Winter Warmer Digital Festival

2025 – 2026

Sunday 28 December 2025 – Wednesday 11 February 2026

Enjoy highlights from the Spring and Autumn 2025 Festivals, alongside specially selected events from the Festival archives, handpicked by Festival President Janina Ramirez.

On sale now.

 

Winter Warmer Digital Festival

Enjoy 50 inspiring events broadcast over 25 days, all from the comfort of home.

With six weeks to catch up and view them all, you can settle in this winter and enjoy the very best in history, ideas and debate.

This year’s Winter Warmer brings together a stellar cast. Alice Roberts, Lyse Doucet, Frank Skinner, Michael Heseltine, Celia Imrie, David Olusoga, Alan Johnson, Tracy Borman, Alice Loxton , Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Greg Jenner, Vince Cable, Hallie Rubenhold, Olivette Otele and Jeremy Hunt are just a handful of the 70 outstanding historians, actors, broadcasters and politicians taking part in our carefully curated online festival.

Join us for our Winter Warmer, the perfect chance to satisfy your curiosity and enrich your mind during the dark winter nights.

Single tickets – £7
Winter Warmer Pass – £32
Medieval Kings Afternoon (18 January) – £10 ticket price covers both events

Tickets on sale now!

Winter Warmer Digital Festival

For all winter warmer ticket and pass holders the programme is available to enjoy from 28 December 2025 – 11 February 2026.

Tickets on sale now.

Think you might miss the event broadcast? No problem! Your ticket or pass lets you view all your events until the end of the festival. Winter Warmer Passes and tickets for any event can be purchased at any time, even if the broadcast has already taken place.

For digital queries contact: admin@gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Booking is open! Please scroll down to view the full programme.

Winter Warmer 2025 – 2026 Events

How do Winter Warmer events work?

Register for the event in Zoom (via the ticket links on this page) and then scroll through to select your ticket.  The Digital Festival Pass gives access to all 50 events.  NOTE: tickets must be purchased individually, purchasing a Digital Festival Pass will mean you only have to do this once!

Once you have purchased your ticket you will receive a confirmation email receipt.  This email will contain the join link and access instructions.  Click on the link 5-10 minutes before the event starts to view the event.  Once an event has taken place, the event recording will be available to view via the same link until 11:59 PM on Wednesday 11 February 2026.

Resend Your Ticket
If you can’t find your ticket purchase email and would like it re-sent, visit the Zoom Registration page and click ‘resend guest ticket’, which can be found underneath the main registration buttons.

Cancel Your Ticket
If you would like to cancel your order, click ‘View and Manage Ticket’ within your confirmation email, then select ‘cancel order’.  This will refund your original payment and invalidate your join link.

Book your tickets for our digital programme below and explore the frequently asked questions for more information.

sun28dec2:00 pm3:00 pmAlice Robertsin conversation

sun28dec4:00 pm5:00 pmFrank SkinnerIn Conversation

mon29dec2:00 pm3:00 pmLyse Doucet A People’s History of Afghanistan

mon29dec4:00 pm5:00 pmDavid Olusogain conversation

tue30dec2:00 pm4:00 pmTracy BormanThe Stolen Crown: Death of the Tudor Dynasty

tue30dec4:00 pm5:00 pmHenry VIII's War on the Monasteries of Gloucester & the WestJames Clark

wed31dec2:00 pm4:00 pmLegenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths that Shaped EuropeJanina Ramirez

wed31dec4:00 pm5:00 pmThe Bayeux Tapestry: The Big QuestionsJanina Ramirez and David Musgrove

thu01jan2:00 pm3:00 pmPutin and the Return of History: How the Kremlin Rekindled the Cold War | The Winstone TalkMartin Sixsmith

thu01jan4:00 pm5:00 pmUnderstanding The Middle East: The Great BetrayalFawaz Gerges

fri02jan2:00 pm3:00 pmCelia Imrie & Fidelis Morgan

fri02jan4:00 pm5:00 pmSebastian FaulksFrom Birdsong to Charlotte Gray

sat03jan2:00 pm3:00 pmGreg JennerThe Stone Age Runs Wild

sat03jan4:00 pm5:00 pmSceptred Isle: A New History of the 14th CenturyHelen Carr

sun04jan2:00 pm3:00 pmAethelstan: The First King of EnglandDavid Woodman & Andrew Armstrong

sun04jan4:00 pm5:00 pmKing Offa & The Triumph of the Anglo-SaxonsMax Adams

mon05jan2:00 pm3:00 pmDoorway to the WorldOlivette Otele

mon05jan4:00 pm5:00 pmAlexandria: The City That Changed The WorldIslam Issa

tue06jan2:00 pm3:00 pmForgotten Churches: Exploring England’s Hidden TreasuresLuke Sherlock

tue06jan4:00 pm5:00 pmAndrew ZiminskiChurch Going: A Stonemason’s Guide to British Churches

wed07jan2:00 pm3:00 pmGloucestershire’s Hidden VikingsMark Horton

wed07jan4:00 pm5:00 pmBritain’s Greatest MegalithsMark Horton, Mike Pitts, & Fiona Robertson

thu08jan2:00 pm3:00 pmLaurence Llewelyn-BowenIn conversation with Janina Ramirez

thu08jan4:00 pm5:00 pmBerkeley Castle, Chavenage House & Highnam Court: Splendour and SecretsCharles Berkeley, Roger Head & Caroline Lowsley-Williams

fri09jan2:00 pm3:00 pmThomas More: Saint or Sinner?Joanne Paul

fri09jan4:00 pm5:00 pmSir Francis Drake & the Secrets of the SevernMark Horton

sat10jan2:00 pm3:00 pmTrump and Putin: A New World Order?David Omand, Uilleam Blacker & Sinclair McKay

sat10jan4:00 pm5:00 pmMalcolm X & the American Civil Rights MovementKehinde Andrews

sun11jan2:00 pm3:00 pmMichael HeseltineIn Conversation

sun11jan4:00 pm3:00 pmAlan JohnsonHarold Wilson: Twentieth Century Man

mon12jan2:00 pm3:00 pmBletchley Park: Remembering World War TwoBletchley Veteran Ruth Bourne & Tessa Dunlop

mon12jan4:00 pm5:00 pmMission Europe! The Secret Women of the SOEKate Vigurs

tue13jan2:00 pm3:00 pmHallie RubenholdStory of A Murder

tue13jan4:00 pm5:00 pmMuv: The Mitford Girls & MotherRachel Trethewey

wed14jan2:00 pm3:00 pmMagna Carta Discovered!David Carpenter

wed14jan4:00 pm5:00 pmCrusaders: The Knights Who Went Rogue in the Holy LandSteve Tibble

thu15jan2:00 pm3:00 pmGloucester’s Greatest BuildingJanina Ramirez, Andrew Armstrong & Phil Moss

thu15jan4:00 pm5:00 pmThe Life and Times of the Great Gloucester Cathedral OrganJonathan Hope, Suzanne Aspden, James Atherton & Andrew Pitt

fri16jan2:00 pm3:00 pmVince CableEclipsing the West: China & India Forging A New World?

fri16jan4:00 pm5:00 pmCan We Be Great Again? Why A Dangerous World Needs BritainJeremy Hunt

sat17jan2:00 pm3:00 pmBendor GrosvenorThe Invention of British Art

sat17jan4:00 pm5:00 pmAlice LoxtonEighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives

sun18jan2:00 pm5:00 pmMedieval Kings Afternoon Double Ticket: Edward II & Louis VIIIIan Mortimer and Catherine Hanley

mon19jan2:00 pm3:00 pmJames I: The Life and Loves of Britain’s First KingLucy Hughes-Hallett & Gareth Russell

mon19jan4:00 pm5:00 pmThe Legacy of The Civil War in GloucestershireRichard Graham

tue20jan2:00 pm3:00 pmShattered Lands: Unmaking the Indian EmpireSam Dalrymple

tue20jan4:00 pm5:00 pmMotherland: A Journey Through 500,000 Years of African HistoryLuke Pepera

wed21jan2:00 pm3:00 pmA Marvellous History of MagicMagician Andi Gladwin, Richard Wiseman & Steve Knibbs

wed21jan4:00 pm5:00 pmWitch Night!Janina Ramirez & Marion Gibson

Digital Events – Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. I can’t find my email with the join link, can I get it resent?

Yes, once booking is open you’ll be able to visit the resgitration page and click the ‘resend guest ticket’ link under the main registration buttons.

  1. Can I cancel my order?

Yes.  Click the ‘View and Manage Ticket’ link within your order confirmation email and you can select to ‘cancel order’.  This will automatically issue a refund to your original payment card and invalidate your join link. (NOTE: payment will take up to 10 working days to arrive back on your card).

  1. Can I purchase a ticket or view the event after it’s finished?

Yes! You can purchase a ticket until the last day of the festival and click the ‘join’ link within your order confirmation email to watch live, or view the recording.

  1. If I’m late to the event but it’s still taking place, can I still join?

Yes, you can join late to events and pause / replay the recording at your leisure.

  1. Can I share the link you’ve sent me with my friends?

No – Only people who have purchased a ticket can watch the event.

  1. Some members of my family will be watching with me, do they need to pay?

Yes – please make a donation via the History Festival website.

  1. Can I pay to watch every event?

Yes – you can purchase a Winter Warmer Pass, which gives access to all Winter Warmer events. Passes are available to buy at any time until 10pm on the last day of the festival.

  1. How much is a digital event ticket?

Event ticket prices are £7. The Winter Warmer Pass to watch all 50 events is £32.

  1. What equipment do I need to watch the events?

You will need a device with a speaker and screen (i.e. a laptop, a smartphone, or a computer with speakers). You will find a ‘Test My Device’ link within your order confirmation email, you can click this at any point if you would like to check to make sure that your system is compatible.

  1. Do I need Wifi access to view a Winter Warmer event?

Yes – the events will be hosted on the internet, so you will need a reliable Wifi or data connection to view the event.

  1. What platform are you running your digital events through?

All Winter Warmer events will be broadcast through Zoom (but you do not need a Zoom account to watch.)

    12. Am I able to join from outside of the UK?

    Users can access paid Zoom events from the following countries.

    If you are trying to access the festival from a country not listed here, please email the festival box office to gain access at

    • Argentina
    • Austria
    • Australia
    • Belgium
    • Brazil
    • Canada
    • Cyprus
    • Czech Republic
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Hong Kong
    • Ireland
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Malaysia
    • Mexico
    • Netherlands
    • Portugal
    • Singapore
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • United Arab Emirates
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

     

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