First Thursdays Festival

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 Sept 5th 2024 and is full of events suitable for families.  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

QUEERMANIA; Nightmare of Dreams @ Headgate Theatre

 Find out what is possible in a world gone woke at this special charity performance of QUEERMANIA; Nightmare of Dreams. This experimental mixed media performance will be raising money for COLLIDESCOPE and feature a live Q&A session with director/writer Tom Stock and actor Ewan Purser.

Find out more and book your FREE ticket

Open Mic Comedy Under The Stars @ Vacay Bar (Lion Walk Courtyard)

Come to the Vacay and either take your turn at being a comedy star or sit-back and laugh the night away at Colchester’s first ever outdoor open mic comedy night. Hosted by comedian and sex icon Jake Halimi.

Find out more and book your FREE ticket

Emotional Madness with MaryAnn & Mates @ Colchester Arts Centre

An evening of spoken word and poetry hosted by Mary-Ann Ambrose. A mixture of emotions, a roller coaster of fun and sadness.

Tickets from £3

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.

Tickets from £10.50

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

Make Friends & Craft @ Curzon

Everyone is welcome to join us at Make Friends & Craft to make friends and craft!

At this drop-in workshop at Curzon Colchester there will be friendship bracelet making, paper and pens for doodling and lots of friendly people to get creative with.

Drop in anytime between 3pm & 6pm!

Find out more and book your FREE ticket

 frAGILE: Stepping towards strength – an interactive movement workshop @ Headgate Theatre

Take part in this workshop that explores an interpretation of healing through movement and community. The choreography is simple and accessible (e.g. can take part seated or standing).The final performance will be recorded and showcased at the ‘Healthwatch Essex Trauma Ambassador Group present – The ‘Expressions of Trauma’ Exhibition’. 

 Age Suitability 18+ as the workshop performance will be filmed.

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

To get yourself in the First Thursdays mood, take a look at our brilliant May photo gallery, taken by Jonathan Dadds.