There are festivals, events and activities throughout the year when you visit Norfolk. Just take a look at this lot in 2025… something for everyone!
As well as these look out for seasonal events at Cromer Pier, including the famous Summer Show, and at Great Yarmouth’s Hippodrome throughout the year, as well as venues such as Sandringham, Holkham, Houghton and Blickling Hall.
Spring
Norfolk & Norwich Festival: Norfolk’s biggest arts event, held this year between May 12-28, offers a culturally diverse programme of music, dance, theatre and visual arts.
Burnham Market Horse Trials: Gaining international status in 2003, this April 11-13 event attracts some of the best national and international riders.
Cromer & Sheringham Crab & Lobster Festival: A long weekend of food, fun, art, music, heritage and entertainment on May 16-17.
Folk On The Pier: Norfolk’s largest festival of its kind, you’ll find folk rock and acoustic acts at the Pavilion Theatre in Cromer and across the town between May 9-11.
Out There: An international four-day arts and circus festival bursts out onto the streets of Great Yarmouth on May 28-31, with lots of entertainment on the seafront, in St Georges Park and the town centre.
Royal Norfolk Show: Two days in late June – June 25 and 26 in 2025 – when it seems as if all of Norfolk descends on the showground outside Norwich.
Norwich City Ale of Festival: A month-long celebration of beer from May 22-June 22. Norwich’s brewing heritage began with Benedictine monks making ales in Cathedral Close in the 11th century – and the city hasn’t stopped drinking since.
Great Yarmouth Wheels Festival: The Wheels Festival, which attracted 60,000 people to Great Yarmouth’s seafront this year, is taking place on June 21 and 22 2025. In 2025 the event is aiming to top the more than 900 cars and almost 650 bikes, from classic and sporty to quirky creations, that lined up along the Golden Mile this year.
Norwich Wine Week: It’s a week, in June, 19-29, where Norwich gets all sophisticated with its appreciation of the grape.
Summer onwards
King’s Lynn Festival: Between July 13-26, 2025, you’ll find concerts, shows and events for all taste across the town.
Festival Too: A more populist take on the above, from June 28-July 12, Too aims to provide free music for the people of West Norfolk and visitors.
Sandringham Flower Show: Set in the magnificent surroundings of Sandringham Park with Sandringham House and Sandringham Church as a backdrop, this one-day Show on July 23, 2025 attracts around 20,000 visitors each year. King Charles III has been a frequent visitor over the years.
Festival of Bowls: Hosted by the Great Yarmouth Britannia Bowling Greens for four weeks every late-summer, from August 24 to September 20, more than 1700 bowlers compete.
Lord Mayor’s Celebration: Norwich’s biggest free weekend street party – The Lord Mayor’s Weekend – takes place from July 11-13. Don’t miss the Snapdragon in the main Procession. Come and enjoy all the vibrant colours and sounds of the carnival parade, along with lots of family activities, funfair, fireworks, and an open-air music festival to boot!
Shakespeare Festival in the Cloisters: The GB Theatre Company perform The Bard in the beautiful surroundings of the Norwich Cathedral cloisters on July 4-5. Pack a picnic or order one from the Refectory.
Worstead Festival: A weekend in July – 26 and 27 in 2025 – that grew from a village show into a celebration of traditional country pursuits, such as heavy horses and tractors, with fun for the kids, craft stalls, and the best of Norfolk food.
Hunstanton Kite Festival: As well as expert kite fliers, you can try it for yourself when you’re not looking at the fun dog show, the classic motor bikes and car rally at this great August event.
North Norfolk Music Festival: Held from 8-16 August in 2025, events include chamber concerts at Wells-next-the-Sea Maltings and across many other venues.
Wayland Agricultural Show: Livestock, motorcycle displays, sheepdogs, arts and crafts… you name it, it’s at this show on August 3rd in 2025.
Gorleston Clifftop Festival: Two days in August, 2-3, when family fun and activities take over the town’s seafront.
Classic Ibiza at Blickling: It’s the 10th anniversary of the open-air celebration of White Isle-inspired house music, reinvented by the 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra, headline DJs and live vocalists. Expect a feel-good atmosphere on August 2, with people of all ages, enjoying iconic music in a stunning location.
Sheringham and Holt 1940s weekend: You’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped back in town when these two towns are taken over in September, 19th-21st. Think Nicholas Lyndhurst in Goodnight Sweetheart. (One for the older readers).
Norwich Beer Festival: CAMRA-organised festival in October at St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls. They like their beer in Norwich – it wasn’t that long ago the city had a pub for every day of the year.
