Hosting a Festival
Hosting a Festival is a chance to show off your city, your cathedral and its choral tradition to former choristers from around the world — and a wonderful way to mark a special anniversary. It doesn't take a huge team; it takes a committed one.
2027 and several years from 2029 onward are still available — get in touch with the Secretary to discuss dates.
Since 2021 the guidance has deliberately simplified — focus on a single Saturday, built around one non-negotiable: a Choral Evensong sung by the current choir. A shared meal (with a guest speaker), a chance for delegates to sing with the choir, cathedral/local tours, an organ recital, or lighter activities like bell-ringing all work well as optional extras.
Start as early as possible — ideally 2–3 years ahead, though events have come together successfully in just over a year. Confirm your date with the Secretary first (to avoid clashing with another association's plans), then lock it in with your Director of Music, clergy and cathedral administration.
Form a small committee and appoint one contact to liaise with the Federation's Executive Committee in the run-up to your event. Delegates arrange their own travel and accommodation, but a list of recommended local hotels (with any negotiated rates) is much appreciated.
Once your date is confirmed with the Secretary it's added to the Federation's events calendar and newsletter. Aim to feature in the Once a Chorister publication the year before your event (deadline late October, published online each November) — including an invitation, details about your music/choir, and local points of interest. We can embed your booking form directly into our site or link out to your own.
Where possible, use a booking form with two separate opt-out tick-boxes — one for passing an attendee's email to the following year's host, one for including their name in the attendee list shared with delegates.
Agree costs early. As a guide, festival dinners have typically run £40–£75 for a three-course meal with about three choices per course. Any surplus is split 50:50 between your association and the Federation, to be reinvested in future events.
Friday — Evensong, welcome reception, dinner (and, in recent years, a candlelit Compline service, which the Federation can help resource with printed orders of service and singers).
Saturday — optional tour, organ recital, rehearsal, Festival Evensong (traditionally including a reading and prayers from Once a Chorister members), pre-dinner drinks, Festival dinner with toasts (the Loyal Toast, the National Anthem, “Once a Chorister” and “Our Guests”) and music/dancing.
Sunday — morning service, farewell reception, optional Sunday lunch (well received as an add-on in recent years).
Have members of your association “on duty” to welcome and steward delegates, provide a locality map, and consider a Welcome Pack with programme, map, local information and attendee list.