What's on at the 2026 festival
Dive into a world of arts - there's something for everyone.
Explore talks, performances, experiences and more!
Be Curious!
You can buy tickets online via the buttons below or or phone 01332 340156 (Option 5) to buy tickets over the phone
This webpage is for grown-ups. Events for children can be found by selecting Family Fun from the main menu.
Paddock Pass
You must have one to get in!
Enjoy a voyage of discovery as you walk under the ancient gatehouse arch of Repton's Augustinian Priory and on to the main Festival site, where you might explore the living Viking encampment and see families carry out their daily routines, cooking, weaving, candle-making and blacksmithing. Possibly making rope out of nettles!
Witness combat displays in which highly skilled, trained and rehearsed warriors present high quality, flamboyant fighting routines live, on land once occupied by Viking invaders.
Enjoy free, live, family festival and street theatre performances from Rhubarb Theatre. Also included with the Paddock Pass are various entertainments for children.
Admire the beauty of the grounds and gardens now surrounding The Old Priory, in which King Edward I stayed in 1291 and Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1957.
Grab a bite to eat and visit the bar before heading off to your next scheduled event at the Repton Festival 2026.
Tickets are free but still need to be ‘purchased’ so that we can monitor attendance numbers. Tickets are specific to the day. Please contact info@reptonfestival.co.uk to book Paddock Passes for groups of more than ten people.
Tickets are specific to the day | 10.00am to 5.00pm
Free
The Paddock
Stirred, not Shaken!
The opening night of the 2026 Festival promises a spectacular, immersive celebration of cinema and sound. A Back to the Future DeLorean sets the scene outside the entrance, and stepping inside leads into a glamorous world of film and fun.
The evening moves into a vibrant concert of iconic film music performed live by the Burton Concert Band, with much‑loved scores paired with matching film clips. Acclaimed vocalist Tom Clamp adds to the atmosphere with performances that echo the drama and allure of the silver screen.
Cabaret-style seating creates an intimate setting, complemented by at‑table service and themed cocktails.
A prize will be given for the person/couple/family that is best dressed as a movie icon!
Please note that there is no wheelchair access up to Pears School and approximately 18 steps.
Friday 6th July | Doors open 6:30pm
£20. Reserved Seating.
Pears School
Desert Island Wines
with Helen Lederer
An evening with comedian, actor and writer Helen Lederer, whose career spans the alternative comedy boom to her memorable role as Catriona in Absolutely Fabulous. She has appeared widely across television, radio and stage, and is an established author and commentator.
In this Desert Island Discs-style interview, five selected wines replace records, each choice prompting stories and reflections from her life and career. Helen brings authority as well as humour to the format, having written as a wine columnist for publications including The Oldie.
She is also the author of Not That I’m Bitter, her acclaimed memoir exploring resilience, rejection and longevity in a competitive industry. Alongside her creative work, she founded the Comedy Women in Print Prize, supporting new female voices in comedy writing.
Expect sharp insight, strong storytelling and candid observations throughout—an engaging blend of conversation and guided wine tasting, led by one of the UK’s most distinctive and enduring comic voices.
‘Helen Lederer is the third funniest woman in the world’ – DAWN FRENCH
There is no wheelchair access to the Library and approximately 8 steps. Helen will be signing copies of her latest book after the show. We plan on the audience sampling five wines over the course of this event.
Sunday 5th July
5:00pm
£25
The Library
Flies!
Erica McAlister, Diptera (Fly) curator at the Natural History Museum, is one of the UK’s most distinctive science communicators, known for her quick wit and infectious enthusiasm. She has built a massive following through broadcasting, public events and award-winning outreach.
This talk takes a subject many would usually avoid—flies—and makes it unexpectedly absorbing and consistently funny. From bizarre behaviours to improbable survival tricks, these insects prove far stranger (and more entertaining) than their reputation suggests. The talk will draw on her book ‘Metamorphosis’ to examine how flies have driven advances in fields as varied as forensics, agriculture, medicine and space research, and why they are increasingly central to modern biological science.
A sharp, offbeat hour that prioritises curiosity and enjoyment, with plenty to spark conversation afterwards.
There is no wheelchair access to the Library and approximately 8 steps. Erica will be signing copies of her latest books after the show.
Saturday 4th July
3pm
£12
The Library
Ben Pope
Ben Pope (“utter delight” ★★★★ – Fest) is an award‑nominated stand‑up comedian and bookseller whose work blends crisp writing with a warm, theatrical presence. His comedy has appeared on Comedy Central, BBC Three, and BBC Radio 4, where he has written for The News Quiz and DMs Are Open. A regular headliner across major London clubs and a familiar face at the Edinburgh Fringe, he has built a reputation for smart, playful material delivered with bright, bookish charm. This new hour brings together freshly‑coined jokes, stories, parody literature and lyrical rants shaped by his love of language. Critics consistently highlight the craft: “Pope is superb company” (★★★★ Evening Standard), “Beautifully constructed” (★★★★ Scotsman), “Could an audience with the actual Pope offer as much” (★★★★ Telegraph)
Minimum age 16.
Saturday 4th July
9pm
£15
Tithe Barn
John Tothill
John Tothill has emerged as one of the most distinctive comic voices of his generation, praised for a mischievous, erudite style that blends high‑energy whimsy with sharply crafted writing. His recent show This Must Be Heaven drew exceptional acclaim, described by The Telegraph as a “superlative stand‑up set… at this rate, stardom beckons” ★★★★★, with The Times noting how “funny and charming and revealing” he makes the craft appear ★★★★. Earlier work such as Thank God This Lasts Forever and The Last Living Libertine cemented his reputation, earning five‑star reviews for a voice “like no one else’s” (The Guardian) and performances “as intellectually stimulating as they are side‑splittingly funny” (EdFestMag ★★★★★). His latest hour continues this trajectory with characteristic elegance and gleeful theatricality.
Saturday 4th July
7.30pm
£15
Tithe Barn
Paul Stevens' Repton Walking Tours
Paul is the acclaimed authority on the rich and engaging history of Repton, from the Viking encampment of 873, the foundation of the Augustinian Priory in 1172 and the School in 1557. During this fascinating tour, Paul will draw on his encyclopaedic knowledge of the places and times, curiosities and intrigues to offer an unforgettable and hugely entertaining immersive experience.
Meet at The Arch
Note that this walking tour has steps and is not suitable for wheelchairs
Saturday 4th July at 10.30am, or
Sunday 5th July at 1pm
£10
Meet at the Arch