Always verify before attending: Highclere Castle's event calendar changes throughout the year and tickets for popular dates sell out quickly. Confirm current availability directly on the castle's official ticketing site before finalising travel plans.
Featured Upcoming Events
Friends of Highclere Exclusive Early Evening Guided Tour
Thursday 2 July 2026 · Highclere Castle · Tickets on sale now
A limited-capacity evening guided tour offered exclusively through the Friends of Highclere membership programme, outside normal public opening hours.
Magic of the Movies
12–13 September 2026 · Highclere Castle · Tickets on sale now
A film-themed special event weekend held at the castle, separate from the regular Summer Public Opening tours. Exact programme details are released closer to the date by the castle directly.
Friends of Highclere Castle Tour & Afternoon Tea
19–20 September 2026 · Highclere Castle · Tickets on sale now
A guided tour combined with afternoon tea, run across two consecutive days for Friends of Highclere members and the public via the official ticket shop.
Highclere Castle Literary Festival
Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 October 2026 · Highclere Castle · Tickets on sale now
A two-day literary festival held on the estate grounds, featuring author talks and book-related programming connected to the Carnarvon family's own published work.
Seasonal & Themed Guided Tours
Beyond single-date special events, Highclere runs several themed guided tour programmes across the year, each with its own dedicated booking window:
- Real Lives & Film Sets Guided Tours — Autumn 2026, tickets on sale now. A themed tour pairing the castle's real history with its Downton Abbey filming locations.
- Castle Tour, Egyptian Exhibition, Gardens & Afternoon Tea — available throughout 2026, combining the full visitor route with a seated afternoon tea.
- Wintertime Castle Guided Tours — January 2027, tickets on sale now. A winter-season guided format offered outside the main Spring/Summer public opening windows.
- Christmas at Highclere — 2026 dates on sale now. The castle's seasonal Christmas-themed opening, typically one of the most popular ticketed periods of the year.
2026 Public Opening Windows
Outside of special events, the main way to visit Highclere is during its two general admission windows:
- Spring Public Opening: selected dates in April and May 2026 (pre-booked tickets for this window are currently sold out; walk-up tickets may be available at a £3 premium per person, subject to availability)
- Summer Public Opening: Sunday 12 July – Thursday 3 September 2026, closed Fridays and Saturdays each week
Full pricing and timed-entry details for both windows are on our visiting information page.
Sold Out — For Reference
The following 2026 events are currently sold out, included here so visitors don't search for unavailable tickets: Picnic Afternoon Tea for Two (Spring & Summer add-on), and Teas, Tours and Timeless Tales guided tours (June–July 2026 mid-summer special opening).
How to Find the Latest Updates
- Check the official Highclere Castle ticket shop directly for current availability and newly announced dates
- Highclere typically announces opening dates only 5–6 months in advance, so checking close to your travel window is more reliable than checking far ahead
- Friends of Highclere members receive early access to ticket releases for several events listed above
Sources
Event dates and ticket status verified directly from the official Highclere Castle ticket shop (highclerecastleshop.co.uk), June 2026. All dates subject to change — confirm directly before booking travel.