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Autumn Fest at Blenheim Palace

Saturday 30th September - Sunday 1st October 2023

Autumn Fest is back at Blenheim Palace with a bounty of activities, workshops and speakers to engage all in nature, sustainability and community and this year we are delighted to work alongside Humanimal Trust, the amazing charity founded by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick.

As well as highlighting our connection with nature, sustainable food and craftsmanship, the architects of Autumn Fest will be looking to Professor Noel Fitzpatrick to learn how our relationship with animals is a bond that benefits everyone. Noel Fitzpatrick is the headline speaker at Autumn Fest 2023 and will be speaking on Saturday 30th September at 13.45pm.

Join the Humanimal Team in their dedicated tent for activities across the weekend and join best selling author Christopher Lloyd for readings from his book Humanimal: Incredible Ways Animals Are Just Like Us on Saturday at 3.30pm.

Noel Fitzpatrick at Autumn Fest 2023

Noel Fitzpatrick is the headline speaker this year, and will share with us Humanimal Trust, a charity he established in 2014 with the aim of creating opportunities for collaboration between vets, doctors and researchers to benefit all living creatures.

 

 

Celebrate harvest season as the Charlotte Lloyd Webber Event Design team are back working with Blenheim Palace for another fantastic weekend in the stunning Walled Garden.

The ever-growing Michaelmas Market returns for 2023 with over 50 independent Oxfordshire creators, makers and producers to explore alongside artisanal food and drink stalls with the new for 2023 Blenheim Harvest Emporium, brimming with seasonal produce including Blenheim Palace grown vegetables and cut flowers.

With Britain’s Greatest Palace as a backdrop you can enjoy a packed line up with family friendly performances from WhatNot Theatre, Plunge Boom and Story Telling with the Harvest Dame as well as performance poet Rowan Waller, brilliant live music throughout the day - then dance until dusk with a DJ until 8pm on Saturday.

 

Buy Tickets for Autumn Fest at Blenheim Palace

Come along and enjoy an interesting and entertaining seasonal day out at Britain's Greatest Palace.
Entry to Autumn Fest is included with an Annual or Privilege Pass, or a Palace, Park and Gardens or Park and Gardens day ticket. Book tickets
 
 



SATURDAY 30th SEPTEMBER

CRAFTS TENT WITH SUNNINGWELL
AND PENNY MALTBY

Add your art

PROFESSOR NOEL FITZPATRICK

MAIN STAGE 1:45PM

Founder of Humanimal shares his insights over an extraordinary career in

“What Animals Teach Us”

HUMANIMAL TENT

Drop in for a host of activities throughout the day and meet the team behind our fantastic charity partner

FESTIVAL STAGE PERFORMERS

Rowan Waller 11.30 - 11.45AM / Maya Kelly 12.00 - 12.40PM / Harry Pane 12.55 - 1.35PM / The Rosellys 2.55 - 3.35PM

Harry Pane 3.45 - 4.25PM / The Rosellys 4.35 - 5.15PM / DJ Rob 5.30PM

MUSHROOM FORAGING WITH EBONY

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM (Tickets £15)

Meeting point @ Blenheim Orange Bar

THE MAGIC SHED @ PLUNGEBOOM

11AM - 1PM / 2PM - 4PM

and follow their magic hunt around the garden all day!

WHATNOT THEATRE’S

The Turnip Wars

NO DIG! VEGETABLE GARDENS TOURS

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM / 3.30PM

With Worthy Earth & Good Food Oxfordshire - and Very Special Soup!

ORCHARD STORYTELLING

with the Harvest Dame

SUNDAY 1st OCTOBER

CRAFTS TENT WITH SUNNINGWELL
AND PENNY MALTBY

Add your art

MEET THE BLENHEIM TEAM

MAIN STAGE 11:30AM

join us to learn about Blenheim’s exciting projects and have your say in the Q&A!

HUMANIMAL TENT

Drop in for a host of activities throughout the day and meet the team behind our fantastic charity partner

FESTIVAL STAGE PERFORMERS

Rowan Waller  11.10 - 11.25AM  /  Steady Habits 12.45 - 1.25PM  /  Holly Carter 1.40 - 2.20PM

Savannah Gardner 2.35 - 3.15PM  Steady Habits  3.20 - 3.50PM  /  Our Atlantic Roots 4.05 - 4.50PM

MUSHROOM FORAGING WITH EBONY

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM (Tickets £15)

Meeting point @ Blenheim Orange Bar

THE MAGIC SHED @ PLUNGEBOOM

11AM - 1PM / 2PM - 4PM

and follow their magic hunt around the garden all day!

WHATNOT THEATRE’S

The Turnip Wars

NO DIG! VEGETABLE GARDENS TOURS

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM / 3.30PM

With Worthy Earth & Good Food Oxfordshire - and Very Special Soup!

ORCHARD STORYTELLING

with the Harvest Dame

SATURDAY 30th SEPTEMBER

CRAFTS TENT WITH SUNNINGWELL
AND PENNY MALTBY

Add your art

PROFESSOR NOEL FITZPATRICK

MAIN STAGE 1:45PM

Founder of Humanimal shares his insights over an extraordinary career in

“What Animals Teach Us”

HUMANIMAL TENT

Drop in for a host of activities throughout the day and meet the team behind our fantastic charity partner

FESTIVAL STAGE PERFORMERS

Rowan Waller 11.30 - 11.45AM / Maya Kelly 12.00 - 12.40PM / Harry Pane 12.55 - 1.35PM / The Rosellys 2.55 - 3.35PM

Harry Pane 3.45 - 4.25PM / The Rosellys 4.35 - 5.15PM / DJ Rob 5.30PM

MUSHROOM FORAGING WITH EBONY

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM (Tickets £15)

Meeting point @ Blenheim Orange Bar

THE MAGIC SHED @ PLUNGEBOOM

11AM - 1PM / 2PM - 4PM

and follow their magic hunt around the garden all day!

WHATNOT THEATRE’S

The Turnip Wars

NO DIG! VEGETABLE GARDENS TOURS

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM / 3.30PM

With Worthy Earth & Good Food Oxfordshire - and Very Special Soup!

ORCHARD STORYTELLING

with the Harvest Dame

SUNDAY 1st OCTOBER

CRAFTS TENT WITH SUNNINGWELL
AND PENNY MALTBY

Add your art

MEET THE BLENHEIM TEAM

MAIN STAGE 11:30AM

join us to learn about Blenheim’s exciting projects and have your say in the Q&A!

HUMANIMAL TENT

Drop in for a host of activities throughout the day and meet the team behind our fantastic charity partner

FESTIVAL STAGE PERFORMERS

Rowan Waller  11.10 - 11.25AM  /  Steady Habits 12.45 - 1.25PM  /  Holly Carter 1.40 - 2.20PM

Savannah Gardner 2.35 - 3.15PM  Steady Habits  3.20 - 3.50PM  /  Our Atlantic Roots 4.05 - 4.50PM

MUSHROOM FORAGING WITH EBONY

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM (Tickets £15)

Meeting point @ Blenheim Orange Bar

THE MAGIC SHED @ PLUNGEBOOM

11AM - 1PM / 2PM - 4PM

and follow their magic hunt around the garden all day!

WHATNOT THEATRE’S

The Turnip Wars

NO DIG! VEGETABLE GARDENS TOURS

11AM / 12.30PM / 2PM / 3.30PM

With Worthy Earth & Good Food Oxfordshire - and Very Special Soup!

ORCHARD STORYTELLING

with the Harvest Dame

Foraging Walk

A beginner friendly foraging walk to reconnect with nature. On our walk we'll identify some edible and medicinal wild plants and fruits that autumnhas to offer. Numbers limited to 12 per group and sold out fast last year! Meet at the Blenheim Orange Bar in the Walled Garden.

Ebony Gheorghe has an academic background in geology and environmental sciences, which naturally informed her love for wild resources, herbalism, and plants. She is an author and runs her own business, Nettles and Bees, selling balms, hair oils, and foraging products. She also offers foraging workshops for children and adults.

Book Ticket  

Tickets: £15 (+ booking fee)

Interesting Talks

Meet and put your questions to the Team! Blenheim Palace’s estate and gardening team will be taking to the stage to share their work within the historic Formal Gardens and ‘Capability’ Brown designed parkland whilst the conservation team will highlight what progress has been made on the wider Blenheim Estate promoting biodiversity and their sustainability goals. (Sunday 11.30am)

Good Food Oxfordshire and Worthy Earth will also be giving Kitchen Garden tours, mini talks and demos and will be making their fresh-from-the-garden Soulful Soup for all to  try during the weekend of festivities.

Drinks and Dishes

Soak up the autumnal hues with delicious drinks and dishes created by Blenheim and Worthy Earth at the Blenheim Harvest eatery, using produce grown in the Kitchen Garden, before the autumn equinox brings with it shorter evenings.

Don’t miss sampling some flavours at the Cider, Apple and Honey Tasting Bar and stop off at the Blenheim Orange Bar for a locally produced tipple, a glass of Nyetimber’s superior English wines and discover food pairings and seasonal cocktails with SkyWave Gins pop-up.

From Heritage Craft to Foraging

The brilliant Sunningwell School of Art will be creating a fabulous art installation for everyone to add their stamp to alongside Harvest Favour workshops with straw artist Penny Maltby

Weave through the sculpture trail and admire the eco-friendly art and follow Plunge Booms Vegetable baby Hunt within the natural splendour that surrounds Blenheim Palace or get even closer to nature on a guided foraging walk and learn about edible plants in our environment.

Family Fun

Autumn Fest is a great seasonal family day and there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Children – and adults! -  can join in on the autumnal fun with harvest games, the new Natural Course and the ever-popular Haybale Sports, mini maze and a race to climb to the top of the hay bale pyramid to admire the best 360 view of the Blenheim Estate!

Buy Tickets for Autumn Fest at Blenheim Palace

Come along and enjoy an interesting and entertaining seasonal day out at Britain's Greatest Palace. Entry to Autumn Fest is included with an Annual or Privilege Pass, or a Palace, Park and Gardens or Park and Gardens day ticket. Book tickets

Event Information

  • Tickets Icon

    Free with a Palace, Park & Gardens, Park & Gardens, Annual Pass or Privilege Pass.

  • Date Icon

    Saturday 30th September - Sunday 1st October 2023

  • Price Icon

    Entertainment is included within ticket prices or valid Annual Pass. Some activities are at an additional cost.

  • Annual Pass Icon

    Free with Annual Pass or Privilege. Some activities may cost extra.

  • Dogs Welcome Icon

    Dogs are allowed in this event.

A peek of what's in store...