Canterbury Festival 2025

Canterbury Festival 2025 is here!

Canterbury Festival’s 2025 programme has landed, brimming with world-class performances, thought-provoking talks, family fun, and unforgettable cultural moments in Canterbury from 17 October to 1 November. From classical masterworks to cutting-edge performance, literary legends to global music icons, this year’s festival is set to inspire and engage audiences of all ages with a vibrant lineup featuring over 120 events across the historic city. 

• This year’s headliner’s include Imelda May who returns with an intimate evening of music, poetry and storytelling (25 Oct).
• Dame Evelyn Glennie teams up with the New London Chamber Ensemble in Sound Unbound, a sonic journey of percussion and wind brilliance (17 Oct).
• Richard Ayoade shares insights from his witty new book, Afterthoughts with special guest chair Bob Mortimer (29 Oct).
• The Sixteen explore the music of Arvo Pärt and William Byrd with The Deer’s Cry (18 Oct) and The Tallis Scholars lead a rousing festival finale marking 400 years since the death of Orlando Gibbons (1 Nov) at Canterbury Cathedral.
• Mercury-nominated folk singer, BBC Radio 4 broadcaster and environmentalist Sam Lee performs songs from his critically acclaimed album Songdreaming (30 Oct).
• Canterbury Sound heroes Caravan (26 Oct) visit the city with acoustic renditions of their much-loved hits and Newton Faulkner (1 Nov) takes to the stage with the warmth, heart and passion that he is famous for.
• Kaleider’s interactive theatre production The Money (23–25 Oct) takes up residence at the City’s Guildhall Council Chambers – blending entertainment with ethical dilemmas – Canterbury audiences will be challenged to democratically decide how to spend a pot of cash before time runs out. 
• Gandini Juggling’s Smashed (20 – 21 Oct) delivers wit, precision and crockery mayhem as seven men and two women juggle their way through fraying relationships, 100 apples and a box of cups and saucers.  
• Comedy fans can enjoy appearances by Alistair McGowan, Troy Hawke, Elf Lyons with her Edinburgh Festival hit Horses, and Kiell Smith-Bynoe with his hit improv show Kool Story Bro.
• Star of Paddington and Downton Abbey Hugh Bonneville (26 Oct) celebrates the power of reading with his first children’s book.

The 2025 Talks and Literature programme is bigger than ever featuring over 25 events. Highlights include best-selling novelist Sebastian Faulks discussing his new book Fires Which burned Brightly (24 Oct), former President of the Supreme Court Lady Hale (23 Oct) proving the law is relevant to all of us, and top-selling historian Alison Weir exploring her new book Queens at War (23 Oct).

Priority booking for Festival Friends is open now and general booking opens on Tuesday 12 August at 11am. 

Explore the full programme HERE (digital brochure) or the what’s on page.

Venue details