Hat Fair – the UK’s longest running festival of Outdoor Arts – is back for another summer, this year on Saturday 5 July.
The festival – run by arts and education charity, Play to the Crowd – takes place in Winchester city centre and which celebrated its fiftieth birthday in style last year will this summer return to its roots with a focus on the busking/Hatter element the festival takes its name from – putting a hat out after a performance to collect donations from the audience.
The festival will reminisce on its beginnings in 1974 as a hatter’s event and the programme will feature a line-up of street performers, experts in clowning, magic, physical comedy, acrobatics and audience participation.
This year’s event will also celebrate the charity’s year-round engagement work with diverse local communities, providing a platform for groups and individuals to showcase their talent.
Two years ago, the charity lost its regular Arts Council England NPO (National Porfolio Organisation) funding for the festival and have worked hard to keep the festival alive and developing. This year the programme will take place over one day due to funding challenges, but Hat Fair 2025 promises to be as joyous as ever.
Hat Fair Director Andrew Loretto said: ‘The arts, along with other public services, face a huge funding and sustainability challenge in the current climate. Despite that, and with goodwill and support from our communities and partners, I’m looking forward to staging a one-day Hat Fair.
‘Recently the charity that runs Hat Fair – Play to the Crowd – was designated a Theatre of Sanctuary – recognising the work the charity does with diverse communities and those who are recent arrivals to our country. Nowhere celebrates and welcomes that community work better than Hat Fair.’
As part of this celebration of community, local singers, musicians, comics, choirs, dance troupes and others are invited to apply to be a part of Hat Fair 2025 – with more information and an online application form available at playmakers.org.uk.. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 11 March 2025.
Anyone who is interested in investing in the festival so that it can remain a part of the city’s cultural calendar are welcome to contact Fundraising Manager, Becca Moore, at becca@playtothecrowd.co.uk.
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