2 x Outdoor Stages – Programme

2 x Tented Stages – Programme

Vintage Fairground

Glamping & Camping

Children’s Events

2 x Bars

History Tellers

Fine Dining

LIVING HISTORY

Soldier School

Live Music – every day

Historic Fast Food

Street of Food

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#AmazingHistory

23rd – 27th June 2021

See history. Hear history. Feel history…

Celebrating our tenth anniversary:

200+ talks and events, 60 acres, interactive living history and experiences,
children’s events, air displays, workshops, archaeology walks, vintage vehicles,
treasure hunts, book store, shopping emporium, live music, party, fireworks,
bar, cafes, fine dining, street food, camping & glamping

As seen in…

 

NEWS

12th May 2021

2021 programme announced

Find out more

May 2021

One of the first major festivals to run this year!

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Jan 2020

Today we launch Chalke Talk, the podcast from our archives of incredible talks over the past decade.

Find out more

Chalke Valley History Festivals receive lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund

We absolutely had the most amazing time! I love the audiences at the festival, so erudite and engaged! The festival is vitally important for the country and brilliantly combines the joy of literary, music, exhibition wrapped in a fascinating history festival. CVHF has a firm and warm place in all of our hearts! Congratulations to all involved for such an amazing Festival.

My son(6) and I took part in the Sword School, which was brilliant, We spent nearly 5 hours wandering through the different ages, meeting various different ‘characters’, who were all eager to share ‘their’ stories, historical knowledge and costumes, which my little boy loved and the re-enactments were fantastic. It truly was a wonderful day .

There were reenactments, demonstrations and the popular fly-past of WW2 planes. Most importantly there was a strong accent on education with a schools programme in the weekday mornings and in the displays. What child could fail to be impressed by all the uniforms, displays and atmosphere of the event?

Entertaining, informative, and thought-provoking. And that was just the audience.

My 17 year-old son spent the whole of the weekend immersed in the festival, talking to the stall holders and watching the various displays. He couldn’t stop talking about it on Saturday evening and left exhausted but extremely happy on Sunday. I think you may well have changed his life. The festival brought to the fore his love of history and for this I can only thank you.

I’ve been to literary festivals from Cornwall to Orkney and none of them match the buzz, fun and enthusiasm generated by the Chalke Valley History Festival. Our history is celebrated at Chalke Valley, it educates, shocks, amuses and inspires.

It made many aspects of history come alive. I went with my teenage son who has been monosyllabic recently and we watched, listened, experienced the trenches, bought books, ate a lovely lunch and enjoyed the day together!

This experience has inspired my learning of and interest in history as a subject so that I shall go into the next year of school with a great deal more enthusiasm than I had at the end of my GCSEs.

Yet another amazing event! The Glastonbury of History doesn’t do it justice; it’s so much better.

The whole thing was wonderful this year. I feel a real sense of pride that this fantastic festival takes place on my doorstep, it is truly a joyous way to spend time. My Godson has been inspired to take history at GCSE and that is thanks to the enthusiasm and passion shown by speakers and audiences alike.

Thanks so much to you and the team at Chalke Valley for making Leweston School’s experience on Tuesday at the festival so good. Our pupils were buzzing with enthusiastic engagement afterwards. That day will not be forgotten. Best wishes, Matthew

History Hub

Fascinating content from CVHF speakers past and present,
including audio from previous talks.

Historical Recipe: Medieval Sweet and Sour Cabbage

Read more
More History Hub

With thanks to 2021 sponsors

and all the other sponsors...