Salisbury Entertainment

Salisbury is not a city with an extensive selection of glitzy, manmade entertainment centres and tends to attract those with a more traditional approach to enjoying their leisure time. However, there are cinemas, good restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs, which although limited, provide pleasurable places to spend the evenings.

Nightlife

Salisbury is not the best city to head if you are looking for a thriving pub and club scene. While the city has nightclubs, they tend to cater mostly to the mainstream, as do the busy bars. Traditional pubs are the most prevalent establishments and offer warm and welcoming atmospheres and good locally brewed ales. A bowling alley and a five-screen Odeon cinema offer options for a quieter and more sober night out.

Theatre and music

For more cultural entertainment, head for the Salisbury Playhouse on Malthouse Lane, where youll find a variety of live stage performances including traditional theatre productions, comedy, live music and dance. Also on Malthouse Lane is City Hall, a thriving entertainment venue that attracts touring shows, amateur productions and various cultural events.

The Salisbury Arts Centre on Bedwin Street meanwhile offers a mixed programme of performing and visual arts. For live music, check out the popular Chicago Rock on Fisherton Street where tribute bands regularly showcase their imitative talents to enthusiastic crowds.

Festivals

Although not a major festival hub, Salisbury celebrates all the usual UK public holidays with fervour as well as some locally brewed celebrations. Here are the highlights:

• Salisbury Festival is one of the nations top arts festivals and attracts big names from around the world in disciplines such as drama, dance, music, opera and street performance (May/June).
• For most UK residents, Glastonbury Festival needs no introduction. Just a short drive from Salisbury, this annual event is held on a massive expanse of land owned by farmer Michael Eavis and is a music and arts festival hailed as the biggest of its kind in the UK (June).
• Salisbury International Arts Festival is a celebration of human physicality through the mediums of dance, sport and theatre. Performance artists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela assembled at the festival to showcase their talents (May/June).
• Salisbury Folk Festival is held at Salisbury City Hall and sees respected names from the genre of folk music perform at this well-attended three-day event (September).