Arundel Castle is thrilled to announce its 2023 events programme, featuring a wide range of exciting and engaging activities for visitors of all ages. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from historical re-enactments and guided tours to family-friendly demonstrations and activities, live performances and even jousting. Visitors can step back in time and experience the grandeur and pageantry of medieval England and explore the castle\’s beautiful gardens and grounds. Events include: | ||
Medieval Festival Good Friday 7th – Easter Sunday 9th April Step back in time to 1216 as Arundel Castle presents a Medieval Festival. This three-day event recreates the gathering of King John and his loyal followers to put down a rebellion and fend off a potential invasion from France. Set within a large, tented encampment on the lower lawns of the castle, the event offers a plethora of activities to immerse visitors in the medieval world. Experience the thrill of axe throwing, archery, and falconry demonstrations, and witness combat re-enactments. Children will even have the chance to participate in Arundel Castle’s renowned ‘Kids Battles’. There will be demonstrations of period crafts in the craft tent, including pewter casting, forging, cooking, leather work, and more. And visitors are sure to enjoy the live music from medieval musicians Myal and Peg, and the fire-eating skills of Whatapalaver. Don\’t miss this unique opportunity to witness history come to life at one of England\’s most iconic castles. | ||
Tulip FestivalApril/ May – please check Arundel Castle’s social media channels or website to find out when the flowers are in bloom Arundel Castle invites visitors to experience a tulip festival like no other during the annual tulip season. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the castle\’s gardens, a sea of colour awaits with over 100,000 tulip bulbs planted by the castle’s award-winning Head Gardener, Martin Duncan, and his team. This year the festival showcases over 120 different named tulips, with an array of colours and hues as the bulbs, which have been dormant underground throughout the winter, burst into bloom. For the first time in history, the castle’s iconic steep castle bank has been planted with more than 10,000 Oxford red tulips, while the labyrinth has been planted with over 14,000 King’s Blood bulbs to create a stunning feature, in celebration of King Charles III’s Coronation in May. Don\’t miss your chance to see this spectacular display of nature at its finest and immerse yourself in the vibrant colours of spring at Arundel Castle. | ||
Plant FairsSunday 23rd April and Sunday 2nd July Discover a wide range of locally grown, garden-worthy, and often unusual plants at Arundel Castle\’s Plant Fairs. Organised by a collective of specialist nurseries – Plant Fair Roadshows – a Spring Plant Fair will take place on Sunday 23rd April, and a Summer Plant Fair on Sunday 2nd July. Set in the castle’s stunning grounds, the fairs provide a unique opportunity to purchase plants directly from expert growers. Visitors can also receive free advice from the growers and the event\’s resident Plant Doctor. Whether you\’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, the Plant Fairs offer something for everyone. So don’t miss this chance to enhance your garden and recreate a piece of Arundel Castle\’s beauty. | ||
Allium ExtravaganzaMay – please check Arundel Castle’s social media channels or website to find out when the flowers are in bloom Experience the spectacular Allium Extravaganza at Arundel Castle this May, where thousands of alliums will burst into bloom with their vibrant, pom-pom-shaped heads. Known as the ‘fireworks of gardening’, these towering flowers will add a surge of colour to the castle\’s gardens. Visitors can admire the long-stemmed plants in the English herbaceous borders and see the white blooms of the Cowanii and Mont Blanc complementing the Fitzalan Chapel\’s White Garden. Don\’t miss this explosion of colour and beauty at Arundel Castle. | ||
Medieval Festival – A Skirmish Saturday 27th – Monday 29th May Experience history depicted like never before at Arundel Castle\’s 15th-century Wars of the Roses family event. King Edward IV, Duke of York, faces rebellion from the supporters of the former King, Henry VI, Duke of Lancaster. For one weekend only, Arundel Castle serves as the backdrop for an imaginary Lancastrian raiding party engaging with Yorkist forces. The event includes three tented encampments showcasing 15th-century crafts, forging, leather work, cooking, weapons, and armour. In addition, visitors can participate in hands-on activities, such as archery, axe throwing, and warrior training, as well as Arundel Castle’s renowned ‘Kids battles’. Falconry demonstrations, medieval music performances, fire eating, artillery demonstrations and skirmishes, all add to the immersive experience, transporting visitors back to this turbulent time in England\’s history. | ||
Medieval Weekend FestivalSaturday 8th and Sunday 9th July Experience the excitement of medieval times at Arundel Castle\’s Medieval Festival. This weekend event will be set in 1474; the Earl of Arundel celebrates the birth of his first grandson with a knight\’s foot tournament and an archery contest featuring teams from England, France, and Poland. The festival takes place on the lower lawns of Arundel Castle, where visitors can explore a tented encampment and see demonstrations of historical crafts, including pewter casting, forging, cooking, leather work, as well as combat, falconry and the Knights Tournament. For those looking to get hands-on experience, there will be plenty of activities such as axe throwing, crossbows, archery, and even battles for children to get involved with. The festival also features medieval music from performers Myal and Peg, and a storyteller. This family-friendly event is perfect for visitors of all ages looking to immerse themselves in medieval history and culture. | ||
International Medieval Jousting TournamentTuesday 25th – Sunday 30th July Arundel Castle is proud to once again play host to the International Jousting Tournament. Over six days, eight jousters will fight to be crowned Champion of Champions, having been a past individual winner at Arundel or the top scorer for their country. Visitors can witness the thrilling display of horseback combat as the knights charge down the tilt rail and lances shatter on opponents\’ shields. It’s not all horses and the excitement of the joust; the arena will also host falconry, a fire eater and the renowned Arundel Castle ‘Kids Battle’. In the grounds, there will be medieval musicians, including Myal and Peg, and activities for visitors to try their hand at, including archery, warrior training, and axe throwing. The Knights’ Table, including a festival bar, will also be serving a spectacular feast. Tickets include access to the castle, grounds and gardens, as well as full access to the event. So don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the excitement of medieval jousting at one of England\’s most iconic castles. | ||
History DaysThursday 10th and Thursday 17th August Visit Arundel Castle for a fun-filled family day and travel back in time as this iconic venue explores different eras of history! Meet various historical characters, such as a Norman knight, a pirate, and someone from the Stone Age. Try your hand at a variety of historical crafts and activities, including archery, mini catapults, crossbows, warrior training and a craft tent. There will even be battles for children to get involved with. In addition to the hands-on activities, there will be a storyteller, musician, and falconer on hand to entertain and engage with visitors. Impromptu combat and weapons demonstrations will also take place throughout the event. The Arundel Castle History Days are perfect for families and history enthusiasts of all ages. | ||
Shakespeare open-air theatre: Twelfth NightFriday 18th and Saturday 19th August Experience the magic of Shakespeare\’s Twelfth Night in the gardens of Arundel Castle. The enchanting venue serves as the perfect stage for this romantic comedy, as the play\’s several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities, and practical jokes come to life. Following a shipwreck, Viola is washed-up in Illyria, where her only chance for survival is to make use of her quick wit and fine singing voice, disguising herself as a man and applying to work in the court of Duke Orsino. The lovesick Orsino sends ‘him’ to lady Olivia to woo her on his behalf, but Viola’s efforts are so successful that Olivia falls for Viola rather than Orsino. Meanwhile, Olivia’s carousing uncle Sir Toby Belch crosses swords with the steward Malvolio and devises a wicked plan to humiliate him. It could all end in tears – even if most of them are laughter. This unique performance by Illyria1 is sure to be a highlight of your summer. So come and enjoy an evening of yearning romance, music and sheer joy. Reserve your tickets from April. | ||
Festival of HistorySaturday 26th – Monday 28th August From the Stone Age to the 20th century, step back in time and explore 12,000 years at Arundel Castle\’s Festival of History. This three-day event, set on the lower lawns of the castle, takes visitors on a journey through the development of costumes, weapons, armour, and battle tactics. With four living history groups and many individual historical interpreters, visitors will see demonstrations of historical crafts, including forging, cooking, leather work, and period crafts. In addition, there will be bows and gun demonstrations in the arena, as well as Saxon, Norman and Medieval Knights, falconry, Roman Gladiators, a medieval artillery demonstration, and a history parade, followed by the Grand Melee. Visitors can participate in hands-on activities such as axe throwing, archery, crossbows and crafting. Plus, there are battles for children to join and entertainment from medieval musicians, including Myal and Peg. Don\’t miss this Bank Holiday opportunity to immerse yourself in history at the iconic Arundel Castle. | ||
Characters from HistoryWednesday 25th and Thursday 26th OctoberStep back in time and experience life in the 12th century at Arundel Castle\’s Characters from History event. Meet characters from the castle’s past, including crusaders, knights, archers, and servants who will share their stories and give visitors a glimpse into people’s everyday lives at this time. See the skill of a falconer, listen to tall tales from a storyteller, enjoy medieval tunes by a wandering musician, or take a tour of the Castle’s moat. Watch historical craft and weapons demonstrations – those over eight years old can try their hand at archery. This event is perfect for history enthusiasts and families looking to immerse themselves in the past during the October half-term. | ||
While tickets for all events can be purchased at the gates of Arundel Castle, pre-booking is highly recommended, as many events sell out in advance. Ticket prices vary for each event. Visit www.arundelcastle.org for more information, ticket prices and FAQs. The Castle coffee shop, restaurant and tea terrace are available at all events. Catering, provided by the Knights’ Table, is also available at many of the events – detailed on the website. Arundel Castle reserves the right to change events or access to areas at any time. All catering is subject to menu & opening hours variations and availability. Age and height restrictions apply to some of the visitor activities. |