John Clare Festival

16/04/2026

Here is the programme for the Peterborough Choral Society concert, Saturday July 11th at St Botolph's Church at 7 pm.

Nature awakens…
“Spring” from The Four Seasons – Antonio Vivaldi, arr. B. Smith

Into the woods…
Poem – Wood Anemone, John Clare
“Where’er You Walk” from Semele – G.F. Handel
Au Joli Bois – Charles Tessier
Der Lindenbaum – Franz Schubert
“Ombra Mai Fu” from Serse – G.F. Handel
Her I Love (text by Clare) – A. Kerney
Linden Lea – R. Vaughan Williams
The Oak and the Ash – E. Bairstow, arr. B. Smith

The Birds and the Bees…
Poem – A Spring Morning, John Clare
The Silver Swan – Orlando Gibbons
Sweet Honey Suckling Bees – John Wilbye
The Nightingale – Thomas Weelkes
Of All the Birds – John Barlet
“Cuckoo” from Friday Afternoons – Benjamin Britten
“Habanera” from Carmen – Georges Bizet
Bluebird – Charles Stanford
The Lark in the Clear Air – Trad., arr. B. Smith
Let’s Do It – Cole Porter, arr. B. Smith

Through the Fields…
Poem – The Beanfield, John Clare
Fields of Gold – Sting, arr. Emerson
Vincent – Don McLean
“Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George – Stephen Sondheim

04/04/2026

Here we go again!
The competition for this year has opened 💥

For applications and submissions, please go to...
https://www.stamfordartscentre.com/whats-on/all-shows/poet-laureate-final-2026/13983

24/03/2026

The very nearly finalised programme for the Festival, with the poster for the Saturday evening concert by the Peterborough Choral Society.

03/03/2026

Draft Programme for the 2026 John Clare Festival in Helpston and Northborough. Some details eg price & title of the concert still TBC but I hope this can whet your appetite for the festival which will have plenty to do on all three days!

The 2026 John Clare Festival 10th-12th July

The John Clare Cottage and Museum will be open for refreshments all day, each day

Friday 10th

10.30 – 12.15 “Midsummer Cushions” at St Botolph’s Church
2 pm “A walk to see Betsey” – c 5 miles, taking in the history of Helpston, Ashton and Bainton. Starting and ending at the Cottage.

6 pm “Poems, Praise and Prayer with John Clare” at St Botolph’s Church
7 pm Folk night at John Clare Cottage

Saturday 11th

Helpston Local History Group Exhibition “Family” at the Scout Hut
Book sales at the Scout Hut
Open Gardens, Children’s Treasure Hunt

9 am John Clare Cottage welcome event - at the Cottage
10.30 am John Clare Society AGM at St Botolph’s
11.30 am President’s Address: introducing “Springtime” by Mike Hobson

12 noon the Beauvale Recorders at the Cottage
12 noon Lunches at the Village Hall
12 noon Peterborough Morris and Crosskey Clog Morris at the Bluebell Inn
2 pm “Westings Meadow” – family art and natural history fun with Art Pop-Up at the Cottage
2 pm Keynote Speech by Dr David Stewart of Northumbria University
3 pm Teas at the Village Hall
4 pm Poetry Reading at St Botolph’s
7 pm Peterborough Choral Society in concert at St Botolph’s

Sunday 12th

10.30 am “The Flitting” – a walk in the footsteps of John Clare and his family, from Helpston John Clare Cottage to Northborough
2.30 to 4.30 pm at Northborough Church: “”Martha’s Northborough” (£5) with Clare Richardson, James Keech on “The Overseers of the Poor Book”

15/01/2026

The John Clare Festival 2026 is taking shape!

With 3 days of activities from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July

Including (and not only):

Walks around the countryside and village throughout the weekend

Friday

Midsummer Cushions (at 11 am and 1pm)
John Clare-themed church service 6pm
Folk night at John Clare Cottage 7 pm

Saturday

Open Gardens
Society AGM
Update from the Cottage, and the Langdyke Trust
Morris Dancers
Open Gardens
Lunches at the Cottage and the Village Hall
Children's Treasure Hunt
Keynote speech
The Peterborough Choral Society performing "A Walk with John Clare" at St Botolph's Church

Sunday

The "Flitting" - a walk to Northborough in the footsteps of the Clare family
An afternoon at Northborough with talks on Martha's life there, and local history interest

16/10/2025

The John Clare Society Festival 2026 will be from Friday 10th July. The first planning meeting is lined up. So the countdown has begun!
Is there anything you would like to see at the Weekend? Not all wishes will necessarily come true, of course...

01/07/2025

John Clare Society Festival 2025

Friday 11 July

9am gather in St Botolph's churchyard for the Midsummer Cushions ceremony, and the prizegiving for the annual poetry competition.

6 pm at St Botolph's Church, Choral Evensong featuring hymns taken from John Clare's religious poetry. Led by the St Botolph's Choir (plus friends - including some traditional instruments

7.30 pm - Folk Evening at Clare Cottage

Saturday 12 July

Church open from 8.30 am for refreshments

Society AGM 10 - 11 am

Walks and Talks through the day

The Presidential Address by Professor John Goodridge, when he will interview Ian Collins, biographer of the late, great Ronald Blythe

Lunches and teas at the village hall 12 - 1.30 pm and 2.30 - 5 pm

Morris dancing (12 at the Bluebell)

Richard Astle giving a talk about the John Clare Countryside project

Cut-a-Caper performing songs and poetry in St Botolph's Church with words by and about John Clare at 6.30 pm, finishing about 7.45. Tickets £10 or two for £18.

For Friends of the Festival or for more information please call the Festival Organiser Ann Marshall 07815 640033 or Sue Holgate 01353 668438.

08/02/2025

John Clare Weekend 2025

With more to be confirmed

FRIDAY 11th JULY

Midsummer Cushions and Poetry Prize-giving

6pm Choral Evensong (with West Gallery - style musicians)

SATURDAY 12th JULY

8.30 Coffee, tea and biscuits in the Church

AVAILABLE ALL DAY UNTIL 7PM

(If the kitchen is not manned please help yourself and leave a donation)

Donation box and bowl required.

10-11 AGM in the Church

11-12 Address in the church by Professor John Goodridge, President: "In Conversation’ with Ian Collins, about his biography of our former President, Ronald Blythe.

12 - 1.30 Lunches in the Village Hall

12-2 Morris dancers around the Village

1.15-2.15 Talk in the Church by Richard Astle of The Langdyke Trust

2-5pm Open Gardens

2.30 - 4pm Poetry in the Church

2.30 - 4pm Walk with Langdyke Trust

2.30 - 5pm Teas in the Village Hall

4.15 - 5.15 Church closed for rehearsals

5.15pm Doors open for concert

5.30-7pm Concert in the Church Andrew Castley and band, music poetry and spoken word.
Concert: £10 per person or 2 tickets for £18

26/01/2025

John Clare Festival this year Friday 11th to Saturday 12th July

to promote a wider and deeper knowledge of the poet, John Clare