Chester Kaleidoscope Festival back for seventh year
- Alan Hulme
- Jul 1
- 1 min read
Now in its seventh year, the Chester Storyhouse Kaleidoscope Festival 2025 (July 7-11) offers a programme of activities, performances and special events across the city, highlighting the imagination and talent of learning-disabled people.
The festival opens at 11am on July 7 with the Chester Disability Pride Parade, one of few such parades in the UK. Starting from Chester Town Hall, the procession celebrates the achievements and visibility of the learning-disabled and invites everyone to take part in a stroll through the city centre.
July 8 features storytelling, creativity and performances, including Inspiring Stories – real-life stories that move and motivate. In the evening there will be a triple-bill of dance works from artists with disabilities, in partnership with Cheshire Dance.
Kaleidoscope’s Got Talent is a highlight (July 9), showing the often-amazing abilities of local performers.
The Blue Badge Bunch Show (July 10) is game show in which each game represents a different disability. In the evening, host Benny Shakes is back with a show featuring disabled comedians and friends.
The festival closes on July 11with the first Kaleidoscope Annual Disability Awards, in partnership with Vivo Care Choices, followed by a Finale event that afternoon.
All events are "pay what you can" (£0 –£12 recommended).
The festival is produced by Storyhouse with a disability-led steering group, and is supported by partners including Live Cheshire and Pettypool College.
More info here
