**This event is free but spaces are limited so please book a ticket in advance**

Join local historian Debbie Reavell, from the Basingstoke Heritage Society, as she leads a historic walking tour through Basingstoke town centre focussing on one of our more famous residents, Jane Austen. Join this walk and find out about Jane’s history seeing the places she would have known in Basingstoke.

To secure your free ticket email festival@basingstoke.gov.uk

Please note, you will be notified of the meeting point for this event once you have booked your place. 

Duration: approximately 60mins

A warm and cheery, family-friendly, farm-life inspired circus spectacle. Expect a bewildering display of group acrobatics and juggling using hay bales, wheelbarrows, a tractor tyre, and even an old scarecrow! The show is set to a score of old-time tunes and raucous rhythms that will bring the cows home!🐄

Show duration: 45 minutes 

In the rockpools of a Kentish town, Crabbiton, lived a little crab. Although small in stature, he had a BIG curiosity and loved watching the humans who lived near the shore. Over time, he became worried about the impact they were having on his watery home. One stormy night, a strange magic surged through sea and town, connecting both worlds and transforming Caspian into a giant talking crab! 

What follows is a remarkable tale of a crustation who becomes mayor of Crabbiton, a cruel cabal who plots to cook him for dinner, and a little town that grows closer to nature.  

Show duration 20 minutes

Part choir, part chamber orchestra, part avant-garde rock band! 

Join this extraordinary, multi-award-winning group on ‘The Journey’ as we celebrate the power of community through this unique musical experience. Expect a curious, jubilant parade, complete with intricate rhythms, expressive bustle and a healthy dose of hope. 

The performance combines an original progressive pop score with Visual Vernacular; a unique blend of physical theatre, signed poetry and mime.  

Show duration 45 minutes

Performance times and locations:

Friday 20 June at 5.30pm 

A promenade performance as part of the Basingstoke Festival Green Parade with music in the Amphitheatre on arrival! 

Saturday 21 June at 1.30pm and 3.45pm
Promenade Performance (1.30pm) 
Starts at London Street by the Triumphal Gates (Location 6)
Ending in Cross Street (Location 2)

Promenade Performance (3.45pm)
Starts at War Memorial Park (Location 7)
Ending in Cross Street (Location 2)

Show duration: 45 minutes 

Perhaps Contraption, The Journey is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Timber Festival, Brighton Festival, 101 Outdoor Arts and Premises Studios.

Harvey Juggling is a 16-year-old street performer who has quickly become an iconic figure in Covent Garden. Harvey’s performances consist of comedy and juggling and often incorporate dangerous circus stunts like the Rola Bola. Harvey will keep you entertained and captivated. He has performed all across the UK including the Edinburgh Fringe and Glastonbury Festivals and has picked up several awards along the way.  

The greatest accolade is from Harvey’s dad who says of his son’s performance…‘it’s not the worst show ever!’ 

Show duration: 40 minutes 

Up in the Sky is an awe-inspiring outdoor aerial dance theatre production that tells the story of two siblings, as they navigate challenges of displacement and change. Performed by four exceptional artists on a stunning seven-metre circular truss, this unique show blends aerial dance, dynamic storytelling, and flying props to captivate audiences of all ages. Don’t miss this unmissable spectacle that challenges, inspires and uplifts with its message of resilience and human spirit.

Show duration: 35 minutes 

As always, we are kicking off the festival in unforgettable style with an opening parade through the town centre, brought to life this year by the brilliant Scratchbuilt Productions! Get ready for a joyful explosion of colour, creativity and community spirit as we take to the streets to celebrate nature, biodiversity, the magic of recycled costumes, and everything gloriously green. 

Expect eye-catching dresses, towering puppets and incredible creations made with love by our talented local schools, colleges, and community groups all coming together in a lively, feel-good procession through the heart of town. 

Bring your friends, bring your energy – and come cheer them on as over 500 people move through the town centre in a long eco conga parade! 

Be part of the parade 

Want to immerse yourself in the fun? Join the parade! Come down at 5pm and show your support by wearing something green.! Whether it’s a splash of lime or head-to-toe emerald, let’s create a vibrant wave of eco-consciousness together. 

Prefer to watch the magic unfold? Line the route from Church Street all the way up to the Willis Museum and then follow the excitement as it heads through the Top of the Town to the Amphitheatre outside Festival Place. Get ready to be captivated by creative displays, imaginative costumes, and a community united in their passion for a greener future. 

The celebration reaches its peak at the amphitheatre, where multi––award– winning progressive brass band, Perhaps Contraption, will lead the audience as we conclude the Festival Parade before being treated to a breathtaking ariel performance by the internationally acclaimed Autin Dance Theatre. Don’t miss the première of their new dance piece, promising to be a stunning end to the first night. 

Parade timings

5.30pm Parade starts at on Cross Street
(Processing up Church Street and down Wote Street into Festival Place, finishing at the Festival Place Amphitheatre)

5.30pm Perhaps Contraption
(A promenade performance as part of the Basingstoke Festival Green Parade with music in the Amphitheatre on arrival.)

6.15pm Performances at the Festival Place Amphitheatre begin

6.30pm – Up in the Sky from Autin Dance Theatre 

Make a real evening of it and carry on the Festival vibes by booking tickets to see NoFit State’s SABOTAGE, the large scale circus spectacular in War Memorial Park at 8pm. Find out more at https://www.basingstokefestival.co.uk/event/sabotage/