About our events

For the past 50 years, the Salisbury International Arts Festival has drawn people into the city for culture, spectacle and fun. Centuries before the Festival emerged, however, the Salisbury Giant and his companion Hobnob were providing a similar draw, enlivening public events and providing a focal point for processions and pageants. In 2024, we want to celebrate that long tradition by introducing the original Salisbury Giant to a new friend, Patch.

Join us on Sunday 26th May as we welcome this new Giant to our City. Parading down Milford Street, music, dance and song will bring Patch into the Market Square for the start of our City Encounters weekend and two days of free performance and craft activity.

This opening weekend will herald the start of two weeks of fabulous music, circus, comedy, spoken word and theatre that will be spilling out of our buildings into the streets and spaces of Salisbury offering something for everyone.

The festival starts on the 26th May until the 9th June and we can’t wait to see you there.

Your Festival Programme

List of Events

  1. City Encounters

    Sun 26 May - Mon 27 May
    Family
    Free
    Outdoors
    More infoBook now
  2. Patch's Parade

    Celebration
    Parade
    Giant
    More infoBook now
  3. Rap Masterclass

    Workshop
    Rap Music
    Take Part
    More infoBook now
  4. Six dancers is white button up shirts strike various poses. The background is black and they are standing on a wooden floor.

    Fault Lines

    Dance
    Contemporary
    Empowering
    More infoBook now
  5. The members of Tim Kliphuis Trio standing outside on a blue, sunny day. They are playing their instruments in casual clothes.

    Tim Kliphuis Trio

    Mesmerising
    Music fusion
    Innovative
    More infoBook now
  6. Author Anthony Horowitz smiles into the camera. He is wearing a black suit jacket and blue collared shirt. He has his arms crossed and stands outside in a garden. He is Caucasian, has short grey hair and brown eyes.

    Anthony Horowitz

    Author
    Spoken Word
    Conversation
    More infoBook now
  7. Out of the Hat!

    Magic
    Puppets
    Family
    More infoBook now
  8. The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan

    Opera
    Glamour
    Authentic
    More infoBook now
  9. Author Justin Webb sits on a chair on stage giving a talk. He is wearing a blue shirt and is gesturing with his arms while talking. He is Caucasian with brown eyes and grey hair.

    Justin Webb

    Thoughtful
    Conversation
    Informative
    More infoBook now
  10. A female performer kneels on the ground amidst an audience of babies and their parents all sat on the floor in a theatre. The performer is singing and holding a flower-shaped umbrella.

    BAM: Babies' Adventures in Music

    Warm
    Interactive
    Instruments
    More infoBook now
  11. Jazz singer, Clare Teal, is on stage singing into a microphone in front of an audience. She has blonde hair and is wearing a black top and colourful jacket. She is on stage with her bandmates who are playing instruments.

    The Clare Teal Seven

    Jazz Music
    Exhilarating
    Storytelling
    More infoBook now
  12. Janice Connolly as her character Barbara Nice. A middle-aged Caucasian woman wearing glasses and an orange cardigan. She is holding up 6 strips of raffle tickets.,

    Barbara Nice

    Loveable
    Joyful
    Stand-up
    More infoBook now
  13. Author Alan Johnson in a black jumper looking into the camera. He is Caucasian, with blue eyes, grey hair, grey glasses and is leaning on his hand. He is pictured against a black background.

    An Evening with Alan Johnson

    Author
    Conversation
    Mystery
    More infoBook now
  14. A black and white headshot of author David Baddiel. He is wearing black-rimmed glasses, a black shirt, has grey hair and beard and is smiling into the camera.

    David Baddiel

    Conversation
    Author
    Insightful
    More infoBook now
  15. Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis on a pavement next to some railings. Punt is wearing a dark suit with his hands in his pockets and Dennis is wearing a light blue suit and is holding onto the railings leaning at an angle

    Punt and Dennis

    Comedy
    Night-out
    Popular
    More infoBook now
  16. The members of Shirley Smart Trio are pictured inside in front of a piano. The two men are standing, wearing casual clothes. One of them is holding a cymbal from a drum kit. In the middle is Shirley Smart sitting behind her cello. They are all smiling towards the camera.

    Shirley Smart Trio

    Trailblazing
    Dynamic
    Music
    More infoBook now
  17. Victoria's Knickers

    Romcom
    Young People
    Irreverent
    More infoBook now
  18. Mark Padmore & Elizabeth Kenny: Sonnets in Song

    Classical
    Expressive
    Early Music
    More infoBook now
  19. Tess

    Circus
    Incredible
    Storytelling
    More infoBook now
  20. Juliet Stevenson

    Talk
    Actress
    Legendary
    More infoBook now
  21. A close up headshot of Ruby Wax on a blue background. She has her eyes closed and is holding a ripped photograph of her mouth in front of her face.

    Ruby Wax: I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was

    Popular
    Comedy
    Compelling
    More infoBook now
  22. An black and white image of the Rolling Stones playing in Salisbury City Hall in 1964.

    With the Rolling Stones

    History
    Rock Music
    Exciting
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  23. Journalist Christina Lamb is standing with her arms crossed against a teal blue background. She has short blonde hair, blue eyes and is Caucasian. She is wearing a grey blouse, blue shawl and chunky jewellery.

    Christina Lamb

    Talk
    Journalism
    Author
    More infoBook now
  24. Hamlet

    Authenticity
    Excellence
    Outdoor
    More infoBook now