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Looking for fresh ideas and inspiration for fun things to look forward to in the year ahead? You have come to the right place… Hampshire! 2022 is set to be an exciting year in the county with the return of large-scale events and festivals (as well as a few new ones in the line-up), along with new openings and some big anniversaries being celebrated.
Read on for our guide to the hottest things to do, and places to go, in Hampshire during 2022.
We hope that the events and openings that we have mentioned below will go ahead this year, but please check opening and ticket information directly with the business or attraction before you travel.
UEFA Women's Euro 2022 comes to Southampton
England will host the UEFA Women’s EURO finals in 2022 and fans will be able to see some of the world’s best players in action as 31 matches are played at venues across the country – including Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium – during the three-and-a-half-week tournament.
The FA has released the full match schedule confirming that Southampton will host three matches – including England’s final group game – in what promises to be a record-breaking edition of the European tournament this summer.
Find out more and how to get tickets here.
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Festivals are back!
Fantastic festivals will be making a long-awaited return to Hampshire this year and we can’t wait! Whether you’re new to the festival scene or a seasoned festival goer who enjoys the alfresco lifestyle, Hampshire has festivals that are ideal for the foodies, music fans, families looking for a fun day out or those ready to party into the night with friends.
From the artistic Winchester Hat Fair, to the delicious Hampshire Food Festival, the county’s festivals offer exciting escapism and a fun opportunity to enjoy the vibrancy of Hampshire culture.
For music fans, Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival returns in August with Stereophonics and the Sugababes confirmed, and CarFest South welcomes Rag‘n’Bone Man and Basement Jaxx. Also taking place in August, Boomtown brings a theatrical world of imagination and creativity to the county, and later in the month the Park Proms delivers quintessential British entertainment to Broadlands in Romsey.
Take a look at the top festivals to attend in Hampshire in 2022 here
A summer of live music
Las Vegas band The Killers is set to play St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton in May and Basingstoke welcomes Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco in March and Jools Holland in May at The Anvil.
Luxury country house hotel Chewton Glen in the New Forest will be hosting the likes of Tears for Fears, McFly, Olly Murs and Michael Bublé this summer in its stunning grounds.
Return of the New Forest and Hampshire County Show
Returning in July after a three-year absence, The New Forest Show showcases the very best of the New Forest and Hampshire. The Show brings together livestock and equine competitors, local businesses and producers supplying an array of delicious food and drink alongside an exciting timetable of main ring attractions.
Downton Abbey: A New Era
With the much-anticipated Downton Abbey Sequel Film coming to screens in 2022, fans of the period drama can visit Highclere Castle – famed filming location of the television series and movies – on selected dates throughout the year, including a special Castle Tours & Magic of the Movies event in September.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, a celebration of her 70 years of service, will be celebrated during a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from 2 to 5 June.
The event will be marked in Hampshire by street parties across the county and larger events including the Big Platinum Festival in Mayflower Park, Southampton.
Special Hampshire anniversaries
Some of our very own attractions here in Hampshire will also be celebrating some special anniversaries in 2022. Marwell Zoo and Butser Ancient Farm will both be celebrating golden 50-year anniversaries, and it’s 40 years since the Mary Rose was lifted from the seabed in 1982. The Watercress Line celebrates it’s 45th anniversary this April and is also expecting its 5 millionth passenger. Winchester Science Centre is marking its 20th anniversary with scientific celebrations happening throughout the year and Bursledon Brickworks is marking its remarkable 125th Anniversary since being founded.
New rollercoaster flying into Paultons Park
Following the popular opening of Tornado Springs – a whole new area of attractions within Paultons Park – last year, the popular Hampshire amusement park is adding to its attractions with the opening of junior rollercoaster, Farmyard Flyer in April.
A roarsome arrival at Marwell Zoo
BRICKOSAURS! Evolution, a world-first collection of toy brick dinosaurs arrives at Marwell Zoo this spring.
The collection of 55 new dinosaur sculptures will be on show at Marwell from 1 April – 4 September 2022.
Related
A family-friendly festival of Street Performance and Outdoor Arts. Hat Fair 2024 will take place Fri 5 – Sun 7 July 2024 across the historic city of Winchester. Full festival line-up coming soon!
Hampshire Food Festival is taking a break for 2024. Check back for details of future events. Wander through vines, explore the lavender fields, tour breweries and get hands on in the kitchen. All this and more is happening across the county as part of July’s month-long Hampshire Food Festival organised by local food group, Hampshire Fare.
A world of unity, creativity & freedom, Boomtown Fair is a four day festival set in the Matterley bowl in Hampshire, UK on the second weekend of August. Boomtown fuses a diverse line-up of underground and global music with boundary pushing immersive art, theatre and performance coming together as a living, breathing, fictitious city.
Park Proms is an exciting new music event taking place in the Broadlands Estate near Romsey in 2022. The outdoor music festival will run over two days and feature world-class artists and performances.
England will host the UEFA Women’s EURO finals in 2022 and Fans will be able to see some of the world’s best players in action as 31 matches are played at venues across the country including Southampton during the three and a half weeks of the tournament.
With some of the finest acoustics in the country, The Anvil has firmly established itself as one of the South's leading venues for high quality live music.
An English Original, Chewton Glen is a luxury country house hotel and spa set in 130 acres of Hampshire countryside on the edge of the New Forest National Park, and just a few minutes' walk from the sea.
Taking place in Brockenhurst in the heart of the National Park, the New Forest Show offers visitors 30 acres of showground for the whole family to explore. Showcasing the very best of the New Forest and Hampshire, the Show brings together livestock and equine competitors, local producers, local businesses all topped off with lots of delicious food and drink and an exciting timetable of main ring attractions.
Highclere Castle, the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, Highclere Castle also hosts a unique display of Egyptian antiquities and is the location of the hugely popular ITV series, Downton Abbey.
NEW for 2021! Beaulieu is delighted to launch their brand new exhibition: Bond in Motion – No Time To Die. Featuring iconic cars, gadgets and costumes from the latest 007 film, Bond in Motion – No Time To Die is a brand new exhibition opening at the National Motor Museum
Paultons is the UK’s Number 1 Family Theme Park — located in Hampshire with over 70 exciting rides and attractions, set within 140 acres of beautiful parkland on the edge of the New Forest National Park.
Marwell zoo is home to hundreds of exotic and endangered animals all within a beautiful 140-acre park. Take a stroll around the outdoor attraction and enjoy the fresh air while spotting animals such as Rothschild’s giraffe, white rhinos, Amur tigers, Humboldt penguins, red pandas, clouded leopards, snow leopards and all three species of zebra (to name a few)!
Butser Ancient Farm, nestled within the South Downs National Park, is a wonderful outdoor space showcasing Ancient Britain through experimental archaeology. You can visit Stone Age, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon reconstructed buildings, see ancient breeds of animals and have a go at ancient skills.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is the UK’s premier destination for exploring 500 years of naval history and a must-see for anyone visiting the South of England. A visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard allows you step on-board world-famous ships, explore heroic submarines and uncover some of the Navy’s best-kept secrets with first-hand accounts from the Royal Navy’s finest, past, and present.
Experience the golden age of steam on the Mid Hants Railway 'Watercress Line'! Whether you are taking a trip down memory lane or making new ones, sit back, relax and travel through the heart of quintessential English countryside by steam train, looking towards stunning views of the South Downs National Park.
Are you ready for an action-packed family adventure? Set off on an exciting journey through the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) at Winchester Science Centre.
A visit to The Brickworks Museum invokes the sights, smells and sounds of life in Victorian Britain. Explore 125 years of brick-making history and the lives of the people that drove it.
