Estelle Rosenfeld 'Run Turtle Run', Mu Teatro Muamba, The Space Cowboy, Ernest the Magnifico, Camera Obscura, Abraham Thill 'Diabolirium', Scarabeus Heartland, Ragroof Theatre Company 'Ragroof Tea Dance', 'Strictly Dumb Prancing', and Cie Beau Geste.

In addition, the programme includes innovative community and education projects including Inside Out Day on Thursday, culminating in a procession through the city, where local school children 'knock on the doors' of civic buildings, asking senior representatives of the City to ask any questions they wish.

Friday is traditionally the unofficial 'Festival Warm up Day' and Schools Day, with a colourful procession of over 1000 children in costume with music and dance, culminating in outdoor theatre, circus and craft workshops in the grounds of the cathedral.

Over the weekend there will be some wonderful and interactive Installations around the town, walkabout acts, shows, and more.

Accommodation

This event does not have camping, although there are campsites and accommodation in the immediate area.

More info

For more details, please see the Hat Fair website.

More information will be here when available.

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