LIST OF EVENTS

FRIDAY

Walking Book Club with Emily Rhodes
Friday, 16:30–18:00 | Meet on Green
Join writer and critic Emily Rhodes for a stroll on the Heath while sharing thoughts about Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Rain or shine, the walk takes 90 minutes, including stops.

Murray Lachlan Young’s Psychedelic Folk Sound System
Friday, 17:45–18:30 | Orchard
Poet and performer spins folk tunes in the Orchard. Expect a DJ set filled with strange delights.

An Evening of Shorts Featuring some of the UK’s Best New Film-Makers
Friday, 18:15–20:45 | Drawing Room
Short films curated and presented by award-winning writer-director Sophia Seymour.

Raising Resilient Teenagers in an Anxious Age with Rachel Kelly
Friday, 18:15–19:00 | Dining Room
Best-selling mental health writer Rachel Kelly offers practical ways for parents to connect more with their adolescents and worry less.

How to Be Idle with John Lloyd and Tom Hodgkinson
Friday, 18:30–19:15 | Lawn
The renowned comedy producer shares his wisdom with Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson and together they suggest practical ways to slow down, have fun and live well. 

The Mostar Diving Club
Friday, 18:45–19:30 | Orchard
Frontman Damian Katkhuda with songs from the Mostar Diving Club’s new album, Beautiful Forever.

How Will AI Change Our Lives? with Madhumita Murgia in conversation with Florence Read
Friday, 19:30–20:15 | Dining Room
How AI can strip away our sense of agency, and shatter our illusion of free will.

A Surrealist Walk with Arthur Smith
Friday, 19:30–20:15 and Saturday 16:00–16:45 | Meet in the Vegetable Garden
Legendary comedian uncovers incredible historical facts about Fenton House that seem unbelievable but which illuminate the meaning of humanity.

Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer
Friday, 19:45–20:30 | Lawn
Chap-Hop rapper spreads beats, rhymes and manners with effervescent wit and a banjolele.

Boff Whalley
Friday, 19:45–20:30 | Orchard
Music and chat from Chumbawamba’s lead guitarist-songwriter, looping together ideas from a life that’s gone from Mormonism to anarchism.

SATURDAY

Ben Moor: A Three Thing Day
Saturday, 12:15–13:15 | Lawn
A comedy concerning past, present, and future; friends, family, and strangers; affinity, vertigo, and hopefulness. Ben Moor’s new show combines hilarious one-liners and observations with beautiful digressions. 

Fermentation with Rachel de Thample
Saturday, 12:30–13:15 | Orchard
Dive into the world of gut-friendly microbes and learn how soil and gut health are linked as the River Cottage fermentation and seasonal nutrition expert demos three summer recipes.

Clare Pollard’s Poetry Salon with Dzifa Benson and Oluwaseun Olayiwola
Saturday, 12:30–13:15 | Dining Room
Catch up on contemporary poetry with the Idler’s Poetry Editor, who will read from her latest collection and introduce two of her favourite new poets to the festival.

Philosophy Walk on William Blake with Mark Vernon
Saturday, 13:00–13:45 | Meet on the South Lawn
William Blake frequently wandered the hills of Hampstead. Join the Idler’s Head of Philosophy to enjoy the inspiration and insights he discovered.

Ukulele for Beginners with Danny Wootton
Saturday, 13:15–13:45 and 15:45–16:15.  Sunday, 15:15–15:45 and 18:00–18:30. Drawing Room (Pre-Booked Only)
In this workshop, Idler ukulele teacher Danny Wootton shows you basic strums and chords and gets you playing simple tunes.

Stewart Lee in conversation with Tom Hodgkinson
Saturday, 13:30–14:15 | Lawn
Tech bros, punk, social media, the nature of truth and more are on the agenda for a chat between Stew and Idler ed Tom.

Classical Lounge with Georgia Mann
Saturday, 13:45–14:45 | Orchard
Radio 3 and Proms presenter gives a leisurely introduction to some of the greatest classical melodies ever written. Lie back among the apple trees and allow the music to slow you down.

A Journey Through Global Music with Joe Boyd
Saturday, 13:45–14:30 | Dining Room
The celebrated music producer presents music and stories from a life in global music.

Pranayama Yoga with Tessa Mair
Saturday, 13:45–14:15, 15:15–15:45 and 16:30–17:00.  Sunday, 13:30–14:00, 14:45–15:15, 16:00–16:30 | Bedroom
Take a pause in your festival flow for a rejuvenating breathwork journey rooted in ancient yogic practices from India.

Walk: Planting for Bees with Rachel de Thample
Saturday, 14:15–15:00 | Meet in the Sunken Garden
Meander around Fenton’s buzzing gardens as Rachel talks you through which plants are best for bees, how to become a bee spotter and how flowers affect flavour in honey as you taste a sample of River Cottage’s spring honey.

Drawing for Fun with John-Paul Flintoff
Saturday, 14:15–15:00 and 16:45–17:30 | Drawing Room (Pre-Booked Only)
Join writer and illustrator John-Paul Flintoff and start drawing and sketching for the pure joy of it.

How to Be a Tyrant with Ferdinand Mount
Saturday, 14:30–15:15 | Lawn
Ferdinand Mount plots the rise and fall – and rise again! – of caesars throughout history, from Julius Caesar and Oliver Cromwell to Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. He identifies the tricks of their trade and explains why we keep falling for them.

Fashion Renegades of 80s London with NJ Stevenson in conversation with Caroline Catz
Saturday, 15:00–15:45 | Dining Room
Fashion curator NJ Stevenson talks about the 80s club scene with Leigh Bowery at its centre.

Philosophy Slam with Mark Vernon and Robert Rowland Smith
Saturday, 15:15–16:00 | Orchard
Throw yourself into the free flow of improvisation as two thinkers, informed by philosophy and psychology, riff on whatever you want to ask about, from aardvarks to zeitgeist. 

Lawrence and Will Hodgkinson in conversation with Florence Read
Saturday, 15:45–16:30 | Lawn
Through five decades of his bands Felt, Denim, Go-Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate, Lawrence’s dreams of glory have been thwarted by bad luck and self sabotage. Is artistic immortality finally on the horizon?

Women in the Ancient World with Daisy Dunn and Rowan Pelling
Saturday, 16:15–17:00 | Dining Room
A new vision of antiquity with author Daisy.

Odes to Being Alive with James Parker
Saturday, 16:30–17:15 | Orchard
Settle back and listen to some of the best writing the Idler has ever come across. We promise you a little wisdom and a lot of good cheer. 

Sam and Sam Clark in conversation with Gavin Turk
Saturday, 17:00–17:45 | Lawn
The chef founders of Moro talk to the conceptual artist about their Spanish-Moroccan inspiration and making a success of working together as a couple in a creative business.

How Animals Heal Us with Jay Griffiths and Suzi Feay
Saturday, 17:30–18:15 | Dining Room
A unique and heartfelt insight into the healing nature of our relationship with animals from celebrated author Jay Griffiths.

Lawrence’s DJ Set
Saturday, 17:45–18:45 | Orchard
Take time out in the Orchard Bar as Lawrence and pop critic Will Hodgkinson spin their favourite tunes.

Emma Thompson in conversation with Tom Hodgkinson
Saturday, 18:00–18:45 | Lawn
Wit and wisdom from the brilliant Dame Em.

After Party at The Roebuck
Saturday, 19:30–21:00 | 15 Pond Street, NW3 2PN
Meet us in the pub garden.

SUNDAY

Immerse Yourself in Austen with John Mullan and Suzi Feay
Sunday, 12:15–13:00 | Lawn
The Jane Austen expert and the literary critic Suzi Feay revisit her novels in the year of her 250th anniversary.

Idle Beekeeping with Bill Anderson
Sunday, 12:30–13:15 | Orchard
Learn how to keep bees the low-cost, low-effort, sustainable way with the Idler Academy’s beekeeping tutor.

Hampstead Literary Walk with Henry Eliot
Sunday, 12:30–13:30 | Meet on the South Lawn
Follow in the footsteps of John Keats, Charles Dickens, George Orwell, William Blake and Katherine Mansfield on this bookish jaunt. 

Anagnorisis: The Recognition Scene in Drama with Rev Ewan King
Sunday, 12:30–13:15 | Dining Room
Anagnorisis is the Greek word for unexpected meetings and chance encounters in art. Hampstead’s Baptist pastor gives an illustrated ramble through these so-called “recognition scenes” from Aristotle to Shakespeare and beyond.

Britpop and Beyond: Miranda Sawyer in conversation with Tom Hodgkinson
Sunday, 13:30–14:15 | Lawn
Not just a scene for white guys with guitars but something wilder and more interesting: Britpop, the mid-90s moment when British music suddenly meant everything, was an unexpected musical movement centred around outsiders and misfits. Plus – in praise of “Firestarter”.

Babylonian Liver Divination with Selena Wisnom
Sunday, 13:45–14:30 | Orchard
Babylonian scholar Selena Wisnom carries out a live hepatoscopy, or liver divination, and attempts to decode the wills of the gods.

The English Landscape Garden with Tim Richardson
Sunday, 13:45–14:30 | Dining Room
The Idler’s Art Flâneur and garden historian Tim Richardson highlights the politics and turbulence that influenced the designers of our greatest English gardens.

How to Sing with Diana de Cabarrus
Sunday, 14:00–14:45 and 16:30–17:15 | Drawing Room (Pre-Booked Only)
After a short warm-up, Idler Academy tutor and musician Diana de Cabarrus will teach you a fun ensemble piece to sing together. Suitable for beginners and more experienced singers alike. 

Amy Matthews
Sunday, 14:45–15:30 | Lawn
Laugh along as stand-up comedian Amy weaves in and out of wry despair and whimsical imagination. 

Hampstead Architecture Walk with Harry Mount
Sunday, 14:45–15:45 | Meet on the South Lawn
Oldie editor and author Harry Mount takes you on a walk round Hampstead’s hidden gems, finishing at one of the best of them, Fenton House. 

The Hysteric with Laura González and Eleanor Bowen
Sunday, 15:00–15:45 | Dining Room
Notoriously difficult to define, the hysteric has been around us at least since Egyptian times. Find out what it is that makes this figure so persistent and how it has changed over time.

Read Yourself Happy with Daisy Buchanan and Rowan Pelling
Sunday, 15:00–15:45 | Orchard
In a hectic world that can feel uncertain and overwhelming, Daisy and Rowan invite us to discover the literary worlds that inspire, comfort and fortify.

Rowan Williams in conversation with Sally Phillips
Sunday, 16:00–16:45 | Lawn
The former Archbishop meets actress Sally to talk about mysticism, clowning and other subjects. 

Comedy Hour: Nancy Trotter Landry and Alexandra Haddow
Sunday, 16:15–17:15 | Orchard
Literary clowning from a Giffords Circus ring mistress, and stand-up from one of the most popular acts on the UK comedy circuit.

Legacy of The Wicker Man with David Bramwell
Sunday, 16:15–17:00 | Dining Room
Bramwell unravels the history and cultural significance of The Wicker Man and its haunting soundtrack. 

Micro Pilgrimage with Guy Hayward
Sunday, 17:00–18:00 | (Meet on the South Lawn)
The Director of the British Pilgrimage Trust leads a walk around Hampstead. Expect candles, a local mystic, and maybe a bit of evensong.

Michael Palin in conversation with Tom Hodgkinson
Sunday, 17:15–18:00 | Lawn
Meet the Python legend, now 82, but still refusing to become an adult. 

Escape the Grind with Robert Wringham
Sunday, 17:45–18:30 | Dining Room
The writer-comedian and publisher of New Escapologist magazine shows us how to escape from our worker-consumer lifestyle. 

Miranda Sawyer’s Britpop DJ Set
Sunday, 17:45–18:30 | Orchard
Loaf in the Orchard to 90s hits.

Festival Singalong with Tom Hodgkinson and The Idler Band
Sunday, 18:30–19:00 | Lawn
Idler editor leads a merry singalong to close the festival. Everyone join in!

Renaissance Dancing with The Capability Consort
All Sunday | Lawn
Learn the dances of Jane Austen’s heroines.

ALL WEEKEND

Swing Dancing with Oliver Broadbent
All Weekend | Lawn
Get moving and shaking with Oliver Broadbent of the Mudflappers. No partner needed, no experience necessary!

Wandering Minstrels
All Weekend | House and Garden
Our wandering minstrels will be popping up throughout the weekend. Catch Will Summers and Jo Lawrence playing baroque tunes in the garden and hear jazz  standards and harpsichord players in the house. 

Take a Renaissance Portrait with London Drawing
All Weekend | Attic
Using travel pillows, paper cups and pillowcases, London Drawing creates beautiful photographic portraits in Renaissance style – with you as the sitter. 

The Good Stuff Market
All Weekend | House
Browse beautiful, useful, and handmade things at our market stalls, dotted around the house.

Book tickets: idler.co.uk/festival