First Thursdays Festival
Creativity around every corner...
First Thursdays is a monthly festival with events throughout Colchester city centre! The festival celebrates the city’s vibrant and diverse cultural scene, seeing venues thrown open for the community, with fantastic performances, workshops and interactive experiences. Many creatives featured responded to our Creative Commissions Fund where we seek exciting performance, workshop and installations from Colchester and Tendring creatives.
Our next festival is Dec 5th 2024. The full programme can be found below.
You can reserve your place at one of our events by booking your ticket in advance (most of which are FREE). Or, if there is capacity you can just turn up and enjoy.
What’s On This Month
Daisy Diamond does Burlesque @ Headgate Theatre
Unleash Your Inner Diva: A Body Confidence Burlesque Class
Time: 6:45pm – 7:45pm
(This event is NOT free, please send a direct message on instagram to register and sign up for classes)
Makerspace Socials @ Colchester Makerspace
Thinking of becoming a member and want to know more? Already a member and want to catch up with the others? Makerspace Socials are free, include a short introduction, an opportunity to meet our members and associate artists and hear a short show-and-tell from our Maker of the Month.
Find out more and book your FREE ticket
Craft with COLLIDESCOPE@ Curzon
Everyone is welcome at Craft with COLLIDESCOPE. At this free drop-in workshop at Curzon Colchester we will be making Christmas themed friendship bracelets.
Drop in anytime between 3pm & 6pm!
Find out more and book your FREE ticket
First Thursday Hub (Acoustic Showcase) @ Popina Christmas Bar (Lion Walk Courtyard)
Join us at this months Hub for a night of networking with other creatives and live music from local talent!
Drop in anytime between 6:30pm & 10pm!
Find out more and book your FREE ticket
The Thursday Jam @ CODA
Play an instrument? Fancy channelling your inner rockstar? Turn up and join other musicians in Colchester’s Jam Night!
FREE entry, just turn up on the night
Roles We Will Never Play @ Curzon
Roles We Will Never Play is a musical theatre cabaret concert celebrating the parts performers dream of but will never quite get to portray. This dynamic evening of performances brings together an ensemble of talented singers and actors as they dive into the roles they’ll never have the chance to play—whether due to age, gender, or typecasting. Expect to hear soaring ballads, toe-tapping numbers, and a healthy dose of humour as the cast performs their “dream roles” with passion and flair.
Participation is not necessary but clapping is!
Find out more and book your FREE ticket
Colchester Art Society Winter Exhibition @ The Minories
The popular Winter exhibition featuring artworks selected from Colchester Art Society’s 375 members, returns again to the Minories this year. All are welcome. Please note that part of this exhibition will be on the first floor, with access via stairs only.
FREE entry, just turn up between 10am-4pm
Bead Netting Workshop @ the Leaf Community Centre, Priory Walk (across from Sainsbury’s)
Come and learn the unique skill of bead netting, using size 11 seed beads, larger beads or even small marbles. Once you have learned this simple and quick technique, you can go on to make bold and bubbly necklaces or bracelets that really pop with colour.
This is a great way to recycle and use odd beads you might have, and from this simple beadwork technique the possibilities are endless!
Find out more and book your FREE ticket
Vinyasa Yoga with Dharmabelle @ The Tree Room
Move from posture to posture while synchronising the breath for an energising yet relaxing yoga class.The beautiful art of Yoga has many health benefits; weight loss and toning, improving mental and emotional wellbeing, increases health, and enhanced flexibility, and strength.
To get yourself in the First Thursdays mood, take a look at our brilliant May photo gallery, taken by Jonathan Dadds.
