The Chalke History Festival Returns This June and it looks epic!

We love The Chalke History Festival and this year's line up does not disappoint.

There is still time to get tickets to the best historical event in town at the end of June. With so much on offer - a day pass covers a huge number of exciting talks on the outdoor stages, with living historians sharing their expert knowledge, performers and musicians providing entertainment for all the family, and loads of scrumptious local food and drink - visitors to the Chalke History Festival will be spoilt for choice this year. We can’t promise another appearance of the Northern Lights, but what we can do is guarantee a spectacular summer festival experience. Affectionately known as the ‘Glastonbury for history buffs’, the festival takes place in a stunning venue in the Wessex countryside, with a line-up that includes names that would surely appear on most people’s fantasy dinner party list.

In addition to VIP names already announced, such as Bettany Hughes, Frank Gardner, Michael Wood, Zeinab Badawi, James May and all the nation’s favourite history podcasters, visitors will be given the opportunity to hear from the foremost thought leaders and political influencers from the UK and abroad. Eminent Professor of History and Chair of War Studies at the United States Army War College, Michael Neiberg, will be addressing the history of the current catastrophe in Gaza and delving into the Second World War origins of today’s Middle East crisis. Calde Walton, one of the world’s leading intelligence historians and currently Director of Research at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, will take the audience into the murky world of secret archives and share exclusive interviews with former agents to tell the history of the espionage war that Russia and the West have been waging for a century. In addition, leading authority on Iran, and Founding Director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews Ali Ansari will be discussing how the country’s repeated attempts to modernise has led to a series of revolutionary movements and the civil unrest that is breaking out today.

2024 is the biggest year in history for elections, with over 4 billion people eligible to vote in more than 60 countries. At the festival, former Chairman of YouGov Roger Parry, and James Kanagasooriam of Focal Data, will together be looking at the history of opinion polls, why they matter, what goes wrong, and why they are now more accurate than ever. If science is your thing, then international bestselling author Sebastian Faulks, along with Adam Rutherford and Rebecca Wragg Sykes will be discussing what Neanderthals tell us about our origins and nature, about evolution and fate, and what it means to be the last surviving form of humanity. Hanna Shelest and Victoria Vdovychenko, two brilliant academics from Ukraine, will be part of a panel discussing the history of the country, how Putin has distorted reality into myth, and explaining why its future as a free, democratic and liberal country is vital not only for Ukraine itself but for that of Europe as a whole.

If you haven’t been able to get a ticket to hear Michael Palin talking about his great uncle Harry in the First World War, then don’t despair because he will be taking part in a second event on the Thursday of the festival, on a stage where seats don’t need to be reserved and are included in the price of a day ticket. Moderated by TV documentary maker and author Alex Bescoby, Michael Palin and Levison Wood will be debating who should be crowned ‘History’s Greatest Explorer’, putting forward their own personal candidates, before inviting the audience to vote. This is an event that shouldn’t be missed!

Continuing the theme of adventure and exploration, Charlie Walker will be speaking about his adventures in Arctic Siberia, a trip that started in 2022 with a two-month trek in northeast Russia in order to visit remote-living groups of indigenous Siberians. When Putin invaded Ukraine, things changed dramatically, and the expedition culminated in a four-week stint in prison on spurious charges of photographing sensitive military sites. The third event in this fascinating series sees Ash Bhardwaj, Pip Stewart and Alex Bescoby come together to discuss what drives some people to embark on life-changing journeys, and what lessons can we learn for living more adventurous lives.

It’s not all about the adults at the Chalke History Festival, so whilst the parents settle down to listen to Tracy Borman sharing the secrets of the Royal palaces, or watching Antony Beevor, Charlie Higson and James Holland squabble over which are the best (and worst!) war movies of all time, the little ones can have hours of fun in the Storystock Children’s Tent of Surprises and create lasting memories. Filled with captivating tales and interactive storytelling sessions, this enchanting space is where history meets fantasy. At the weekend the programme includes Martin Brown, who will be delving into the fascinating world of The Romans, Amy Jeffs, who will be diving into magical myths and lost legends, and a range of hands-on activities where kids can make a Tudor neck ruff, a Victorian love puzzle purse, or a Medieval wall hanging. Elsewhere on the site, children will get a chance to watch history come to life through performance and living history events, for example watching medieval knights sword fighting or exploring the Second World War trench. Plus, there will be talks specifically aimed at young minds of all ages where the speakers will cover a diverse range of topics, designed to make learning fun and accessible.

The full programme can be found here: https://www.chalkefestival.com/programme/

The festival runs from 24th-30th June 2024 and has something for everyone.

For more information and to book tickets simply click below

https://www.chalkefestival.com/