What's On June 2024

We're back with another month of events, artwork, and worship in the Cathedral. 

This Sunday, 2 June, at 3pm we celebrate thirty years of the ordination of women priests in the Church of England. All are welcome to join us in worship, alongside those who were ordained in the first cohort. The Cathedral Choir will sing music by female composers and the preacher will be The Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, Bishop of Barking and former Rector of Stockport and Brinnington in the Diocese of Chester. Order of service and more details can be found here. 

We're delighted to have been chosen by the Duke of Westminster and Miss Olivia Henson for their wedding on Friday 7 June 2024. Consequently, the Cathedral is closed on both Thursday 6 and Friday 6 June for this private event. Due to the private nature of this event, we are not able to share details such as the ceremony time, and which guests may or may not be attending. Road closures have been released and can be found here.

Chester Fashion Week returns to the Cathedral on Friday 14 June. The biggest event in Cheshire's fashion and beauty industry will be presented by Claire Namukolo Raven and sponsored by Porsche Automobile manufacturer, featuring the latest trends, fashion shows, networking opportunities, and bringing Chester Fashion's destination vision to life by bringing together regional and international fashion designers, retail brands, creatives, and fashion enthusiasts. The main event of the three nights takes place at the Cathedral, it is open to the public and family-friendly.

Refugee week takes place Sunday 16 to Sunday 23 June in the Cathedral Gardens near the War Memorial. This year’s theme, chosen by the Chester City of Sanctuary Group, is At Home in our City. The City of Sanctuary is a charity working to foster a welcome for those forced to leave their homes through violence or persecution. You are invited to come along to help them cover their gazebo with ideas of home and welcome. Look out for additional events and activities taking place throughout the city that week. More details and times can be found here.

Chester Heritage Festival returns 21 to 30 June with a variety of talks, walks, and events taking place across the city. As part of the festival we will have an orienteering and a sensory trails available where you can explore the Cathedral like never before. Choose your difficulty level on our Orienteering map, locate your compass, and find all the letters around the Cathedral to de-scramble your word! For the sensory trail, touch ancient stone, smell books, and lots more – a treat for all the senses! Both map trails are available from our Welcome Desk throughout the festival. You can also experience a guided version of the sensory tour with tickets available here. These trails were created in partnership with James Dixon specifically for the Chester Heritage Festival.

London Concertante join us on Friday 21 June with Four Seasons and Lark Ascending by Candlelight. Experience astounding music by one of classical music’s greatest composers performed by some of the country’s best classical musicians. Tickets available here.

Calling all Dolly Parton fans! TV and West End Dolly star Sarah Jayne who has been performing as Dolly Parton for thirty years and is Europe’s leading tribute to the Queen of Country will be joined by top tier impersonators as they present Jolene: The Dolly Parton experience ft Kenny Rogers and John Denver tributes. Come along for a night filled with country fun. Find out more a purchase tickets here.

Chester Philharmonic Orchestra return on Saturday 29 June with Postcard from Danube. They will be presenting a programme of local Viennese, Czech, and Hungarian music conducted by Stephen Threlfall and featuring viola soloist Duncan Anderson. Purchase tickets here.

Artwork

Top of the Tower mural is on display in the cloisters throughout summer. When a diverse range of Chester residents took the trip up to the top of the Cathedral tower their imaginations were ignited by what they could see, hear, remember, dream or imagine. They thought of the streets below in times gone by, of their lives now within the city before them, of their accomplishment in making the journey up, and their futures under the watchful eye of the tower. The mural was created by a range of communities and generations currently living in Chester, inspired by the project delivered by Theatre in the Quarter, developed by workshops delivered by Art in the Place, and painted by artist Alison Pitt.

For the second year, the Cathedral will display the winners of the Green Expo photo competition, exact date of the display TBC. The Green Expo will take place 15 and 16 June in the Grosvenor Park. Find out more about the Green Expo here.

Worship

There are a few special services happening this month at the Cathedral.

Details about the Eucharist celebrating thirty years of women priests on 2 June can be found above.

On Tuesday 11 June at 5.30pm, there will be a Choral Eucharist for St Barnabas in traditional language. This Eucharist celebrates Barnabas, one of the apostles and companion to St Paul on his missionary journeys, known as “the son of encouragement”.

As part of his visit to the Diocese of Chester, The Archbishop of York will be preaching at the Cathedral Eucharist on Sunday 23 June at 10.30am.

There will be two ordinations this month. One on Saturday 15 June at 4pm for priests and another on Sunday 30 June at 10.20am for deacons.