Lichfield Festival 2025

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Tue 08 Jul 2025 - Sun 20 Jul 2025

With a brand-new dance show created exclusively for Lichfield by Strictly Come Dancing star Neil Jones and top stars ranging from The Unthanks to former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley, Lichfield Festival has pulled out all the stops to make this summer’s popular annual event more spectacular than ever. Running from 8-20 July, the event is regarded as one of the country’s most eclectic multi-arts festivals with world-class artists, new talent, and local voices from music, theatre, dance, comedy and literature all converging on the Staffordshire city.

Folk superstars The Unthanks, pop legend and Festival Patron Tony Hadley, the world-famous Black Dyke Band, the Sam Every (Little) Big Band, and jazz royalty Jacqui Dankworth with the Carducci Quartet, all grace Lichfield Cathedral, showcasing new albums, celebrating pop, brass band and TV theme classics, and reimagining jazz and music theatre standards.



Choral group Tenebrae also make imaginative use of the cathedral for Joby Talbot's modern masterpiece Path of Miracles, inspired by the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimage route. In addition, the stunning venue also houses a performance by renowned bass-baritone Sir Willard White. who is joined by the Brodsky Quartet for an evening of classics from the Great American Songbook to the magic of Sinatra, while the ever-popular BBC National Orchestra of Wales return to play Beethoven and Bruch, with exciting young violinist Hana Chang.

A highlight of this year’s event is Strictly dancer and choreographer Neil Jones’s latest show Gingerland, created especially for Lichfield Cathedral. It’s his second exclusive show for Lichfield Festival, following the success of Somnium: A Dancer’s Dream in 2018. Playing for two nights, the family-friendly comedy tale features Neil alongside a dazzling cast of top professional dancers, with glamorous costumes and original music.



Elsewhere across the festival venues, pianist, singer and raconteur Joe Stilgoe returns after last year’s festival triumph while folk legend and former Show of Hands front-man Steve Knightley appears as part of a much anticipated solo tour. Historian and Festival Patron Tracy Borman takes an in-depth look at the Tudor artist Holbein; stand-up comedian-turned-author Mark Watson showcases both talents in a double bill; and Lichfield’s own award-winning writer and performer, Katie Arnstein, presents her brand new comedy, specially created for the festival.

The eclectic theme continues with the tale of fearsome pirate Anne Bonney by Tortive Theatre, Congolese dance music from Kasai Masai; a selection of traditional Scottish harps played by Karen Marshalsay; a comedy cabaret Frau, That’s What I Call Music! and Twelfth Night performed outdoors with an all-male cast by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Younger audiences will be entertained by Waterperry Opera’s family production Winnie-the-Pooh’s Songbookand Paperback Theatre's The Wizard of Oz, with fun for all coming in the form of the free festival fireworks display at Beacon Park.



A new discounted ticket initiative is launched this year, offering 30 per cent off for under 30s and £5 tickets for carers, unwaged, children and eligible community groups, thanks to audience development partner, Executive Carers. The new offers aim to help remove financial barriers and allow everyone to experience the joy of the Arts at Lichfield Festival.

Lichfield Festival runs from 8-20 July 2025. General booking opens Thursday 24 April, with Priority for Friends from 10 April. Tickets and details from www.lichfieldfestival.org. Box Office 01543 306271 (call-back service).




#festival
#theatre_shows
#dance
#comedy
#music
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