What’s On This July

Summer has come to Winchester, and we welcome you to the Winchester Hotel & Spa to relax, make good use of our spa facilities, dine with us and enjoy drinks on our terrace. Take a walk into the heart of old Winchester and explore our city, with its many ancient buildings. Here’s a few other things that you might enjoy in and around Winchester this month.

Named in 2023 as one of the top 20 best farmer’s markets in the UK, we are very proud of our twice monthly Winchester Farmer’s Market. Held on the 2nd, and last Sunday of the month, you will find up to 40 stalls with the freshest local produce from Hampshire. Showcasing the best of what our county has to offer, all stallholders are the producers - small businesses based in rural areas growing and rearing their own to bring to customers. Head on down taste the best of Hampshire. You can find more details HERE.

Hampshire really is the place to be for foodies this July. Wander through vines, explore the lavender fields, tour breweries and get hands on in the kitchen - it’s the  month-long Hampshire Food Festival! Now in its nineteenth year, the award-winning Festival is popular with both residents and visitors to the county, and is a chance to explore what goes on behind the scenes to grow, rear and serve some of the county’s finest produce. Over 60 events will take place at farms, pubs, hotels and restaurants across Hampshire, catering for all tastes and budgets, and you can find out more HERE.

As part of the Hampshire Food Festval, the new Winchester Food Festival will be completely free to attend and a truly local event, showcasing delicious produce from the Winchester District and wider Hampshire area. Top chefs from favourite restaurants will be sharing tips and creating tasty recipes using local produce, with Winchester Cathedral providing the perfect backdrop. The line-up includes Damian Brown from Chesil Rectory, Paul Onami from Kyoto Kitchen and Lenny Carr-Roberts, of The Bugle, Twyford, The Fox, Crawley, and Shoal, Winchester, who started his career at Le Gavroche, although he is probably best known for his television appearances alongside TV Chef James Martin. The Winchester Food Festival takes place on Sunday 9th July and you can learn more HERE.

Summer and fizz, the perfect combination! Heading away from Winchester now, Vineyards of Hampshire 9th Fizz Fest is taking place in 2023 at England's oldest commercial vineyard, Hambledon Vineyard on 23rd July. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste over 20 Hampshire sparkling and still wines, whilst hearing first hand from the winemakers and vineyard owners. There will also be live music, delicious food from Hampshire street food stalls, and the opportunity to book vineyard tours and masterclasses. Hampshire wines will also be available to buy at the Fizz Bar and shop by the bottle or glass. Cheers to that! You can find tickets and further info HERE.

How about some music? This July The Elvetham present FleetingDays Festival, a one day family-friendly music festival set in their beautiful grounds, taking place on Saturday 29th July. It’s set to be an amazing family day of show-stopping bands, children’s entertainment, the best local food & drink, stalls to keep you entertained and much much more! Featuring a stellar line-up including not-to-be-missed headliners, the UK's top Queen tribute act, QE2, playing The Very Best Of Queen! Other acts include The Mark II, Beth Morris & The Midnight Rebel Band, The Corsairs, The Clique Duo, and AleX. You can find tickets and further info HERE.

Finally we also recommend a visit to Sculpture at Beaulieu featuring works from international and UK sculptors until 24th September. Following the success of Sculpture at Beaulieu in 2019 and 2021, the event returns for 2023 with a unique collection of works by over 57 renowned sculptors, including Nicolas Moreton, Jill Berelowitz, Jonty Hurwitz, Gary Boulton, Michael Turner and many more. Ranging from figurative to abstract, and covering a diverse range of mediums, the exhibition provides something to suit all tastes. The artworks are all exhibited in the grounds of this remarkable estate, which also houses the National Motor Museum amongst other attractions. Discover more HERE.

We hope that these suggestions help you to get out and about in Winchester and Hampshire this July, and we wish you a great stay with us at The Winchester Hotel & Spa.