Winchester Hat Fair 2012

Winchester Hat Fair, Britain's longest running Festival of Street Theatre and Outdoor Arts, returns annually on the first weekend of July from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th July 2012. A crazy, colourful celebration of theatre and music, now in its 37th 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 Hat Fair takes over the whole of Winchester's ancient city centre.

Line-up

New spectaculars have been added to Friday night and to Sunday night, bringing the number of major evening shows to 3 instead of the usual one. Another addition to the enlarged programme sees performances in unusual venues around the city. These introduce ticketed shows for the first time, alongside the free events.

Ticketed Events

ShadyJane perform 'Sailing On' at an as yet undisclosed location in central Winchester with performances on all three days between 12pm and 7pm. Rotozaza perform 'Wondermart' at a mystery venue in central Winchester with performances on all three days between 12pm and 7pm.

Free Events

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

Friday:
Street theatre throughout the City Centre including the finale of Inside Out Heritage and a new area designed for under 5s and their families. Acts include: Blue Apple Theatre, Bright Shadow, Bureau of Silly Ideas, C-12 with Shaun Parker, Company Chameleon, Dizzy O'Dare, Fevered Sleep, Hampshire Dance, Jilted Pig, LOL Brothers, Mimbre, PanGottic, Ramshacklicious, Tilted, Tumble Circus, Upswing, Violent Tango, Wet Picnic from 11am - 5pm.

Close Act's 'Invasion' presents the mythical world of the giant'saurus'. The evening comes alive with prehistoric creatures until a magical song eventually calms and controls the animals' wild forays, including 5m high, 7m long saurus's, a singer and the dark 'Wicca', but also fire performers who add flashes of colour to an already anarchic event. The Broadway at 8.30pm.

Saturday:
Street theatre acts include: Blue Apple Theatre, Bright Shadow, Bureau of Silly Ideas, C-12 with Shaun Parker, Company Chameleon, Dizzy O'Dare, Fevered Sleep, Hampshire Dance, Jilted Pig, LOL Brothers, Mimbre, PanGottic, Ramshacklicious, Tilted, Tumble Circus, Upswing, Violent Tango, Wet Picnic. Look out for The Big Dance, under 5s area and 'time out' zone from 12pm - 6pm.

Tea Dance with Ragroof Dance Theatre, with to live music on the Broadway, which has been carpeted and provided with furniture as an 'outdoor living room' for the occasion. The Broadway from 6pm - 9.30pm.

French company Generik Vapeurs' new 'Waterlitz' show includes an explosive display of pyrotechnics, breath-taking aerial stunts and a 30m high giant made of shipping containers. King George V Playing Fields from 9.30pm. Cancelled on safety grounds.

Sunday:
The Hat Fair Picnic, a variety of acts perform, including: Amazing Camera Obscura, Arizona Jones, Bikeboy, Bright Shadow, Crazy Golf, Happy Stars, Juggling Jake, Las Cossas Nostra, Magmanus, Oz Star, Tumble Circus Jilted Pig, Mimbre, PanGottic, Ramshacklicious, Bright Shadow. At Oram's Arbour from 12pm - 5pm.

Square Peg Circus's 'Rime' a new production based around Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' told by combining acrobatics, human towers, sea song and story, at River Park from 7pm - 8pm.

Tickets

Tickets and full information available from the Box Office at Theatre Royal Winchester, 01962 840440. To buy tickets, click here.

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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