Chalke History Festival
BEST FOR
Ages 0-15
ENTRY
from £30
WHERE
Salisbury
What it’s like
A week-long history festival in a field near Salisbury with Iron Age villages, chariot displays and have-a-go archery for kids to poke at.
This is a proper field festival, not a museum with a few actors dotted about. You get living history camps where Iron Age dwellers, farmers and artisans show you how things were actually made, a chariot arena event with a Romano-British chariot in action, and pottery making with a working potter. Kids can have a go at sword fighting, axe-throwing and archery, which is the bit they'll be telling you about on the drive home.
There's a proper programme for children too: Mythical Mayhem talks, children's author events, drumming circles, and puppetry and storytelling pitched at over-fours. Family drop-in craft activities run Friday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, so that's your window if you want to keep the day loose. The whole thing runs 21-27 June, with Wednesday to Saturday opening from 9:15am and Sunday finishing earlier at 5:30pm.
The ticket prices are the thing to plan around. A 7-day ticket runs from £210 up to £230 depending on when you book, a 3-day weekend from £130 to £150, and single day tickets start at £50. Under-16s get in free but still need a child's ticket, and they must be with an adult on a valid adult ticket, which is fair enough for a site this size but worth knowing before you turn up as a lone teenager with mates. Evening tickets from 4:15pm are £30 if you just want to catch the atmosphere without committing to a full day.
It's an outdoor site with no covered walkways between tents, so a wet week changes the day. Parking is free and there's blue badge parking too, and mobility scooters can be hired in from an outside company if you book ahead. No dogs allowed anywhere on site, including the car park, bar assistance dogs.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 15, with plenty for younger kids to watch too
- Booking
- 3 and 7-day tickets on sale now
- Parking
- Free parking on site. Separate disabled parking with blue badge
- Dogs
- No dogs allowed on site including car park, except assistance dogs with proof of requirement
- Getting there by bus or train
- Trains to Salisbury every 30 minutes from London (45 minutes from station to festival)
- Only Chalke History Club members can reserve seats for talks, though everyone can watch them
- Tickets are non-refundable, so a firm date matters before you buy
- Bag searches happen at entry, so leave extra time getting in
- Carer tickets are free if you need assistance around the site
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
A single day starts at £50. Weekend (3-day) tickets range from £130 to £150 depending on when you buy, and the full 7-day festival ticket runs £210 to £230. Evening entry from 4:15pm is £30.
Do under-16s pay?
They enter free but still need a child's ticket, and they have to be accompanied by an adult holding a valid adult ticket.
Do we need to book ahead?
You can buy day and evening tickets on the day at the Box Office, though they suggest allowing extra time for queues. The 3 and 7-day tickets are best bought in advance.
What are the opening hours?
Wednesday to Saturday it's 9:15am to 11:30pm, Monday and Tuesday it opens later at 4:15pm, and Sunday closes earlier at 5:30pm.
What can younger kids actually do?
There's puppetry and storytelling suitable for over-fours, plus family drop-in crafts Friday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and dedicated children's talks like Mythical Mayhem.
Can older kids have a go at anything?
Yes, there's have-a-go sword fighting, axe-throwing and archery combat training, alongside workshops like the SOE Training Camp and The Trench.
Is there parking?
Free parking on site, with separate blue badge disabled parking.
Are dogs allowed?
Not even in the car park, except assistance dogs with proof of requirement.
Can we camp?
Grass pitches for tents and motor-homes are available with hot showers, toilets and a campsite food vendor. Glamping tents are planned for a future year.
Is the site accessible?
There's an accessible toilet, hearing loop and wheelchair access, plus mobility scooters available to hire in from an external company if you prebook.
What if it rains?
The festival is in a field with no covered walkways between tents, so a wet week does change how comfortable the day is.
How do we get there without a car?
Trains run to Salisbury every 30 minutes from London, then it is about 45 minutes from the station to the festival. The Number 29 bus between Salisbury and Shaftesbury runs Monday to Saturday with a request stop nearby, roughly a third of a mile walk from there.
See all Talks, Lectures & Author Events in Southampton · Things to do in Southampton
MAKE A DAY OF IT
