Tudor Fest

Tudor Fest takes over Southsea Castle from Sunday 2 to Tuesday 4 August, and this time it's a three-day affair. It used to be a single Tudor Day, but it's grown into a full weekend, run in partnership with The Mary Rose Museum, which fills the castle with costumed Tudor characters. You'll find costumed interpreters throughout the site, including King Henry VIII himself, alongside talks, tours and hands-on activities like traditional games, archery and handling historic objects. It's aimed at families, with a particular eye on firing young imaginations.

The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting here. Southsea Castle dates back to 1544, built as part of the chain of fortifications Henry VIII raised around England's coasts to ward off invaders. Barely had the work been completed when the king's flagship, the Mary Rose, sank at the Battle of the Solent against the French in July 1545. The event leans on that history, pairing the costumed characters with the actual site they're bringing to life.

It's a good one to bring the kids along to, especially if they've got a thing for the Tudors. Between the archery, the traditional games and the chance to handle historic objects, there's plenty for them to get stuck into, and the costumed characters mean you're not just reading about the period on a plaque. The castle itself is open from April to October and is free as a historical attraction.

Admission to Tudor Fest is free, though a £1 donation is encouraged. It runs from 10am to 4pm on all three days, so you can drop in whenever suits you best.