Mon 18 | Tues 19 | Weds 20 | Thurs 21 | Fri 22 | Sat 23 | Sun 24 | Mon 25

 

Roundheads & Cavaliers - The Guildhall

11.00am – 3.30pm

£1.50 for activities

Which side will you be on?

Learn about the roundheads and the cavaliers and how they fought around Leicester during the Civil War. Make yourself a hat or helmet and compete in the quizzes and trails that will lead you around this historic building.

 

 

 

Children’s Art & Craft Morning - St Mary de Castro Church

10.00am – 12 noon

Drop in and enjoy a cup of tea while we entertain the children or feel free to join in with a wide variety of art and craft activities. Suitable for children aged 2-12 years.

 

“Baby Prom” - St Mary de Castro Church

11.00am – 11.15am

As part of the Children’s Art and Craft Morning, a strolling minstrel will present a collection of early musical instruments, with some available for children to try. Enjoy an informal concert for 2-12 year olds, with special emphasis on the 2-7 year age group.

 

Family Organ Recital: Colours of the Organ  - St Mary de Castro Church

12.30pm - 1.00pm

A light hearted introduction to the organ - suitable for all. 

 

Guided Walk: Nasty Normans, Savage Saxons, Rubbishing Romans - Meet outside St Mary de Castro Church

2.00pm 

They came, they saw, they conquered. Come and find out about Roman bath times, Saxon warrior queens and Norman castles – all here in the city. A responsible adult must accompany all children.

      

Organ Recital - Leicester Cathedral

8.00pm

£7.00 tickets (available at the door)

An evening of beautiful organ music with Johnannes Goetz from St Peter's Freiburg, Germany.

                 

 

Teddy Bears’ Picnic - Newarke Houses Museum

11.00am – 3.30pm

£1.50 for craft activities

Meet the Newarke Houses Bear! Bring along your own bear and picnic and take part in craft activities, face painting and enter the competition for the biggest and smallest bear. Refreshments available.

 

Family Organ Recital: Colours of the Organ  - St Mary de Castro Church

12.30pm - 1.00pm

A light hearted introduction to the organ - suitable for all. 

 

 

Children’s Art & Craft Morning - St Mary de Castro Church

10.00am – 12 noon

Enjoy a morning of craft, storytelling and other activities with John the Jester and Mop the Musician. Make a shield, design your flag or coat of arms, create some jewellery and welcome the new King Henry VI. Follow a history trail to win a prize. Hear how Richard III came to a tragic end...was his body really thrown into the river...all this and much more.

 

Medieval Fun Fayre - The Guildhall

11.00am - 3.30pm

£1.50 for activities

Join Sylvesta the Jester for Medieval fun and games as he entertains us with his mandola, jokes and funny stories. Join in with arts, crafts, storytelling, face painting and trails around the museum.

 

 

Guided Walk: Dastardly Deeds & Dreadful Punishments - Meet outside St Mary de Castro Church

2.00pm

Hear tales of rogues, vagabonds, thieves and murderers through the ages. A responsible adult must accompany all children.

 

Have a go Pottery Workshop - Jewry Wall Museum

2.00pm - 4.00pm

Suitable for aged 8 and over

Pre booking essential.

 

Castle Park Lecture: The Newarke Past & Present - Newarke Houses Museum

7.30pm

£4.00 tickets (price includes wine)

Leicester historian, Cynthia Brown, explores the history of The Newarke from its origins as Earl Henry's 'New Work' in the 14th century to the present day. Discover its customs and legends, monuments and buildings and the people who shaped it over the centuries.

The lecture will be followed by a tour of the museum.

Pre booking essential.

 

Carol Palmer & Chloe Vaughan - The Criterion, Mill Lane

8.00pm

Acoustic show and real ale bar.

 

 

All Along The Empire - Jewry Wall Museum

11.30am - 3.30pm

From Roman Africa and trade with India to the controlling power of Imperial Rome itself, discover how Roman Leicester was influenced by the far reaches of the Empire and beyond. Includes the opportunity to handle real and replica objects, take part in exciting activities and the chance for children aged 8-11 and 12-16 to submit their entry for the national Young Archaeologist of the Year Award 2008.

 

 

Guided Walk: Richard III: The Last White Rose - Meet at Cathedral Fountain

2.00pm

Richard III is a king who arouses strong feelings in most people. Was he evil or misunderstood? To discover the truth, join this guided walk around the places connected with his last visit to Leicester.

Limited places, booking essential.

 

Cider & Cheese Festival - The Swan & Rushes, Infirmary Square

5.00pm - 12.00pm

 

Gourmet's Delight - The Guildhall

7.30pm

£8.00/£6.00 tickets (includes programme & refreshments, accompanied children free)

The Longslade Consort present an aperitif of Medieval music, an entree of renaissance and a main course of baroque. Instruments include shawm, gemshorn, crumhorns, curtal, recorders and spinet. A light-hearted feast of music and a concert for all of the family.

 

 

All Saints Tour - All Saints Church

10.30am

A rare opportunity to go inside this now closed church and explore its history and architecture. Tea or coffee and biscuits will be provided at the end.

 

Coffee Morning & Organ Recital - St Nicholas Church

10.30am – 12.30pm followed by an Organ Recital at 11am - 11.45am

Join us for refreshments in Leicester’s oldest church, dating from approximately 800 A.D. Enjoy a wide range of popular organ music by Ian Imlay, our acclaimed organist of over 48 years. The church will remain open all day for visitors.

 

Civil War Event - Newarke Houses Museum

11.00am - 3.30pm

£1.50 for craft activities

Watch the Civil War re-enactors travel back in time to the 1640's and witness the amazing birds of prey in the falconry displays. Take part in craft activities and make your own princess crown or sword. Refreshments available.

 

 

Refreshments - St Mary de Castro Church

11.00am - 5.00pm

Tea, coffee, cold drinks, snacks, sandwiches and cakes will be available.

 

The Andy Griffiths Acoustic Combo - Phoenix Arts Cafe

12.30pm

Highly acclaimed Leicester based singer/songwriter Andy Griffiths has built a dedicated following and attracted enthusiastic reviews following the release of his debut CD. Strawberry Girl, in 2004 and the follow up, Astrovertigo, in 2006. Andy is a thoughtful songwriter with a delicate touch and the ability to deliver killer lines within his superb songs.

 

Tours of Leicester Castle - Meet in Castle Yard

2.00pm, 3.00pm, 4.00pm

View Leicester's historic Castle including the cells and and Norman undercroft. Please wear suitable footwear, as there are steep steps to climb. This is a free event, but tickets must be obtained in advance from Newarke Houses Museum.

 

Oli Dickenson - The Criterion, Mill Lane

3.00pm

Acoustic session

 

Ghost Vigil - The Guildhall

8.00pm - 3.00am

£40.00 tickets

Spend the evening looking for the Guildhall ghosts, as soon on Living TV's 'Most Haunted'. Fight your fears as the shadows close in within the ancient rooms of this haunted building. Guided by a parapsychologist, enjoy an evening that will make even the staunchest sceptic think twice. No unaccompanied children, age limit 16 years and above. No alcohol to be brought onto the premises.

Booking essential.

 

 

Mosaic Boat Trips - Mile Straight, opposite Castle Gardens

11.00am - 4.00pm

Free event (limited spaces)

 

Live Jazz with The Cool Ensemble - Colourworks Restaurant (outside), Westbridge Close

12 noon

 

Open Day at St Mary’s - St Mary de Castro Church

12.30pm - 4.00pm

Visit this historic church, dating from shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Refreshments: Tea, coffee, cold drinks, snacks, sandwiches and cakes will be available.

 

High Streets Old & New - BBC Radio Leicester (outside), St Nicholas Circle

2.00pm

The development of Leicester from a medieval market town to a city of commerce is best shown by comparing the old High Street (Highcross Street) with its modern-day counterpart. Discover 1000 years of history as we travel from Highcross Street to 'Highcross Quarter'.

 

Puppet Show - Castle Gardens

2.00pm - 4.00pm

Robin Hood - a clinking clanking puppet play! Complete with fascinating animatronic puppets, clog-dancers and a medieval band.

 

 

 

Walkabout performers, Sylvesta the Jester, Pongo the eight foot odobee bird and a huge dragon - it must be the Castle Park Festival Family Fun Day!

 

Bill Brookman and friends are bringing along a dragon...and its huge...and it needs a lair to live in...and thats where you come in! Children can decorate the lair and then make the dragon dance and perform in the Mummers Play - St George and the Dragon!

 

Escafeld Medieval Society provide a taste of 13th century life with an authentic tournament with combating knights, dancing, talks and demonstrations.

 

While away the afternoon by taking a narrow boat ride or by listening to music from around the world performed by local artists. The more energetic can take part in maypole dancing, accompanied by a live band.

 

The ever-popular Woodland Fun Show lets children and adults play giant Jenga, make music on the log xylophone, test their skills on the pole lathe or contribute to a giant mural.

 

The live acoustic music tent is the venue for the Farside 2 Acoustic Collective who are based at The Y Theatre. Woodstock, the Leicester based band, provide the finale to the day, paying tribute to 1960's and 70's American west coast music and artists including CSN, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and many more.

 

The day also includes a wonderful display of wild birds, a Robin Hood puppet play (complete with animatronic puppets, clog-dancers and medieval band), Have-A-Go Circus skills, Leicester City Libraries Book Bus (including story-telling sessions) a real ale beer tent and much more.

 

 

The Jain Centre 20th Anniversary Open Day - Jain Centre

10.30am, 2.30pm, 6.00pm (guided tours)Entertainment at 7.00pm, Refreshments at 7.45pm

Discover the largest Jain Temple outside of India, a place of worship and a community gathering space. After eight years of development, the Jain Centre opened in 1988. Since then it has deservedly held the position as one of the most magnificent buildings in Leicester. The temple area is made up of 44 pillars, 13 arches and a dome, all beautifully carved following the Jain architectural tradition.

 

Live Jazz with Hopscotch Boulevard - Colourworks Restaurant (outside), Westbridge Close

12 noon

 

 

Show of Hands Concert - The Cathedral

8.00pm (Doors open at 7.30pm)

£16.00/£14.00 tickets

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England. Knightley, who writes most of their inspired material and Beer, a dazzling multi-instrumentalist, have built up a huge following which has seen them twice sell out the Albert Hall, headlining at major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD and playing all over the world, from Europe to America, Australia and India. Voted Best Live Act by the public at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

"Formidable operators in the roots arena. A class act" The Independent.