Are you a newbie to Basingstoke Festival? Or maybe you’ve caught the odd performance when you’ve been in town shopping in the past. We’ve put together a guide so you can make the most this year’s festival – maybe spend the day or even a weekend soaking up the entertainment.

What is Basingstoke Festival?

Heard of it but not sure what it is? Basingstoke Festival showcases international and national arts and cultural organisations alongside a number of local artists. You’ll find outdoor art performances in theatre, live music, dance, circus, acrobatics and much more in locations across Basingstoke and Deane.

The Festival runs from Friday 20 June to Sunday 6 July with free street theatre across the three weekends taking place in the town centre and across Basingstoke and Deane. 

Whether you have just an hour or a whole day to spare, Basingstoke Festival has something for everyone. You can drop in for a single performance if you're short on time, or spend the day wandering through town and discovering a vibrant mix of outdoor arts. The Basingstoke Festival team carefully schedules performances to make it easy for you to enjoy more than one during your visit. While the weather is usually on our side, occasional rain may affect the schedule—so be sure to check the Basingstoke Festival social media pages for the latest updates. To see the full programme and plan your visit, head over to the Basingstoke Festival website.

This year’s must see acts

The festival starts on Friday 20 June with a celebratory opening parade through Basingstoke town centre and down to the amphitheatre outside Festival Place where you can catch performances. If you fancy joining the fun, then it’s best to head to Market Place by the Willis Museum to see it. Then follow the back of the parade to the Amphitheatre where the celebrations peak, with multi-award-winning brass band, Perhaps Contraption, leading the way. You'll then be treated to a breathtaking aerial performance by the internationally acclaimed Autin Dance Theatre. Don’t miss the première of their new dance piece, it promises to be a stunning end to the first night.

The first weekend of Basingstoke Festival is packed with nine shows! You can catch Caspian’s Storm, The Great Crabtastrophe from LAStheatre outside Willows Coffee House on Cross Street (you may recognise this theatre company from Basingstoke Festival in 2022 with the fantastic Rascally Diner!) Moo-ve over to Eastrop Park for a farm-life inspired circus spectacle, Farm Yard Circus. In War Memorial Park join local favourite Junk Jodie with her brand new show in the Eco-Zone. Did you catch that? Yep, this year you can enjoy a new Eco-Zone focussed on all things green and sustainable. Along with Bee Insect-AZING from Junk Jodie you’ll find The Urban Picnic and The Untold Story of the Big Bad Wolf. Also, if you didn’t see Autin Dance Theatre's Up in the Sky on opening night or want to see it again, then head along to the Amphitheatre to enjoy this spectacle!

On the second weekend the festival welcomes Chad Taylor to War Memorial Park with Closer to my Dreams, a performance which weaves together poetry, rap and hip-hop choreography.  Head to Cross Street for Patois, a joyful celebration of cultures, stories and generations of the past. Children and their families can enjoy a charming, playful theatre experience The Whale. Catch this act in the town centre next to the Wote Street Club on Saturday 28 June, then on Sunday 29 June in Oakridge Hall for All.

Another family favourite, Now I Am Become d/Deaf (Destroyer of Words), is a physical comedy with eccentric juggling, find this performance on London Street on Saturday 28 June and ‘Out and About’ in Bishop’s Green on Sunday 29 June.

On the third weekend you’ll find Simple Cypher, a festival favourite returning to Eastrop Park with their brand new show SNFDX. For something completely different head over to make some Noisy, Noise, Noise with Working Boys Club, a playful sound library with over 90 books that trigger weird, wonderful and occasionally rude noises. Find this popping up on Winchester Street on Saturday 5 July and ‘Out and About’ in Tadley on Sunday 6 July.

New to this year’s programme, for ten days over the festival you’ll find NoFit State with their circus show SABOTAGE in War Memorial Park. Boisterous, audacious and sexy, it’s a rollercoaster ride of jaw-dropping circus skill and stunts where performers utilise every inch of the big top to deliver incredible feats. This event is ticketed.

Getting here

Basingstoke is conveniently located just off junctions 6 and 7 of the M3 and also accessible via the A339 from Newbury and Oxford and A33 from Reading. If you are travelling by train, you can direct trains from London Waterloo, Winchester, Reading, Oxford, Southampton and Portsmouth.  The train and bus stations are walking distance to the town centre ready to enjoy the festival.

For more information on getting to and around Basingstoke and Deane, visit our guide to getting around.  AccessAble has produced an accessibility guide for arriving at Basingstoke train and bus stations.

You’ll find some of the acts are outside of the town centre in Tadley, Beggarwood Park and Oakridge.

While you are here

Whether you are on your own or bringing the family you may be wondering, where can I park? Where can I eat? Or where can I find a toilet?! So we’ll try and answer these for you to help you out!

There are a number of car parks in Basingstoke town centre. If you are enjoying performances at the Top of the Town the closest car parks include Joices Yard, Central Car Park and Castons Yard. You will find disabled parking bays in all of these.  If you have an electric vehicle then Feathers Yard is dedicated to electric vehicle parking only.  Details of other electric charging places can be found here. 

In need of toilets or baby change facilities? You’ll find plenty in Festival Place. Take a look at the centre map for details.  You can find details of disabled toilets here and there are changing facilities near Basingstoke Discovery Centre.

Festival Place is home to more than 20 mouth-watering eateries including Five Guys, Pizza Express and The Cosy Club. Festival Street Kitchen offers delicious food if you want to take something away and eat in the outdoors. You’ll find some wonderful independent restaurants and coffee shops at the Top of the Town including Gabardine, Willows Coffee House and the Tea Bar. If you want to pick up food to takeaway and have a picnic you will find Sainsburys and Tesco in the town centre and Waitrose at Basing View.

Other things to do while you are here

If you have some spare time in Basingstoke town centre between enjoying performances why not take in a bit of shopping? You can find Festival Place, The Malls and The Top of Town all walking distance of each other.

Or if you’d rather enjoy the outdoors take a stroll in Glebe Gardens or War Memorial Park both within walking distance of the town centre. Eastrop Park has lots for the kids including a play park, paddling pool and boating lake.

If you want to make a weekend of it you’ll find plenty of places to visit. Just outside of the town centre is Basingstoke Leisure Park where you’ll find a swimming pool, bowling alley, cinema and indoor skydiving. If you are a culture vulture then make sure you visit The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery which is free. The Vyne and Sandham Memorial Chapel are both National Trust properties.

Stay

If you are looking for a place to stay take a look at the hotels and bed & breakfasts in the area.

Be prepared

Basingstoke Festival is an outdoor arts festival and you can never predict the weather so you may need something for all seasons! Don’t forget your sunnies, hats and suntan lotion and an umbrella.

June 2025

Basingstoke Festival Notes

Basingstoke Festival is a partner in Without Walls, a network of organisations bringing innovative outdoor arts to towns and cities across England. Find out more on withoutwalls.uk.com.

For more information on Basingstoke Festival visit www.basingstokefestival.co.uk or follow @BasingstokeFestival on Facebook and @BstokeFestival on X and Instagram.