What’s on at the Festival of Ideas

The Festival of Ideas is a programme of free, inclusive and accessible public events taking place 4-7 July 2024.

The events cover a wide range of themes in and around Chester, you can learn something new and take part in events that will change your perspective on the world around you.

Family events, active events as well as talks, workshops and exhibitions are all happening across this exciting weekend.

Active events

Join our experts and community leaders to learn while you get active!

Sustainability walks- a led, accessible walk in and around Chester City Centre to discover a number of examples of a sustainable future that are already located in Chester.

Have you got what it takes to be an elite athlete?- a workshop on cutting-edge physiological and performance measures, delve into the science behind athletic excellence.

Health & Wellbeing at University of Chester (multiple days and activities) – squash, tennis and more!

Exploring Nature through a different lens - join Chester Zoo staff and the Friends of Country park for a guided wander through the Countess of Chester Country Park.

Walk the Walls - a leisurely 2 mile walk around the city walls. Walking the complete circuit gives wondrous views down into the city and gives a fantastic insight into Chester’s long history.

Family events

Fun for all the family, make sure to bring your kids along to some of these free events across the long weekend.

Indoor play - Topsy Tumbles in Northgate Arena are sessions that are open to all pre-school children accompanied by an adult. Older sibling can enjoy shooting some basketball hoops, practising their football skills or having fun on our interactive activity wall. All children under 8 must be supervised by an adult.

Up-cycling Workshop - Grosvenor Park Academy would like to invite you to their up-cycling workshop. If you want more out of your used plastic bottles before they head to the recycling centre, come on down to learn how to transform them into a useful and decorative herb garden or flower planter!

Braintastic! Science: Amazing Animals – an interactive experience where we showcase the super-smart abilities of the world’s most incredible animals. Featuring puzzles and tests for everybody to join in and challenge their own intelligence against amazing animals.

How to Speak Chimpanzee – and contribute to research! - an interactive session on communicating with a Chimpanzee. 

Virtual Reality Testing: Explore Medieval St John’s Church- test and give feedback on a prototype Virtual Reality experience of fourteenth century St John’s Church in Chester.

Interactive workshops

Engage in interactive events where you will contribute to and be inspired by activities and discussions.

High-tech hunt - learn how University of Chester archaeologists have enhanced the understanding of a medieval glassworking site, hidden in Delamere Forest.

Winged Insects Eco Art Workshop - Using the forms of a selection of pollinating winged insects you will make a three dimensional insect that is made from sustainable and recycled materials that will collectively evolve into an installation.

Historic Towns Trust Historical Map and Atlas of Chester: Public Consultation - Together the Historic Towns Trust (HTT), the University of Chester, and Chester Archaeological Society are producing an Historical Map of Chester and working towards an Historical Atlas of Chester. Peruse the draft Historical Map and tell us which sites we have missed.

Building bridges: the University of Chester and local communities - Using Lego Serious Play Method as a tool, this session, facilitated by Chester Business School, will invite members of our local communities to explore their relationship with the University through creativity.

Fighting poverty and stigma together: an interactive event - a free event designed to creatively showcase the lived realities of poverty, challenge stigma and stimulate ongoing discussions about these issues.

Food as a Social Connector - explore the connections between food and fostering community through social spaces. The event will include contributions from community partners and local charities focused on food.

Safety first! Creating community artwork to share ideas of what it means to be safe - this event provides an opportunity to create pieces of community artwork which show what feeling safe looks like.

Talks

Listen to new perspectives and discover ideas that can change your perception of the world around us. 

Dr Louise Newson- Female Hormones and Health

Baroness Floella Benjamin- Touching Success

David Olusoga- Investigating History

Gyles Brandreth- The idea of happiness and how to achieve it

Exhibitions

Access interesting and visually stimulating exhibitions where you can connect to a snapshot of knowledge.

Chester Lives - this exhibition showcases how Chester and its residents have been depicted in Cheshire Life since its launch in May 1934.

Time for Climate: Participatory Art Installation - co-create a unique art installation that will be displayed at the University of Chester after the festival, to highlight the urgent need to give your ‘Time for Climate’.

Retracing Footsteps: The Changing Landscape of Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon – an ongoing research project documenting past and present engagements with the landscape of Snowdon and reimagining the experience of the mountain as it is encountered today.

Imperial Legacies, Sacred Space - a collaboration between Chester Cathedral and the University of Chester that seeks to tell the hidden narratives of colonialism, slavery, and empire.

Check out the full timetable for all of the events happening across the long weekend at the Festival of Ideas. Make sure you don’t miss it!