Hailsham Festival

13/10/2026

We're sharing this across from our friends at The Grove Theatre Eastbourne for our classical and concert music patrons and supporters of our Chair and Composer Tony Biggin:

This Saturday 17th October, The Grove Theatre will host a rare chance to hear a brand-new concerto for the first time, in the theatre that commissioned it.

As the seasons change, now is the time to step into Tony's world and celebrate the colours and emotions across the glorious Sussex landscape with this newly commissioned Cello Concerto written for the Grove and performed by the Grove Chamber Orchestra with cello soloist Sebastian Comberti, and conducted by Jozik Kotz.

The piece sets the cello against a carefully drawn ensemble of winds, brass, harp and strings — music shaped by place, memory and atmosphere. Also featuring music by the Key Largo Trio.

Cello: Sebastian Comberti

Conductor: Jozik Kotz

Leader: Lisa Wigmore

Key Largo Trio

Dr Jane Pendry - Cello

Lisa-Marie Baker - Flute

Catherine Cowan - Piano

🏟 The Grove Theatre, Eastbourne
📆 Saturday 17th October
🕛 7.30pm - 9.30pm
🎟 Booking link: https://grovetheatre.onlineticketseller.com/events/163117

26/09/2026

🎨 Celebrating our incredibly talented students!

As the Hailsham Festival comes to a close this weekend, we want to give one final, massive congratulations to all of our students who had their artwork selected for the Children's Art Competition at Gallery North - Hailsham.

Each student received a certificate to recognise their hard work, and we are thrilled to share that two of our students took home prizes!
🏆A huge well done to:
Keerthana for her stunning artwork, 'Dinosaur Scene' 🦕
Filips for his incredible 3D model, 'Sabre' 🐯

We are so proud of your creativity and dedication. 🖼️✨

20/09/2026

🎭 As the curtain comes down on our final performance…

We just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along to see The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s A Christmas Carol.

Your laughter, applause and support have made all the chaos, missed cues, collapsing scenery and questionable Christmas spirit completely worthwhile! ❤️

We’ve loved having you with us — and we thought we’d share just a few of your lovely comments…

"Absolutely brilliant, 6 of us in tears of laughter. Even funnier than last year, and that was great! Well done to everyone, please carry on producing these. Travelled from Bexhill. Merry Christmas!

“What a fantastic show! So many laughs and some wonderfully chaotic moments.”

“I don't think A Christmas Carol was ever meant to be this funny! Absolutely loved it."

“Loved the energy of the whole cast. You could tell everyone was having an absolute ball!"

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Hailsham Festival

18/09/2026

💫What's Coming Up this Weekend?💫

It's the final weekend of our 20th Anniversary Festival of Arts & Culture and we've got some terrific events taking place across Hailsham that will have the Festival ending with a grand finale!

📚Tomorrow daytime we have our Book & Author Fair from 10am to 1pm at the Charles Hunt Centre. Join us for this fantastic free event and celebrate many of our local authors.

💜The delightful Whispering Wood Puppet Theatre Show from takes place - Cinema and Theatre tomorrow from 2pm - 3pm. A charming, magical show for the little ones in our community. Adults are free and £5 per child.
Book tickets here: https://hailshampavilion.co.uk/events/hailsham-festival-once-upon-a-whispering-wood/

🎨The Children's Art Exhibition at Gallery North - Hailsham concludes tomorrow at 3pm, along with the community inspired 'Flock' Art exhibition. View the fabulous artwork created by our local school children inspired by the world around them and prehistoric worlds.

💃Tomorrow evening we host the fantastic Ukrainian Choir Volya Voices who return to the Festival programme for a second year with their joyful, uplifting and heartfelt music and dance. It'll be an evening to remember Pavilion - Cinema and Theatre Book your tickets at https://hailshampavilion.co.uk/events/hailsham-festival-volya-voices-ukrainian-choir-and-dancers/

🎭The Hailsham Theatres comedy production of 'A Christmas Carol' continues with a matinee and evening performance at Summerheath Hall. Tickets available at https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/copy-of-hailsham-theatres-annual-festival-play-2/

🎙On Sunday, celebrated singer Rosie-Ann Page will be singing songs from the musicals at the in Herstmonceux from 2pm - 4.30pm. Book your tickets here: https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/tea-with-rosie-ann-page-songs-from-the-musicals-and-jazz-afternoon/

A bumper weekend for all!
With thanks to our Lead and Category Corporate Sponsors
Lightning Fibre Nic Gray & Associates Crown Wealth Consultants

17/09/2026

This looks a real festive treat! It's opening night for our friends Hailsham Theatres in their production of A Christmas Carol by
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Towns women's Guild Dramatic Society.

Good luck to cast & crew for this Christmas calamity of a show!

Opening tonight, Friday and Saturday with evening performances starting at 7.30pm and a matinee performance on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets available to book at www.ticketsource.com/hailsham-theatres

17/09/2026

17/09/2026

🎭It's opening night for Hailsham Theatres this evening!🎭

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society presents: A Christmas Carol.

At Summerheath Hall
17–19 September
For further information and tickets tonight visit: https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/copy-of-hailsham-theatres-annual-festival-play/

Hailsham Theatres invites audiences to witness what happens when a group of enthusiastic amateur thespians decide to tackle one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told — Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pretty much everything.

Forget traditional festive theatre. Forget solemn Victorian drama. Forget everything you think you know about A Christmas Carol.
The Farndales are taking charge.
And frankly, Christmas doesn't stand a chance.