Cirencester was 'buzzing with creative energy' and enthusiasm during the town's inaugural history festival this autumn 2024, with 99 per cent of tickets having sold across its entire programme.
With insightful talks spanning centuries of global history and interactive events for all ages, the first ever Cirencester History Festival took place over nine jam-packed days from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November 2024, at venues across town including the Church of St. John Baptist, Bingham Hall, Barn Theatre and Corinium Museum.
Opened by historian and TV presenter Janina Ramirez — president of Gloucester History Festival, with which the festival is associated — other star-studded highlights included a live-audience recording of top podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives with Rev. Richard Coles, Cat Jarman and Charles Spencer; an acclaimed Greek goddess-themed stand-up show from 'rockstar' mythologist Natalie Haynes; and thought-provoking talks from renowned historians Max Hastings and Jonathan Dimbleby.
And family activities at the town's top creative venues like Barn Theatre and New Brewery Arts provided hours of entertainment for the younger ones, too, with highlights including gargoyle making workshops and historical villain Halloween costume making.
Festival president, Dame Fiona Reynolds commented: 'Cirencester History Festival has been built on an extraordinary collaboration of more than 30 local organisations and has community spirit at its core.
'The positive feedback and goodwill have been quite astonishing and it’s been wonderful to feel the town buzzing with creative energy, to see shops and cafes full and venues packed. We are so proud of Cirencester.'
A last-minute addition to the lineup saw Cirencester's own Charlie Cooper— star, co-writer and co-creator of hit sitcom This Country — sit down with Dame Fiona for a talk about the British folklore featured in his new TV show, Myth Country.
Fiona enthused: 'I’m absolutely thrilled that Charlie Cooper joined us at the last minute to talk about Myth Country. His passion for landscape, folklore and human connection truly resonated with our audience, as did his evident pride in his hometown.'
Producer Jess Yarrow said of the festival: 'What an amazing and exhausting nine days. We’ve welcomed some huge names to Cirencester and offered a platform to many brilliant local people too. We’ve learned, we’ve congregated and we’ve celebrated our wonderful town — it’s been truly incredible.'
And the organisers are urging everyone to mark their calendars as this year was 'just the beginning', with the festival set to return in autumn 2025.
To stay up to date, followers can join a mailing list via the Cirencester History Festival website.
