Summer in Winchester

Join us for a sensational summer in Winchester district, with heaps of family fun, outdoor adventures and a festival season in full swing!

Over Winchester Gilbert Yates Photography 1 of 1

Unforgettable family days out

Start planning your summer holidays in Winchester with our jam-packed calendar of family friendly activities! Visit Winchester is your one-stop-shop for planning an unforgettable day out.

At Winchester Science Centre, enjoy summer bubble fun from 19 July to 3 September. Come and play with bubbles, dance with bubbles, explore nature’s bubbles and even get inside bubbles, all free with admission!

In a world-exclusive showcase, visit Marwell Zoo to see more than 20 awe-inspiring creatures crafted from over 2 million toy bricks. Extinction is running from 19 July to 7 September.

Step back in time at Historic Winchester venues across the city. Put your undercover Anglo-Saxon skills to the test, record your findings and earn your official Time Detective Agency badge at 878 AD from 19 July to 2 September.

Meanwhile, get transported back through time each week at City Museum. Solve history mysteries, get arty and crafty, and meet time travelling visitors on special days, from 19 July to 2 September. Find out more!

All aboard a fantastic Day Out With Thomas at The Watercress Line! From 5 to 10 August, don't miss your chance to take a ride behind Thomas, meet some of your favourite characters, and enjoy a trainload of excitement.

Theatre Royal Winchester is also putting on some fantastic family-friendly shows, including Spot's Birthday Party (22 - 24 July), Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians (9 August), and Fireman Sam Live (10 August).

Summer at Winchester Science Centre Harvey Mills

A festival season in full swing

Winchester's famously-fun festival season starts on 5 July with Hat Fair, a beloved street theatre festival that transforms the city into an open-air stage. This year, Hat Fair is also celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen with a hilarious walkabout show and a 9-foot tall Jane Austen puppet! The street festival is free to attend; simply wander through the city, taking in performances of song, dance, comedy, circus and more!

The summer months are also filled with celebrations of food and drink across the district. Make the most of A Taste of Winchester from 23 June to 6 July. The programme features a series of special events, tasting menus and offers celebrating the best of local flavours. Winchester is also proud to host the Foodies Festival on 18 to 20 July, serving up live music, live cooking demos and fantastic street food at the UK's largest celebration of food and drink.

Winchester's music festival scene is both eclectic and electric. The Grange Festival, 4 June to 6 July, showcases exceptional opera, dance, jazz and more, on a breath-taking English country estate. In a glorious market town, enjoy the family-friendly Wickham Festival, featuring live music on four stages plus a host of other entertainment from 31 July to 3 August. And just beyond the city is Boomtown, a unique, psychedelic festival and interactive theatre. You can expect a line-up that dances across musical genres, including reggae, punk, electronic, folk, and more from 6 to 8 August.

Hair Fair dancers Guildhall 2017 c Adrienne Photography

Explore Hampshire's great outdoors

Winchester district is the perfect place to dust off the cobwebs and get exploring outside. We've got plenty of walking trails - around the city, in the South Downs National Park, and in our charming market towns - so be sure to bring your walking boots with you when you visit!

Experience panoramic views of Winchester from St Catherine’s Hill, an iron age hill fort on the edge of the South Downs with this family-friendly trail. Or, you can carry on past Hockley Viaduct to The Bridge Inn in Shawford, an idyllic riverside pub offering delicious food and a stunning terrace.

If you are only in the city for the day and don’t want to miss a thing, the City Walk is the perfect place to start. You will meander along the bank of River Itchen towards Kingsgate Village. Stop here for some lunch at the award-winning Wykeham Arms, shop for books in the wonderfully quaint P&G Wells, and perhaps go for a tour of the medieval Winchester College.

For experienced walkers, the South Downs Way is the perfect route to explore some of the country’s most breath-taking scenery. The first stretch of the Way is from Winchester to Exton, a quaint village nestled in the South Downs National Park.

Whether you’re a family of seasoned ramblers looking for your next big hike or a city stroller wanting to take in the sights more sustainably, the Winchester district has something for everyone. Discover more in our guide to walking in Winchester.

Having fun on the South Downs credit South Downs National Park Authority med res

Perfect summer stays

Rest your head after a day of exploring Winchester district

What's on this summer?

Garden Tour at Jane Austen's House

Jane Austen's House

DATE: 15 Jul 2025 - 15 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 16th Jul 2025

Wild Wednesday: Beautiful Butterflies

Gilbert White's House

DATE: 30 Jul 2025 - 30 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 31st Jul 2025

A Natural History of Wonderland Trail

Gilbert White's House

DATE: 19 Jul 2025 - 7 Sept 2025

CLOSES: 10th Sept 2025

Horses and Wagons - a WW1 Living History Event

The Royal Logistic Corps Museum

DATE: 8 Aug 2025 - 10 Aug 2025

CLOSES: 11th Aug 2025

Gilbert White's Birthday

Gilbert White's House

DATE: 19 Jul 2025 - 19 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 20th Jul 2025

Free Drop-in Crafts at The AGC Museum

Winchester's Military Museums

DATE: 3 Jul 2025 - 6 Sept 2025

CLOSES: 7th Sept 2025

Wild Feasts at Ewhurst Park

Ewhurst Park

DATE: 12 Jul 2025 - 12 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 13th Jul 2025

A Taste of Winchester

DATE: 23 Jun 2025 - 6 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 6th Jul 2025

Spot's Birthday Party

Theatre Royal Winchester

DATE: 22 Jul 2025 - 24 Jul 2025

CLOSES: 25th Jul 2025

Play in 3 Days: Sherlock Holmes

Theatre Royal Winchester

DATE: 4 Aug 2025 - 6 Aug 2025

CLOSES: 7th Aug 2025

Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians & Vile…

Theatre Royal Winchester

DATE: 9 Aug 2025 - 9 Aug 2025

CLOSES: 10th Aug 2025

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