Dame Penelope Keith, Kate Mosse and Loyd Grossman, the Castalian Quartet, pianist Young-Choon Park, guitarists Linda Kelsall-Barnett and Rob Johnson, the Charlotte Glasson Jazz Trio, the Rude Mechanical Theater Company, a virtual Summer Feel Good Show by CAOS, poet Vicki Feaver and the Chichester Art Society will all be in attendance.

The 2021 festival will take place from Saturday June 12 to Sunday July 11.

Festival President Phil Hewitt said: “We are delighted to be able to present such an exceptional program to you after such a difficult year.

“We all want to have fun trying to get out of these horrible times, but we are also making sure that our festival for 2021 is respectful, sensible, safe and perfectly suited to the times we have been through.

“Inevitably, as we cross that crucial June 21 date where all restrictions may be lifted, our festival this year will be a mix of live and online. We want to make our festival-goers as comfortable as possible with the events we will be offering. We appreciate that some people will want to go out while others, understandably, might be a little more suspicious. Our point is that with our mix of live and online, we’re somehow going to make everyone welcome! “

In April, the Chichester Festival received a perfectly timed boost in the form of a discretionary grant of £ 2,500 from Chichester City Council to help publicize the event. Earlier this year, the Chichester District Council awarded the Festival a grant of £ 1,600 to cover the cost of a new website and a vastly improved new event registration system.

“We are extremely grateful to our local authorities for embracing exactly what we are trying to do with this festival and everything we want it to be this year.

“But as president, I would also like to say a huge thank you to our wonderful Festival committee. We have continued to meet Zoom throughout the pandemic – and they have been brilliant in their enthusiasm and determination.

“Barry Smith, Anne Scicluna and I are the last three founders of the Festival. Barry is absolutely tireless in his role as Festival coordinator, and Anne brings fantastic common sense and immense knowledge of Chichester.

“Simon O’Hea orchestrated our digital and web revolution. His work for the Festival has been superb. Take a look at our website to see.

“Nick Sutherland, our treasurer, guided us through all of the financial challenges of the past year. We know we’re in good hands with Nick. Katie Bennett brings tremendous energy and commitment to our social media presence. Dan Inman, Chancellor Chancellor of Chichester Cathedral, ensures that our warm friendship with the Cathedral flourishes; and our new recruit

Carol Webb has integrated wonderfully into our mix.

“I must also stress that the Chichester Observer remains a fantastic ally for the Festival. I have said it over and over again, but I am convinced that there is no other newspaper in the country that so generously embraces its community festival.

As the country recovers from pandemic restrictions, the Chichester Festival is making a comeback.

Festival coordinator Barry Smith said: “The message we are getting is that people are desperate to start enjoying the live events again. We’re excited to be able to bring the city a month-long program of exciting events – live, virtual and outdoor – from June 12 to July 11. Welcome the public once again to the joys of sharing the pleasure of great performances in venues across our historic city.

“There will be a fantastic choice of entertainment, ranging from classical concerts to jazz concerts, book lectures with famous authors, comedy, theater, exhibitions, live performances, walks and tours and much more, with famous names such as Dame Penelope Keith, Kate Mosse and Loyd Grossman.

“The lineup includes first-rate classical concerts with the festival favorite, Ensemble Reza, playing Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, the Castal Quartet with Daniel Lebhardt performing the Piano Quintet by Brahms and the Bach Players with the merry Concerto Brandenburg n ° 5, all in the Assembly Hall. At the cathedral, international pianist Young-Choon Park performs a sonata by Schubert and a moonlight sonata by Beethoven. Chichester classical guitarist Linda Kelsall-Barnett returns with another entertaining selection of musical gems.

“” Other music includes rowdy Cuban band Latin Bridge in an outdoor concert with picnics at Halnaker’s, blues guitarist Rob Johnson and the charming Charlotte Glasson Jazz Trio, with legendary guitarist Chris Spedding , at the Poetry & Jazz Café, which also presents the Romani poet Raine Geoghegan.

Speech and theater events include the Rude Mechanical Theater Company performing an inspiring take on Charlie Chaplin’s early days, staged outdoors with picnics at Halnaker Park, a virtual CAOS Summer Feel Good Show, the Chicheste based musical group, book launches by Kate Mosse of Chichester and also Master Chef TV celebrity Loyd Grossman and many other programs, discussing his new book on art in Rome. One of the undoubted highlights will be poetry and music with Olivier and BAFTA award winner Dame Penelope Keith, as well as Scottish poet Vicki Feaver, at the cathedral. Well known for her TV sitcoms, The Good Life and To the Manor Born, Dame Penelope is well known to the city public thanks to her performances at the Festival Theater.

“There will be many stimulating exhibits, including the Chichester Art Society’s Oxmarket show, an engaging art trail from Open Studios, and Catherine Barnes’ popular Pictures in the Porch.

“And of course, many unusual and unexpected events such as a wine tasting and a bumblebee identification workshop! Following last year’s virtual festival, there will also be plenty to enjoy online, including an exciting new live stream of the Free Fringe Festival from Vicars Hall and a rerun of the acclaimed YouTube film from the South Downs Poetry Festival. celebrating the bicentennial of John Keats.

“There is so much to enjoy – and what a pleasure it will be to feel that buzz of excitement again as a live performance begins.”

The launch of the virtual ticket office will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 7. This event will take place on Zoom. Anyone wishing to attend should contact [email protected]

The Festival is delighted to benefit from the continued support of its distinguished Festival patron, Dame Patricia Routledge.

festivalofchichester.co.uk