Editing Worcester, England (section)

==Culture==
===Festivals and shows===
Every three years Worcester becomes home to the [[Three Choirs Festival]], which dates from the 18th century and is credited with being the oldest music festival in the British Isles. The location rotates between the cathedral cities of [[Gloucester]], [[Hereford]] and Worcester. Famous for championing English music, especially that of [[Edward Elgar|Elgar]], [[Ralph Vaughan Williams|Vaughan Williams]] and [[Gustav Holst]], Worcester hosted the festival in July 2017, but had to postpone its 2020 festival until 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://3choirs.org/ |title=Festival site. Retrieved 29 June 2020. |access-date=18 July 2014 |archive-date=16 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716085443/http://3choirs.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Three Choirs Festival – Programme & Tickets |url=https://3choirs.org/programme-tickets/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815165638/http://3choirs.org/programme-tickets/ |archive-date=15 August 2014 |access-date=18 July 2014 |website=3choirs.org}}</ref>

The Worcester Festival (established in 2003 by Chris Jaeger MBE) occurs in August and consists of music, theatre, [[film|cinema]] and workshop events, along with a beer festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Worcester Festival |url=http://www.worcesterfestival.co.uk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726045926/http://www.worcesterfestival.co.uk/ |archive-date=26 July 2014 |access-date=18 July 2014 |website=Worcesterfestival.co.uk}}</ref>

For one weekend a year the city plays host to the [[Worcester Music Festival]] – a weekend of original music performed predominantly by local bands and musicians. All performances are free and take place around the city centre in bars, clubs, community buildings, churches and the central library.

Founded in 2012, the Worcester Film Festival, places Worcestershire on the film-making map and encourages local people to get involved in making film. The first festival took place at [[Worcester Library: The Hive|the Hive]] and included screenings, workshops and talks.<ref>[http://www.worcesterstandard.co.uk/2012/11/01/news-New-talent-to-shine-at-film-festival-54465.html 'New talent to shine']{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Worcester Standard. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2013.</ref>

The Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre is a busy event in late November/early December, with over 200 stalls lining the streets, and over 100,000 visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Worcester's Victorian Christmas Fayre |url=http://www.worcesterchristmasfayre.co.uk/thefayre/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043106/http://www.worcesterchristmasfayre.co.uk/thefayre/ |archive-date=6 March 2019 |access-date=2 March 2019 |website=Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre |publisher=Worcester City Council}}</ref>

The [[Campaign for Real Ale|CAMRA]] Worcester Beer, Cider and Perry Festival takes place for three days each August on Pitchcroft Race Course.<ref name="CAMRA"/> It is the largest beer festival in the West Midlands and in the UK top ten with attendances of around 14,000.<ref name="WorcesterNews15082011"/>

The Worcester Vegan Market began in 2021 and takes place in late spring and fall. The Vegan Market fills High Street and Cathedral Square with vegan vendors, vegan food sellers, and vegan food trucks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Foodies excited as date set for return of Worcester Vegan Market |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/20028517.date-set-return-worcester-vegan-market/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Worcester News |date=April 2022 |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023111951/https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/20028517.date-set-return-worcester-vegan-market/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vegan market returns to Worcester city centre |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23066216.worcester-vegan-market-returns-high-street/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Worcester News |date=20 October 2022 |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023111947/https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23066216.worcester-vegan-market-returns-high-street/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Arts and cinema===
[[File:Huntingdon Hall - geograph.org.uk - 209385.jpg|thumb|Huntingdon Hall]]
The famous 18th-century actress [[Sarah Siddons]] made her acting début at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton, otherwise Ann of Swansea, was born in the city.<ref name="Shropshire"/> Also born in Worcester was Matilda Alice Powles, better known as [[Vesta Tilley]], a leading [[Cross-dressing|male impersonator]] and music hall artiste.<ref name="Maitland1986"/>

In present-day Worcester, the [[Swan Theatre, Worcester|Swan Theatre]]<ref name="Hunt 1"/> stages professional touring and local amateur productions and is the base for the [[Worcester Repertory Company]]. Past heads have included [[John Doyle (director)|John Doyle]] and [[David Wood (actor)|David Wood OBE]]. The current artistic director of the company and the theatre is Chris Jaeger MBE.

Stars who started their careers in the [[Worcester Repertory Company]] and the [[Swan Theatre, Worcester|Swan Theatre]] include [[Imelda Staunton]], [[Sean Pertwee]], [[Celia Imrie]], [[Rufus Norris]], [[Kevin Whately]] and [[Bonnie Langford]]. Directors too have made a name for themselves: [[Phyllida Lloyd]] starting her career as an associate under [[John Doyle (director)|John Doyle]].

[[Huntingdon Hall]] is a historic church now used as venue for an eclectic range of musical and comedy performances.<ref name="Hunt 1"/> Recent acts have included [[Van Morrison]], [[Eddie Izzard]], [[Jack Dee]], [[Omid Djalili]] and [[Jason Manford]].

The Marrs Bar (in Pierpoint Street) is a venue for gigs and stand-up comedy.<ref name="Marrs"/>

Worcester has two multi-screen cinemas; the Vue Cinema complex is located in Friar Street and the Odeon in Foregate Street – both were 3D-equipped by March 2010.

[[File:Former cinema, Ombersley Road, Worcester - geograph.org.uk - 6473354.jpg|thumb|The former Northwick Cinema]]
Six local cultural organisations are working with Worcester City Council on plans to bring The Scala and Corn Exchange in Angel Place back into use as an arts centre, with investment from the government's Future High Streets Fund. As well as three performance and creative spaces, the Council intends that the two historic buildings will be a hub providing music, film, and other performance facilities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Planning application for Worcester's new arts venue is in |url=https://www.worcester.gov.uk/news/planning-application-for-worcester-s-new-arts-venue-is-in |publisher=Worcester CIty Council |date=11 January 2024}}</ref>

The northern suburb of [[Northwick (Worcestershire)|Northwick]] has the [[Art Deco]] Northwick Cinema. Built in 1938, it contains one of only two remaining interiors in Britain designed by John Alexander. The original perspective drawings are held by [[Royal Institute of British Architects|RIBA]]. It was a [[Housie|bingo]] hall from 1966 to 1982, then empty until 1991, a music venue until 1996, and empty again until autumn 2006, when it became an antiques and lifestyle centre, owned by Grey's Interiors, which was previously located in the Tything.<ref name="RIBA"/>

Worcester was home to the [[electronic music]] producer and collaborator [[Mike Paradinas]] and his [[record label]] [[Planet Mu]], until the label moved to London in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Planet MU Records Limited |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03507219 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110114542/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03507219 |archive-date=10 November 2017 |access-date=4 June 2017 |website=Companies House}}</ref>

===Media===
====Newspapers====
{{plainlist|
*''[[Berrow's Worcester Journal]]''
*''[[Worcester News]]''
*''Worcester Observer''
}}

====Radio stations====
{{plainlist|
*[[BBC Hereford & Worcester]]
*[[Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire|Hits Radio]]
*[[Radio Wyvern]]
*[[Heart West Midlands]]
*[[Sunshine Radio (Herefordshire and Monmouthshire)|Sunshine Radio]]
*[[Capital Mid-Counties]]
*[[Smooth West Midlands]]
*[[Greatest Hits Radio]]
}}

====Television====
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC West Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] from the [[Ridge Hill transmitting station|Ridge Hill]] TV transmitter.