Sun. Nov 3rd, 2024

The festival had a most trying year in 2023, turning 40 certainly took its toll. However, we are looking forward to welcoming you to our new venue this year. To help recoup some of the uninsurable costs incurred, we are thrilled to announce an exciting series of fundraiser events. We have an excellent line-up of festival artists working with us who have willingly offered their brilliance in support of the festival for which we are hugely touched and extremely grateful.

Tea with the Six Wives Sun 3 March 2pm The Guthrie Pavilion

A very special talk by six eminent historians, each speaking on their favourite Henry VIII wife. Hear the remarkable stories of each Queen as you enjoy a cream tea and then vote for your favourite!

JS Bach Suites for Solo Cello nos. 1, 2 and 3 with Orlando Jopling

Fri 26 Apr, 7.30pm St Peter’s Church, Hever We have the great pleasure of welcoming international musician Orlando Jopling to St Peter’s. Orlando is a huge supporter of the festival and is returning in August with his opera company, Wild Arts with Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Fabulous Childrens Authors

For three consecutive Sundays we have indoor family workshops in the Hever Castle Think Tank. These fabulous childrens authors will be bringing their books to life with fun activities and interesting exclusive facts. With the opportunity to meet rebels and royalty from history, time travelling penguins and big bad wolf scientists these events are perfect for inquisitive children asking big questions!

Each author will be available to chat after the workshop and will be signing copies of their books which will be available to buy at the events.

Catherine Cawthorne will be fact-checking our favourite stories with science in the Big Bad Wolf investigates Fairy Tales Sun 28 Apr, 2pm.

You can travel through anywhere in history with Iszi Lawrence and The Time Machine Next Door series Sun 5 May, 2pm.

Sheena Dempsey will be running a comic book workshop with her characters Pablo and Splash Sun 12 May, 2pm.

Please do join us, all these events are taking place indoors and include the opportunity to visit Hever Castle gardens following the afternoon events.

Hever Festival 

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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