History of Hat Fair

Where it all began

Founded in 1974 by Jonathan Kay, a group of passionate street performers got together in Winchester. At the time, street performance was highly restricted and often illegal in public spaces. The performers wanted to create a safe, celebratory space to perform, share skills, and — crucially — collect donations in their hats.

And so, Hat Fair was born!

A journey through time

• The 1970s: A wild, rebel‑spirited gathering of traditional buskers, jugglers, and mimes taking over the city centre streets.
• The 1990s: Hat Fair gains national recognition, expanding to include commissioned theatrical pieces and international contemporary circus.
• The 2010s: Play to the Crowd (then Live Theatre Winchester Trust) takes the reins, securing Hat Fair's future as a key cultural cornerstone of the region.
• Today: A world‑class, multi‑day extravaganza celebrating the very best of contemporary street arts, while keeping the cheeky, rebellious, and community‑focused spirit of 1974 alive and well.

It's not a festival of hats!

Hat Fair takes its name from the tradition of the audience showing their appreciation by putting money in the hat at the end of the show.

These days most of the festival's artists are paid a fee to perform for free to our audiences. However, we still uphold the hatting tradition by inviting a dozen or so of the world’s best street performers to 'hat' at the festival each year – we offer a contribution to their travel costs and provide food and accommodation for them during the festival, but they are primarily paid through the generosity of our audiences.