Chichester Festival TheatreWhere to stay for Chichester Festival Theatre

The summer season

The theatre’s main season, which it calls Festival, runs from April to November. Festival 2027 has not been announced. Festival 2026 was announced on 12 February 2026, so mid-February 2027 is the likely time for the next one. We will add the productions here when they are public.

If you are planning ahead, pick your week and book the house, then choose the play when the season comes out. The theatre’s second house, the Minerva, runs alongside the main Festival Theatre, so there is usually a choice.

Christmas 2026 and winter 2027

These dates come from press coverage of the theatre’s winter season announcement. We could not read them on the theatre’s own site, so treat them as reported and check before you book.

• Christmas Concerts, with the Royal Marines band and the Cathedral Choir: 1 to 5 December 2026 (reported)
• Hey! Christmas Tree, by Michael Morpurgo, in the Minerva Theatre: 5 to 27 December 2026 (reported)
• Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, in the Festival Theatre: 14 to 30 December 2026 (reported), with a relaxed performance listed for 30 December
• The Nutcracker: January 2027 (reported, exact dates not found)
• Punch, by James Graham: 23 to 27 February 2027 (reported)

Getting there from the farm and back

Chichester is about 20 minutes’ drive from West Marden. On an ordinary evening that is all there is to say. During the big Goodwood events, in mid-July and mid-September, give yourself longer.

After the show you drive back into the Downs and park outside your own door, free. In winter, Keepers and The Old Stables have wood burners. In summer it is still light enough for a drink in the garden after a matinee.

Why a house for a theatre trip

A house makes a play into a proper couple of days away. You have a kitchen for an early supper before curtain up, somewhere to talk the play over afterwards, and a walk from the village the next morning. It works for a couple, or for two couples who go to the theatre together: Keepers has two super-king bedrooms, both en-suite.

Each house sleeps 4 and has its own front door, kitchen and garden. Check-in is from 4pm, which leaves time to unpack and eat before an evening performance. Check-out is by 10am.

By day, there is Chichester itself, and our food and drink guide for lunch. The Victoria Inn is a very short walk from the houses on the night you are not at the theatre. In June and July the Festival of Chichester adds about 125 smaller events around the city.

When to book

For the summer season, wait for the announcement in February, then book the seats and the house together. For Christmas, see our Christmas and New Year page for everything else that is on. Book direct with no booking fees, or message us on WhatsApp.