Battle Festival 2026
Battle's two-week arts and music festival fills the abbey town's churches and venues with classical, jazz, theatre and a curtain-raising Scarecrow Festival, now in its seventeenth year.
- When
- Where
Multiple venues across Battle, East Sussex — including Battle Abbey and St Mary's Church.
- Info
Visit the official Battle Festival website for the full programme and tickets.
Now in its seventeenth year, Battle Festival fills the abbey town for two weeks every July with an eclectic programme of classical recitals, jazz, theatre, opera, family workshops and a curtain-raising Scarecrow Festival around the high street. The 2026 line-up includes Alistair McGowan's Piano Show, Barefoot Opera's Così fan tutte, classical guitarist Kianush Robeson and pianist Gabriele Sutkutė, staged at Battle Abbey, St Mary's Church and venues across the town. The festival is a registered charity run by local trustees and a wide volunteer team.
Battle is a thirty-minute drive from The River Haven, an easy day-trip but a far better experience as a weekend. Two weeks of programming lets you pick a Friday evening recital and pair it with a Saturday at Bodiam and a Sunday lunch back in Rye.
Stay at The River Haven
Battle is a thirty-minute drive from The River Haven. Pair an evening recital at Battle Abbey or St Mary's with a Saturday at Bodiam or Great Dixter and a riverside Sunday in Rye.
