Keswick Festivals In 2020

Keswick is home to a number of festivals throughout the year, which are fantastic events for both locals and visitors to the area. Just a few of the events that are held in Keswick include the Keswick Film Festival, Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival, Keswick Mountain Festival, and Keswick Beer Festival. Read on to learn more about each of these brilliant events and when they’ll be held in 2020.

Keswick Film Festival

21st annual Keswick Film Festival: 27th February - 1st March 2020

Keswick Film Club regularly holds film showings at the Keswick Alhambra cinema throughout the year, and is run by a group of film enthusiasts who are passionate about showing the very best of British and world cinema. In 2000, the Film Club organised the first Keswick Film Festival in association with the Theatre by the Lake. The Keswick Film Festival is now in its 21st year and will be held at Keswick's Alhambra Cinema and Theatre by the Lake.

Following an extremely successful crowd-funding campaign, the Keswick Alhambra has had a make-over revealing long-hidden features and restoring the cinema to its former glory to make it a wonderful venue for the opening night of the Festival.

The full programme is now available on the website, this year's highlights include Ken Russell’s Dance of the Seven Veils and The Runaways.

Words by the Water

Words by the Water takes place from 6th to 15th March 2020.

For 10 days writers and readers get together at Keswick's Theatre by the Lake to share the pleasure of books, words and ideas. This year's speakers, who cover a wide spectrum of topics from politics to literature to history, include John Crace, Simon Heffer and Philip Marsden amongst many others. You can download the programme here.

Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival

The 29th Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival: 7th - 10th May 2020

The Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival celebrates the best of jazz and blues music, with fantastic live acts performing at a number of venues across Keswick. With guest stars and bands from the UK, Europe, Canada and the US, this four-day celebration showcases the very best of New Orleans, swing, Hot Club, classic, traditional, mainstream jazz, and blues in Keswick. The 2020 line-up includes Marla Dixon, Jeff Barnhart, John Hallam and Keith Nichols.

For more information visit the Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival website.

Keswick Mountain Festival

15th - 17th May 2020

This annual festival, held in Crow Park on the edge of Derwentwater, encourages people to get outdoors and enjoy all that the Lakes has to offer. There are a range of challenges and activities to be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, including hiking, cycling, running, swimming, triathlons and junior aquathlons. You can also attend inspirational talks from guest speakers - the lineup for 2020 is yet to be announced, but past speakers have included Sir Chris Bonington, Alan Hinkes, Chrissie Wellington, and Mark Beaumont - as well as enjoying two nights of live music.

This is a great family-friendly event, and even if you’re not taking part in the sporting events, the Festival Village itself has tons of exhibits to see, food and drink stalls, and fantastic views over Derwentwater.

For more information or to book your tickets, visit the Keswick Mountain Festival website.

Keswick Beer Festival

24th annual Beer Festival: 5th - 6th June 2020

The biggest beer festival in the North, Keswick Beer Festival attracts nearly 6000 visitors over two days. Showcasing a huge range of beers, with over 250 barrels of beer, lager and cider available to sample, this event is always a sell-out, so we recommend booking your tickets as soon as possible! Tickets must be bought in advance, with no ticket sales on the day.

Held at Keswick Rugby Club in Davidson Park, Keswick Beer Festival is a fundraising event run by Keswick Lions and Keswick Community Rugby Trust. All of the funds raised from the festival are split jointly between the two organisations; Keswick Lions use their funds to support local charities in the local area, and Keswick Community Rugby Trust use their funds to provide facilities and support for rugby fans and players in Keswick, with a particular focus on youth development.

To find out more and book your tickets, visit the Keswick Beer Festival website.

Keswick Midsummer Festival

26th - 28th June 2020

Keswick Town Council presents a weekend of free events at the Keswick Midsummer Festival, including open-air live music events and the Lake District’s best dog show.

Midsummer Rock Concert, 26th June:
Enjoy an outdoor live rock concert in the Market Square in Keswick town centre.

Prom in the Park, 27th June:
Based in the lovely Fitz park, this open-air concert is a must-visit for any classical music or opera fan.

Scruffs Dog Show, 28th June:

Keswick has been voted the UK’s most dog-friendly town 4 times by the Kennel Club, so it’s no surprise that we have our very own dog show; Scruffs! There are a huge range of categories, with some fun ones including Best Trick, Waggiest Tail and Smiliest Dog, as well as classic entries such as Most Handsome Dog, Best Veteran for pooches who are a little longer in the tooth, and prizes for the cutest crossbreeds. Held in Fitz Park, this event is a great day out for dog-lovers, whether you’re just coming to watch or entering your dog in one of the categories.

To find out more about Scruffs Dog Show, visit their website. 

Accommodation

You'll need somewhere to stay when you come to one of our Keswick festivals. Book direct via our website visitkeswick.com  and support the local economy. We don't charge any commission so 100% of what you pay goes to the accommodation provider.

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