Festivals in Wiltshire

With the festival season just around the corner, Wiltshire welcomes you to enjoy its vibrant programme of exciting events, taking place across the county. From music and history to food and drink, here are our top festivals taking place in Wiltshire over the next few months...

Music Festivals

Taking place throughout the spring and summer season, Wiltshire welcomes a range of festivals dedicated to music, dance and performing arts…

Chippenham Folk Festival: 24 – 27 May

Building on the huge success of the 2023 festival, Chippenham Folk Festival returns this spring. Enjoy over 200 artists and performers from across the UK and beyond, as Chippenham turns into a blaze of colour, music, dance, fun and laughter.

Salisbury International Arts Festival: 26 May – 9 June

Join many others in introducing the original Salisbury Giant to a new friend, Patch, at this year’s Salisbury International Arts Festival. Parading down Milford Street, music, dance, and song will bring Patch into the Market Square, welcoming the start of the City Encounters weekend, commencing the two-week festival.

Iford Manor Jazz Festival: 20 – 23 June

With music gently wafting over the garden, discover the woodlands, Japanese Garden, cloister and so much more at Iford Manor Jazz Festival. Musicians will be located across the garden with performances at different times and places throughout, a rare opportunity to enjoy a unique picnic experience in the garden.

Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts (DOCA)

Taking place throughout the year, experience some of the region’s most spectacular events from Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts. Bringing the local community and visitors together, experience a range of well-loved events from carnivals, international street festivals and lantern parades. This year’s dates include:

• Picnic in the Park: 14 July
• Carnival: 31 August
• Confetti Battle & Colour Rush: 14 September

Forest Live at Westonbirt Arboretum: 12 July

Held in the beautiful landscape of Westonbirt, Forest Live offers the perfect summer evening experience with friends and family. Renowned for their relaxed atmosphere and spectacular backdrops, enjoy a range of musical guests including Nile Rodgers, Deco and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

WOMAD Festival: 25 – 28 July

Set in Charlton Park every July is WOMAD’s Festival. Discover a world without borders, a global fiesta of music, food, dance, and art. Celebrating in over 27 countries, join the global community and celebrate the world on your doorstep.

Edington Music Festival: 18 – 25 August

Celebrating the extraordinary work of the 12^th Century Benedictine Abbess, Sain, mystic, poet and composer Hildegard of Bingen, Edington Music Festival marks the 845^th anniversary of her death with performances of one or two of her compositions, along with church music across the centuries.

Food and Drink Festivals

Taste the very best of Wiltshire by enjoying the county’s food and drink festivals…

Swindon Cheese and Chilli Festival: 6 – 7 July

Swindon’s Cheese and Chilli Festival is set to spice up the summer, with highlights including a chilli eating competition, food challenges, cooking demonstrations, entertainment and much more! The Cheese and Chilli Festival offers a fantastic family event.

Taste Salisbury

Taking place towards the end of the year is the annual Taste Salisbury, a city-based food festival, celebrating the best that Salisbury has to offer! Coinciding with Harvest, you can enjoy a deliciously packed four-day programme of events and activities.

Historic Festivals

Learn more about Wiltshire’s famous past with a range of historic festivals taking place up and down the county…

Chalke History Festival

Immerse yourself in a lively festival brimming with stimulating talks, engaging panels and enthralling performances at this years Chalke History Festival. This event uniquely combines over 150 talks from some of the best-known experts on a vast array of subjects from ancient to modern day history, alongside an interactive living history programme led by some of the most popular TV historians.

Swindon Festival of Literature: 6 – 12 May

Visit Swindon at the beginning of May for a week of historic events, celebrating over 30 years of the town’s Festival of Literature. Hear from a range of authors and discover more about the fascinating and insightful world of literature and writing.

Swindon Railway Festival: 14 – 15 September

This year’s Swindon Railway Festival returns to STEAM Museum this September. Experience the amazing detail of over 20 of the UK’s finest model railway layouts that will be uniquely displayed alongside iconic Swindon-built locomotives. Featuring special exhibitions including Magnificent Model Railways, Dynamic Demonstrations, and family activities.

Other Festivals

Wiltshire offers a range of unique festivals, providing exciting experiences for all ages…

Corsham Walking Festival: 7 – 9 June

Join many others for Corsham’s 10^th Walking Festival this summer. Showcasing a variety of guided walks, catering to all abilities, discover everything this town has to offer, from Ancient Parishes and Manor Houses to Rural Heritage and Beautiful Countryside.

North Wessex Downs Walking Festival: 31 May – 9 June

The North Wessex Downs National Landscape first became a protected landscape in 1972 and now, you can celebrate the anniversary each year by exploring over 25 walking trails. Discover wildlife, history, and culture as you soak up some of the most breath-taking views from atop the downs.

Malmesbury Carnival and Festival

Taking place at the end of Summer, Malmesbury Carnival and Festival provides a full-blown programme of events, finishing with the showpiece event, Carnival Procession at the beginning of September. Featuring open gardens, the scarecrow trail, competitions, music and much more.

Plan your visit to Wiltshire this festival season…