Autumn Festival 2025
SATURDAY 6 – SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Autumn Festival 2025
Quench your curiosity and join over one hundred of Britain’s top historians, broadcasters, politicians and thinkers at the Festival this September. Frank Skinner, Alice Roberts, Celia Imrie, Alan Johnson, Lyse Doucet, David Olusoga, Olivette Otele, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Heseltine, Greg Jenner, Vince Cable and Peter Frankopan are just some of Britain’s top historians, actors, broadcasters and authors at this year’s festival. Talks are available to purchase and enjoy on demand until 12 October.
Scroll down to book livestream tickets or book directly from the festival brochure by clicking on the event image which will take you directly to the event page.
Digital Pass and individual tickets
Save up to 30% on the price of your tickets with our great value passes
Digital Festival Pass – £65 – livestream and on demand access to the full digital talks programme
All individual digital tickets are £7. Scroll down to book digital tickets by clicking on each event. You can buy digital tickets and passes until 10pm on Sunday 12th October.
Livestreamed events are available to view until 11pm on Sunday 12th October.
Click image above to download brochure
Crossing Continents
Travel across time and across the globe as Alice Roberts, Peter Frankopan, Olivette Otele and Sebastian Faulks explore the threads connecting distant cultures to the present. From archaeological adventures to global narratives this series brings the world’s past onto the festival stage.
Power and Politics
Step inside the corridors of power with our star‑studded line‑up: Lyse Doucet reflects on decades of reporting from global hotspots; veteran cabinet ministers Michael Heseltine, Alan Johnson, Vince Cable and Jeremy Hunt debate the challenges shaping modern government and leadership. Expect frank reflections, political insight and lively debate.
History on Stage and Screen
Lights, camera, history! Top comedian Frank Skinner, leading actor Celia Imrie, Horrible Histories guru Greg Jenner, A House Though Time’s David Olusoga and broadcaster Alice Loxton come to Gloucester. Join them as they bring the past to life from the Stone Age and the Anglo-Saxons to Medieval Europe and the Second World War.
Hidden Histories
Step behind the veil of history to uncover the secrets that shape our world. Ruth Bourne, wartime codebreaker at Bletchley Park, shares her powerful story. Janina Ramirez brings iconic women to life in Legenda, while Tracy Borman and Clare Jackson reveal the hidden power plays of the Tudors and Stuarts, from shadowy courts to whispered plots.
Scroll down for full programme
Digital Autumn Festival On Sale Now
Visiting the Gloucester History Festival in the Autumn
Ticket booking information
Bookings will be available online, by phone and via the in-person Box Office
There is a Box Office onsite but we recommend booking ahead to avoid disappointment.
Reservable seating: you can now choose and book specific seats when you book online, via phone or in person.
Book signings organised by Waterstones take place after each event.
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