03 Jan 2025
2025 is going to be a spectacular year in St Albans with an exciting What’s On programme packed with festivals, tours, events and more.
The incredible Museum of the Moon artwork installation by Luke Jerram, measuring 7 metres in diameter and featuring 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface, is hanging in the magnificent Nave at St Albans Cathedral until February 15.
Events taking place under the magic of its moonlight include yoga, talks, concerts, and performances. A special highlight will be Interstellar 10 when Roger Sayer, the organist on the original film soundtrack for Interstellar, will perform a suite of Hans Zimmer’s music from the film on February 15 .
Later in the year Poppies Field Light brings an emotional sound and light show taking the visitor on a journey of reflection and hope with an installation to commemorate the World War One Centenary at October half term.
Discover first-hand the experience of being behind bars at St Albans Museum + Gallery’s thought-provoking Catching the Chain exhibition bringing the history of criminal justice to life, from the Iron Age to today, which runs until April.
Other fascinating exhibitions include School of Art, celebrating 150 years of the establishment from May to September, Thingchronicity featuring multidisciplinary artist Maria Meyer’s captivating sculptures and installations until March, and later in the year look out for exhibitions exploring Islamic art and objects.
Join the flip-tastic fun of the annual St Albans Pancake Day Race where teams of four compete in walking and running pancake flipping races on Shrove Tuesday (March 4) in the city centre.
A unique exhibition at Verulamium Museum, Mapping an Uneven Path, seeks to uncover what good health and healthcare meant to our ancient Roman ancestors, how they understood their bodies and minds, as well as their cultural perceptions and experiences of conditions that we recognise as disabilities today, and runs until February.
St Albans Festival of Film is a star-studded weekend celebrating British film and TV history presented by Renown Pictures and Talking Pictures TV. It will include celebrity hosts and guests, live- stage entertainment, screenings of lost and rare films, shorts and episodes, stalls and exclusive show offers – look out for Dame Sian Phillips, Diane Keen and Mike Read at the Alban Arena from March 22-23.
The Herts County Show on May 24-25 features stunning performances by beautiful sports horses, the very best of local shopping with deliciously curated produce in the Food Court and iconic Made in Herts zones with local foods and crafts. Immerse yourself in agriculture with a packed timetable of livestock and equine classes and discover awe-inspiring plant and machinery from past and present at the Farm-Yard and Countryside zones.
Deep Dish offer weekly beach volleyball training sessions, clinics coached by Team England athletes, social sessions plus tournaments and private hire at the courts in stunning Verulamium Park. Suitable for all ages and levels it’s a great way to meet, play and chill with fellow members of the beach sport community in an incredible facility. Booking is required and the courts are open from March.
St Albans Tour Guides run captivating walks sharing the city’s fascinating local history throughout the year. All guides are qualified with the Institute of Tourist Guiding.
St Albans International Organ Festival, arguably the world’s leading organ competition, is a biennial festival of inspirational music and art, which has been running for over 60 years. It celebrates its 33rd competition this year, taking place at St Albans Cathedral from July 7-19.
Theatre production company OVO’s hugely popular open-air Roman Theatre Festival sees captivating, imaginative and surprising new versions of classic plays and stories performed in an ancient and atmospheric setting between June-August. Productions include 1970s disco themed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a folk and jazz infused adaptation of Les Misérables and an irreverent take on Hamlet.
The Foodies Festival returns to St Albans for its biggest weekend yet at Oaklands College from May 30 to June 1, celebrating music, food and drink with live bands, cooking demos by top chefs, barbecue skills, baking theatre, artisan market, drinks theatre, cookery schools, kids’ activities and more. This year’s headliners, Blue, perform on the Sunday.
The annual St Albans SustFest celebrates its tenth year and to mark the occasion there will be four mini festival weekends called SustFest Seasons, each championing nature and biodiversity plus local and global sustainability trends. Events will look at practical lifestyle changes including travel, transport, energy and fashion and provide inspiration on how to live more sustainably and take place on March 14-17, May 16-19, September 19-22 and November 14-17.
St Albans Folk Festival is a vibrant weekend of events including a day of dance and music in the city centre, an evening festival concert, and an afternoon of family fun between June 13-15.
Join the annual Alban Pilgrimage on June 21, an impressive city centre procession of giant 12ft tall carnival puppets and a colourful re-enactment of events which led to Alban’s execution at the hands of the Romans. Pilgrimage worship at St Albans Cathedral brings the day to an end.
St Michael’s Folk Evening returns to St Michael’s Village on July 2 for a wonderful celebration of live music, dancing in the street plus food and drink.
St Albans Comedy Garden promises the ultimate remedy this summer with four nights of stupendous stand-up comedy starring the finest comedians of the moment from July 24-27 in Verulamium Park.
The ultimate food and drink festival, Pub in the Park – hosted by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge – is back in Verulamium Park from September 5-7, promising an action-packed weekend dancing to sensational live bands and devour mouth-watering dishes created by award-winning restaurants and top chefs.
CAMRA’s St Albans Beer and Cider Festival will be serving up thousands of pints of beer, ciders and perries from all round the world together with live music, phenomenal street food and snacks at the Alban Arena from September 24-27.
As part of Heritage Open Days in September, St Albans’ Clock Tower will be open free to visitors and include a 1.7m high scale model of the medieval building to illustrate its architecture, along with a display discussing construction and renovations over the years. The unique Dial Room will also be open and children can enjoy a fun Hunt the Golden Key game.
With 2025 being a Ryder Cup year it’s a great time to find out more about the man behind the prestigious golfing competition. Pick up a Samuel Ryder trail at St Albans Museum + Gallery and visit key landmarks and buildings giving an insight into one of the city’s most notable citizens – a successful businessman, churchman and local politician – and of course the founder of one of the world’s greatest sporting events.
The hugely popular Gin & Jazz Festival takes place in historic George Street on October 3, with businesses opening their doors for late night shopping, live swing jazz and lots of gin bars.
Don’t miss St Albans Cathedral’s Fireworks Spectacular at Verulamium Park, raising thousands of pounds for local charities on November 1.
An ead to the city centre over the festive period for the Enjoy St Albans Christmas programme packed with joy and merriment. Check EnjoyStAlbans.com for event listings closer to the time.
