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Festivals

Chester Festival of Ideas 2025 Programme Unveiled, Bookings Now Open

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The second edition of the Chester Festival of Ideas will take place from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6, featuring an exciting programme of almost 100 free events, hosted at various venues across the city. The festival, organized by the University of Chester and partners, aims to celebrate, entertain, inform, and inspire the public, with a diverse range of talks, workshops, and activities for all ages and interests.

Key Takeaways:

  • The festival will feature a wide range of events, including talks by inspirational sportspeople and broadcasters, art workshops, and interactive activities for all ages.
  • The programme includes discussions on the psychology of TV's The Traitors, the science of endurance sports, and the history of Chester and beyond.
  • Notable guests include seven-time Paralympian champion Hannah Cockroft OBE, former BBC chief news correspondent Kate Adie CBE, writer and broadcaster Natalie Haynes, and full-time GP and author Dr Amir Khan.
  • A new guest added to the list is Jane Lasonder, survivor, global advocate, and keynote speaker on human trafficking, who will discuss Hidden in Plain Sight: Unmasking Trafficking and Slavery in Our Communities.
  • The festival will feature city festival partners, including the Grosvenor Museum and Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, offering behind-the-scenes experiences and interactive events.
  • The programme also includes a focus on the future, with a devolution discussion, a VR Lantern Festival experience, and a learn-to-design-and-build-your-own-video-game workshop.
  • Visitors can enjoy a family-friendly event, Incredible Oceans, which will bring the sea to the city with a drop-in, hands-on, event in their pop-up Ocean Dome.

Statistics:

  • The festival will feature almost 100 free events across four days.
  • The events will take place at various venues across the city, including Chester Town Hall, Storyhouse, the Grosvenor Museum, Chester Cathedral, Chester Market, and event spaces across the University of Chester.
  • The festival will offer something for all ages and interests, with activities ranging from talks and workshops to interactive events and family-friendly activities.

Sources:

  • University of Chester and partners
  • Chester Festival of Ideas website (https://festivalofideas.chester.ac.uk)
  • Grosvenor Museum
  • Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
  • Incredible Oceans
  • University of Chester Press
  • International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) of OSCE/ODIHR (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights)

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