Chester Festival of Ideas

Date
Thursday, 02 July 2026 - Sunday, 05 July 2026
Time
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Location
Various
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On CampusCommunityChester Ideas

The Festival of Ideas is a city-wide celebration of creativity, curiosity and community.
Join us for four days of free public events that explore Chester’s past, present and future – through inspiring talks, interactive workshops, performances, exhibitions and more. Created by the University of Chester with city partners, the Festival invites everyone to take part in shaping ideas that matter.

Book your FREE tickets here!

This year’s headline events include David Baddiel, Mariella Frostrup, Greg Jenner, Mya-Rose Craig and Gary Younge – tickets for all events are free, but we do encourage booking to secure your seat.

To make it easier for you to find the best events for you, we’ve organised this year’s events into themes – click on the links below to view a tailored list of events or browse the whole programme here.

  1. Art and literature
  2. Curious about Chester
  3. Get creative!
  4. Healthy living
  5. Historical wonders
  6. Inclusive societies
  7. Our natural world
  8. Power and politics
  9. Scientific discovery
  10. Thriving at work