HorseFairProgramme2026

HORNCASTLE

FRINGE PROGRAMME

HORSE FAIR

SATurday 1 AUGUST Join Lumo Workshop at Spilsby’s Super Saturday to make your horse decorations for the Mane Event SPILSBY TOWN CENTRE 10am–3pm

Horse Fair Community Window Decorating Workshop Plus free horsey craft/story/pun/poem session HORNCASTLE LIBRARY 10am–12pm

WEDnesday 5 AUGUST Horse themed watercolour event with Nikki Bennett Book via email horncastle.library@gll.org 10am–12pm

SAT 8 AUGUST 2026

Thursday 6 & Friday 7 August Lumo Workshop drop-in creative sessions for all ages 10am–12.30pm & 1.30–4pm

PLUS FRINGE

ACTIVITIES

Thursday 6 August Horncastle Art Group – free outdoor sketching, bring your own art materials

1–7 AUGUST

MEET AT ST MARY’S CHURCH from 10am

Hangman’s Horncastle Tour JOSEPH BANKS CENTRE 1pm Lincolnshire Folk Tales with Rory Waterman An evening of Lincolnshire’s amazing (and bawdy!) folk tales PEDAL & PAWS 7pm

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COM REE FOR MUNITARTS EVE Y EVE & NT R

FRIDAY 7 AUGUST Pedal & Paws Quiz, with an equine-themed round!

PEDAL & PAWS 7-10pm

QEGS 9–10am

Bikers & Riders Breakfast

METHODIST CHURCH HALL QUEEN STREET 9am–12.30pm

Every thurs, fri & sat to end sept See the William Marwood exhibition and learn about a cobbler from Horncastle who became a famous Victorian executioner! JOSEPH BANKS CENTRE 10am–4pm

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history

QEGS Park Run with a horsey theme and performers from Rhubarb Theatre

For hundreds of years, ‘Horncastle for Horses’ was a well-known phrase, and in the 18th and 19th centuries the Horncastle Horse Fair became one of the biggest in Europe. This joyous community event honours that heritage, but also creates new traditions and is now back for its fourth celebration!

HORNCASTLE LIBRARY 9am–1pm

Horncastle Horse Fair is produced by Sessions Arts in partnership with the Horncastle History & Heritage Society, the East Lindsey Place Team and a committee of amazing individuals from the local community. This project is supported by: a National Lottery Arts Council Project Grant; an East Lindsey Investment Fund Grant and the Vital & Viable programme; SO Festival; and Horncastle Town Council. With thanks to St Mary’s Church, Horncastle Community Centre and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Find Horncastle Horse Fair on Facebook & Instagram @horncastlehorsefair

SATURDAY 8 AUGUST Display of the work created on Sat 1 August

YON E

CREATING NEW TRADITIONS

CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE

HORNCASTLE COMMUNITY CENTRE & GARDEN 10–11am 11.30am–12pm 12.30–1.30pm 1.30–2pm 2–2.45pm 3–3.30pm 3.30–4pm

Community Performances Drop Me If You Dare | Joli Vyann Folk Dance Remixed Community Performances Folk Dance Remixed Drop Me If You Dare | Joli Vyann Horse Fair Procession

CH ’S CHUR Y R A M T S Horse Fair Mosaic

This year you can get really involved and be ‘part of the art’ by uploading photos or pictures via this QR code, which will then be included in an amazing new mosaic artwork by artist Allan Levy that will be inspired by the Horse Fair and St Mary’s Church. The artwork will be created during the Mane Event inside the church and we are looking for any images that say something to you about ‘Horncastle’ or ‘Horses’ or ‘the Fair’. You can upload your images anytime or do it on the day itself!

BANOVALL UM HOUSE & WALLED GARDEN 10am–4pm 10am–4pm 10.30–11am 11.30am–1pm 1.30–2pm 2–3pm

Meet the Horses Riverside Flowers The Butterfly House | Handmade Theatre Comedy Gymkhana | Rhubarb Theatre The Butterfly House | Handmade Theatre Comedy Gymkhana | Rhubarb Theatre

Secrets of St Mary’s Guided Tour 11am, meet at the porch (45mins)

LIVE MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE DAY

THE MANE EVENT SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 10AM–4PM hot

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DROP ME IF YOU DARE | JOLI VYANN An incredible acro-balance duet about the connection between two people. An amazing and exciting mix of dance and acrobatics - suitable for all ages

FOLK DANCE REMIXED

These fabulous performers were a big hit last year and return this time with live musicians… get involved and feel the joy!

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES

There’ll be live music from a range of local musicians including The Outdoor Cats, Late to the Party, Oskar McIntosh, Nancy Byrne School of Dance and Dance 10!

REFRESHMENTS

By Horncastle WI raising funds for St Lawrence’s School

LOCAL CRAFT & CHARITY STALLS

AND DON’T MISS...

VINTAGE BICYCLES AT THE MANOR HOUSE PEGASUS IN THE CHURCHYARD HARRIE THE PUPPET HORSE TROTTING AROUND Teenage Market IN THE MARKETPLACE AND BANOVALLUM HOUSE Earth Bound Misfits

WALKABOUT ACT SIR NOT-A-LOT AND BUM WART, HIS TRUSTY SQUIRE! Amy Wilson author of Julia Peculiar WILL BE RUNNING STORY-TELLING SESSIONS EVERY HOUR 11AM-3PM WITH A CROCHETED DAISY CHAIN CHALLENGE AND A TREASURE TRAIL RiTchie’s Vintage Ice Cream Bike SILLY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS WITH Mr Holly’s NeWTON-O-MATIC DROP-IN MAKING SESSIONS & FESTIVAL DECORATIONS WITH Lumo Workshop

VR EXPERIENCES WITH MBD

THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE | Handmade Theatre

Gather round and be enchanted by a stunning collection of handcrafted puppets. With original live music, sustainable design and a clever technological twist, The Butterfly House is a joyous celebration of nature and transformation - perfect for children & families

Rhubarb Theatre’s amazing comedy gymkhana Returning to the Horse Fair to delight and entertain audiences with their silly and utterley charming Gymkhana - come and have a go

Real HORSES!

As well as perennial favourite Bomber the shire horse this year we will also be joined by two horses from St Lawrence’s School as well as two therapy ponies from Rainbow Dreaming