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A whole new year of festivals and fun awaits in Hampshire with headline music acts and a tasty looking menu of food events already planned for 2023.
Whether you’re a music aficionado, food fan, culture creature, or you just want a great day out or a weekend with friends and family – planning a trip to a festival is always a good idea!
Dance the night away to the headliners of CarFest South, Boomtown, and Victorious or delve into the delicious local flavours of a scrumptious assortment of food festivals.
From nostalgic to futuristic, the county’s festivals offer exciting escapism and a fun opportunity to enjoy the vibrancy of Hampshire culture.
With many tickets already on sale, and early bird offers up for grabs – fill up that 2023 calendar with some fun with our ultimate guide to festivals in Hampshire.
Alresford Watercress Festival
21 May 2023
Celebrating all things watercress – the lush crop that flourishes in Alresford’s wild watercress beds – the Alresford Watercress Festival is a Hampshire highlight for any foody calendar.
This nationally acclaimed food festival celebrates the locally grown delicious crop of watercress. Situated in the quaint village of Alresford, this day festival is a must for food lovers with Hampshire Famers’ Market in attendance and watercress-themed cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs.
Find out more about the Alresford Watercress Festival
Dogstival
The ultimate festival for dogs, dog owners, and dog fans – Dogstival is the coolest dog show in town and it’s returning to Broadlands in Romsey in June 2023.
Expect boundless shows and activities, a K9 splash pool for the pups to stay cool, tasty eats for dogs and owners alike, music on the hound dog stage, and even a doggy disco – paws-itively awesome!
Party In The Park
3 – 4 June 2023
Brand new for 2023, a huge pride event is coming to Southampton's Palmerston Park in June.
Party In The Park is an event organised and run by the community for the community with local music showcasing the array of genres and talent in Hampshire including LGBTQ+ artists.
There will also be speakers, poetry, and workshops in the Variety Tent; a mental health drop-in area; local Community Village; designated areas for teens and kids; and even an adult bouncy castle and a surf simulator. What’s more, over 90% of the activities will be completely FREE to all!
Find out more about Party In The Park
The Nostalgia Show
16 – 18 June 2023
British eccentricity at its best, The Nostalgia Show rolls again in 2023 – this time at the new location of the Broadlands Estate in Romsey.
There will be vintage enjoyment of all varieties including an incredible selection of classic cars, retro fashion and style to shop, traditional fairground rides, the Rockabella Styling Beauty Salon, and nostalgic music to dance the day away in one glorious setting.
Find out more about the Nostalgia Show
An Evening with Lionel Richie
27 June 2023
Broadlands will also host Grammy Award® winning performer Lionel Richie in June, with a spectacular open-air concert that is sure to be a sell-out.
Dance the night away to Richie’s iconic hits including ‘All Night Long’, ‘Dancing on the Ceiling’, and ‘Hello’, on one of the longest summer evenings of the year.
Find out more about An Evening with Lionel Richie
Winchester Hat Fair
30 June – 2 July 2023
Winchester Hat Fair – the UK’s longest running festival of outdoor arts – is an eclectic and fun celebration that personifies the city and its artistic nature. Originating as a busking festival, Hat Fair takes its name from the tradition of the audience showing their appreciation by putting money in the hat at the end of the show.
Now, the Winchester Hat Fair delivers “the art of the unexpected” through a jam-packed programme of outdoor street performances, live music, fun, and games over three days. There is something for all ages on offer across the city and best of all its absolutely free!
Find out more about the Winchester Hat Fair
Hampshire Food Festival
1 – 31 July 2023
Organised by county food group Hampshire Fare, the Hampshire Food Festival is a month-long, countywide programme of events celebrating the best of local food and farming.
Established for over 20 years, the Festival showcases the abundance of Hampshire’s food and drink through farm visits, vineyard and brewery tours, tastings, pop-ups, special menus, chef demonstrations, workshops, fairs, and shows.
Find out more about the Hampshire Food Festival
The Vyne Music Festival
7-9 July 2023
Three days of music will come to National Trust's The Vyne for the first Vyne Music Festival. As well as different headline acts each night, there’ll be dazzling displays from street performers Dan the Hat and Honey the Hoop, interval music from the Still Moving DJs, plus local ales, cocktails and a selection of street food outlets.
Find out more about The Vyne Music Festival
Let’s Rock, Southampton
8 July 2023
Take it back to the 80s in July with Let’s Rock, an action-packed day of retro taking place on the Common in Southampton.
With a fabulous line-up of artists to bring you the very best of the 80s, and of general 80s madness, there is plenty to do for everyone at this family-friendly Festival!
Find out more about Let’s Rock, Southampton
Lymington Seafood Festival
14 – 16 July 2023
A beautiful boutique festival, jam-packed with tasty local food to the backdrop of live music and entertainment.
Over 80 stalls offer fishy delights native to the town’s stunning coastal location, which can be washed down with some seriously good craft ale, award-winning English sparkling courtesy of Hattingley Valley, or local gin and rum.
Find out more about Lymington Seafood Festival
Fizzfest
23 July 2023
Sit back and enjoy an English midsummer’s picnic in a Hampshire vineyard at Fizzfest.
Live music is accompanied by the satisfying sound of corks popping at this drinks festival organised by Vineyards at Hampshire where visitors can over 20 sparkling and still wines originating from the county’s soil.
The event location moves to a different Hampshire vineyard each year; for 2023 it will be held at England's oldest commercial vineyard – Hambledon.
The New Forest and Hampshire County Show
25 – 27 July 2023
Showcasing the very best of the New Forest and Hampshire, the New Forest Show brings together livestock and equine competitors, local producers, and businesses all topped off with lots of delicious food and drink and an exciting timetable of main ring attractions.
The Show is a perfect place to socialise with friends and family, taste delicious food and drink, learn about the New Forest, and have a great countryside day out.
Find out more about The New Forest and Hampshire County Show
Wickham Festival
3 – 6 August 2023
A firm family favourite, Wickham Festival is a four-day music and arts festival held every August in a beautiful rural location near the historic village of Wickham. With live music on four stages plus a host of other entertainment, Wickham Festival won the Best Festival category in the local Culture Guide Awards 2022.
Find out more about Wickham Festival
Trout 'n About
6 August 2023
Trout ‘n About is a thriving local food festival which takes place in the market town of Stockbridge on the first Sunday of August every year. With over 100 stalls showcasing the very best of local food, produce and crafts, it is a family friendly event attracting thousands of visitors from all around.
The beautiful, historic high street of Stockbridge becomes abuzz with activity, with live music filling the air, Juggling Jake entertaining the children with his circus skills and the countryside coming to the high street in the form of farm animals, vintage agricultural equipment, craft demonstrations, face painting and the many stalls promoting and selling local fare.
Find out more about Trout 'n About
Boomtown
9 – 13 August 2023
One of Hampshire’s biggest festivals, Boomtown has boomed into becoming one of the top events on the national and international festival circuit.
Bringing a world of escapism to the outskirts of Winchester every August, thousands congregate at Boomtown to embark on an imaginative journey where every musical genre is celebrated from ska, folk, gypsy, reggae, world, punk, pirate and disco to electro-swing, jazz, blue-grass, bass, jungle, and techno.
Boomtown is an immersive festival with storytelling and live theatre at its core. Each event unveils a new chapter of its ongoing narrative, delving further into the mythology of Boomtown – for 2023, the festival chapter is the Twin Trail.
Victorious
25 – 27 August 2023
Situated on the stunning Southsea Seafront in the maritime city of Portsmouth, Victorious is a three-day festival, which gets bigger and better every year. As well as great music, there’s children's entertainment and activities, delicious food, comedy, real ale, and much more.
The headline acts are always huge so watch this space for announcements on who to expect for 2023.
Find out more about Victorious Festival
CarFest South
25 – 27 August 2023
The creation of DJ Chris Evans, CarFest is a unique mix of fast cars, live music, and tasty food taking place at the stunning Laverstoke Farm, home of the former Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter.
The festival is not only one of the top festivals in the country, it also supports UK Children’s Charities as the largest family fundraising festival in the UK.
Texas is already on the line-up for the music, and comedians Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, and Rob Brydon are already billed to deliver the laughs.
Mucky Weekender
8 – 9 September 2023
Fresh from the triumphant success of Mucky Weekender September 2022 this boutique festival curated by Dub Pistols frontman Barry Ashworth, promises a bigger and even better event in 2023 at Vicarage Farm in Woodmancott near Winchester.
Find out more about Mucky Weekender
Already know which Hampshire festivals you’ll be attending? Start looking for accommodation including campsites, glamping and holiday cottages.
Discover our full list of festivals happening across Hampshire during 2023
Check out our full guide of events in Hampshire for 2023
Related
The Alresford Watercress Festival returns to the streets of Alresford for 2024.
Does your pooch deserve some love this summer? Dogstival returns to the Burley Park, in the heart of the New Forest National Park on 1st & 2nd June 2024 and is packed full of canine approved entertainment.
This event is set to return in 2025 A music festival like no other, providing a mixture of good-ole-fashioned fun, vintage and retro style with a hint of kitsch! The Nostalgia Show comes to Romsey and brings whimsical charm and British eccentricity.
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.
Victorious is a family friendly festival for music lovers and a stone’s throw from the sea. It’s a day festival located on the picturesque Southsea Seafront and takes place over August Bank Holiday Weekend.
Carfest South will be returning to Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire in August as One Big Carfest. The 2,500 acres farm, near Overton, is owned by ex-racing driver and 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter.
Following last year’s triumphant sold-out event and a marriage proposal (she said yes), the small but mighty 2-day music & arts festival Mucky Weekender extends to 3 days from Thursday 5th to Sunday 7th September back at its spiritual home the private parkland `Vicarage Farm’. The festival’s 5th edition will feature 5 music stages from Dub, Ska, Reggae, Jungle, to House, Disco, Funk, Breakbeat and everything in-between. To celebrate the new chapter of music, magic and mayhem join the hosts Barry Ashworth his band Dub Pistols and 5,000 festival-goers for afternoon tea and cake alongside Alice, Queen of Hearts, & the White Rabbit for this year’s theme Mad Hatters Tea Party – fancy dress is encouraged.
We are thrilled to announce that Party In The Park 2023 is coming back over 2 days with massive changes, and yes friends, it's still FREE entry and no tickets are needed… unless, you wanna go VIP!
Lionel Richie is excited to announce that he'll be returning to the UK and Europe next June and July!
With a fabulous line-up of artists to bring you the very best of the 80s, and an action packed day of general 80s madness, there is plenty to do for everyone at this Family Friendly Festival!
Taking place on 14th – 16th July, Lymington Seafood Festival is one of the UK’s leading boutique food festivals. With views across the Solent, the town hosts some of the south coasts most delicious seafood stands, a pop-up restaurant, craft ales, gins, a rum shack and Hattingley Valley supplying award-winning bubbles. Expect live music all weekend with ‘Tina Turner’ taking the stage for Saturday’s tribute night.
The Vineyards of Hampshire (VoH) Fizz Fest is returning for its tenth year, showcasing Hampshire's leading vineyards at The Grange, The Winery at Burges Field Vineyard.
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.
The outskirts of historic Wickham village provide a picturesque setting for one of the safest and most relaxed festivals of the summer. Enjoy some great live music. Wickham is rated by many as one of the safest, most relaxed and family-friendly festivals in the UK.
Trout ‘n About is a thriving local food festival which takes place in the market town of Stockbridge on the first Sunday of August every year. With over 100 stalls showcasing the very best of local food, produce and crafts, it is a family friendly event attracting thousands of visitors from all around.
