Sorry but no dogs are allowed on site, including in the car park, except Guide dogs.
Tickets
Festival tickets
A day ticket is required for all customers on all days. Talk tickets, meal tickets and other experience tickets are payable in addition.
Tickets are on sale from April. For more information and to purchase tickets please visit the programme pages.
Can I buy Tickets on the day?
Subject to availability, yes. Please come to the Box Office at the site and we will be very happy to help you. Please allow extra time in case of queues.
Opening times of the festival site
Monday 2pm to 11pm
Tuesday 3.15pm to 11pm
Wednesday 9.15am to 11pm
Thursday 9.15am to 11pm
Friday 9.30am to Midnight
Saturday 9.30am to Midnight
Sunday 9.30am to 7.30pm
Getting to the festival
The Festival site is on a working farm on the southern edge of Broad Chalke. The nearest towns are Salisbury (9 miles to the east) and Shaftesbury (12 miles to the west) and Blandford (18 miles to the south).
Trains run to Salisbury every 1/2 hour from London (please allow at least 45 minutes from the station to the Festival).
Number 29 bus runs between Salisbury (from Blue Boar Row in Salisbury) and Shaftesbury Monday – Saturday. There is a request stop by the Church in Broad Chalke then follow signs to the festival. The walk to the Festival from the request stop is about a third of a mile.
Taxis are available from Salisbury:
Valuecars: 01722 50 50 50
All The Sevens 01722 777777
Spire Travel: 03333 442700
Driving – there will be a one-way system in place so please allow extra time, especially at the weekend, to reach the Festival. Please follow the signs to the Festival rather than your SatNav.
Getting to the festival
Getting to the festival
The Festival site is on a working farm on the southern edge of Broad Chalke. The nearest towns are Salisbury (9 miles to the east) and Shaftesbury (12 miles to the west) and Blandford (18 miles to the south).
Trains run to Salisbury every 1/2 hour from London (please allow at least 45 minutes from the station to the Festival).
Number 29 bus runs between Salisbury (from Blue Boar Row in Salisbury) and Shaftesbury Monday – Saturday. There is a request stop by the Church in Broad Chalke then follow signs to the festival. The walk to the Festival from the request stop is about a third of a mile.
Taxis are available from Salisbury:
Valuecars: 01722 50 50 50
All The Sevens 01722 777777
Spire Travel: 03333 442700
Driving – there will be a one-way system in place so please allow extra time, especially at the weekend, to reach the Festival. Please follow the signs to the Festival rather than your SatNav.
More information is available on the contact page.
Opening times of the festival site
Monday 14:00 to 23:00
Tuesday 15:15 to 23:00
Wednesday 9:15 to 23:00
Thursday 9:15 to 23:00
Friday 9:30 to 23:59
Saturday 9.30 to 23:59
Sunday 9:30am to 19:30
Parking
All parking is free at the Festival. There will be separate disabled parking closer to the Entrance (please bring the blue badge) and there will be a separate parking area for Friends (Festival Memberships) and Speakers.
Bag searches
Please note that for security reasons, random bag searches may be undertaken upon entry to the Festival.
At the festival
Is the seating allocated?
No. Staff will be on hand to help you at each talk. Friend’s Membership allows early entry into the talks.
Food at the festival
As well as our pre-booked Dining Tent there will be many concession food stands, coffee/tea stands and a bar. In the dining tent there will be two separate sittings. There will be a 45 minute break between sittings to allow for cleaning and re-laying.
You are very welcome to bring your own picnics and there will be places to sit. Please do not bring alcohol, there is a bar on site.
Is there a bar?
Yes, there will be the usual tented bar area at the heart of the site. We have also put in place a mobile ordering service in the bar to enable people to order their drinks via their mobile phone.
Can I buy books at the festival?
Yes. Waterstones will be at the Festival for the whole week. Friends are entitled to 10% discount – you must show your Friends Membership card.
Wheelchair access
We welcome wheelchair users but the Festival is in a field and subject to the weather, there are not any covered walkways between the tents. We will have disabled loos, wide aisles to accommodate wheelchairs and plenty of willing volunteers who will be happy to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Mobility scooters
Mobility Scooters need to be prebooked via the ticket office. [email protected]
Are there hearing loops in the tents?
Yes, available in both of the two main tents.
Do I need wellies?
The festival is in a field and subject to the weather. There aren’t any covered walkways so please come prepared – it can get muddy although the chalk drains quickly.
Assistance and guide dogs
Assistance dogs will be allowed with proof of requirement in the form of government issued ID card.
Other Q&A
Lost Property
If you have lost something at the festival, please let the team know at [email protected]. Please provide as much detailed information about the item so we can ensure we identify the correct item.
Camping & Glamping
Camping and Glamping options and all information is available here.
Memberships & benefits
Membership support will go towards ensuring the longevity of the Festival, and support the Chalke Valley History Trust and its mission to further the education and enjoyment of history through world-class historians, educators and interactive history experiences. There are 2 types of membership, depending on the benefits you would like – a standard Friends Membership and also the Plantagenet Membership for which you get more benefits.
As a Friend of the festival, you’ll have access to a variety of exclusive benefits that will make your experience even more special. With early ticket sales, access to the Friends car park, and a 10% discount at Waterstones at the festival, you’ll have the opportunity to plan and enjoy your visit to the fullest. Plus, with earlier access to the main tents through the Friends entrance, you’ll be able to get the most out of your visit. And that’s not all – as a Friend, you’ll also be eligible for special offers and discounts throughout the festival. So don’t wait – become a Friend of the festival today and experience all that it has to offer!
Experience the past like never before with Plantagenet Club membership at the history festival! As a member, you’ll receive all the benefits of Friend membership, plus extra perks. With a dedicated Club tent serving complimentary refreshments, a welcome drinks party, and a pair of complimentary tickets to a talk, you’ll have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the festival. Plus, as a Plantagenet member, you’ll also have priority booking of tickets, access to a separate Friends car park, and priority seating at the main tents. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience all that the history festival has to offer – become a Plantagenet Club member today!
Memberships can be purchased at https://friends.cvhf.org.uk
Green/Environmental issues policy
The festival site is on a working farm and we leave it exactly as we find it. All the rubbish generated by the festival is taken away, sorted and recycled. It would be immensely helpful to us, if you bring a picnic, that you take your rubbish home with you.
