Winter festival returns to bring live music and comedy to Swindon

Swinterfest returns after a 2025 debut with music, comedy, poetry and art events across multiple Swindon venues from January 29 to February 1. Donations from the festival will be directed to Prospect Hospice.

Swinterfest is returning to Swindon after a successful inaugural event in 2025. The festival will stage nights of new music alongside comedy, poetry and art events at several town venues. Organisers say the aim is to bring the community together and add some cheer during the winter months. The programme runs from Thursday, January 29 through Sunday, February 1. Event details: - Opening night is Thursday, January 29 at The Hop in Old Town from 7pm, with Harmony Asia, Mac Lloyd, Flo & The Escape Lane (Trio), Mr Love & Justice and Canute's Plastic Army closing at 10pm; the event is open to those aged 16 and over when accompanied by an adult. - The Pulpit on Devizes Road will host Swinterfest's first-ever poetry open-mic on January 29, starting at 7pm. - On January 30 the Swindon Old Town Comedy Club presents a comedy night at Christ Church Community Centre headlined by Ricky Balshaw, with support from Eva Binderman and Joe Merchant; doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start, with advance tickets priced at £12 and £15 on the door. - Also on January 30 The Victoria will host an 18+ music night from 7pm featuring Sunkats, Mezzanine, Careful, Spider, Dreamweapon, Boss Cloth and I See Orange. - A creative afternoon fringe event runs at Rudi's Bar on Saturday, January 31 in partnership with Brush Party, where participants can paint a winter sheep with guidance from artist Sam; tickets cost £33 and include a complimentary Mimosa, with bookings via info@rudisbar.com. - The Castle will feature performances from 2pm on January 31 with a range of acts and allows under-18s until 5pm when accompanied by an adult; the festival closes at The Beehive on February 1 from 1.30pm with multiple performers. Donations for all events will go to Prospect Hospice. Summary: Swinterfest brings a mix of live music, comedy, poetry and art across several Swindon venues between 29 January and 1 February, aiming to revive the town's winter event calendar. Programming includes genre nights, a poetry open-mic, a painting fringe and a comedy headliner, and the organisers have arranged for donations from the events to benefit Prospect Hospice.