Buxton Opera HouseThere's a wide range of cultural experiences on offer in the Peak District and Derbyshire, from music, theatre and museums to antiques, arts, crafts and much more.

Each summer, Buxton Opera House is the home to the Buxton Festival and the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. The Opera House also presents its own annual live music festival plus a programme of dance, comedy, music, opera, drama and children’s shows.

Live music also takes over the tiny hamlet of Stainsby for the two day Stainsby Festival, while Derbyshire Open Arts is a free arts and crafts open studio event that takes place across the county, with artists and craftspeople opening their workshops and studios to the public over the spring bank holiday weekend. The annual Wirksworth Festival also involves numerous regional and national talents and there are various cultural trails and arts workshops catering for special interests.

Other leading arts venues in the region include the Derby Playhouse, one of the leading repertory theatres in the country, and the stunning Grade II listed Victorian Pomegranate Theatre in Chesterfield.

If you're an art or antiques lover, the Peak District and Derbyshire offers a range of delights from the world’s largest collection of Joseph Wright paintings at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery, to period collectables and up-to-the-minute craftwork from local artists.

Take a stroll through the inviting shops in Melbourne, Ashbourne, Bakewell and Leek, or visit the regular fairs at Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens.

 

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