Free family festival to mark 35 years of Rufus Court

Rufus Court in Chester will host the Solstice Festival on Sunday, June 21, 2026, in partnership with Alexander’s Live!, to celebrate 35 years since it first opened to the public in 1991.

The festival takes place exactly 35 years to the day since the courtyard was officially opened by Bob Monkhouse.

A spokesperson for Rufus Court said: "We are excited to be hosting this event celebrating the rich history of Rufus Court and the work of Rod Cox and Pauline Thompson over the past 35 years. We are pleased to be able to continue the traditions of live music and independent trading in Chester City Centre, and look forward to the next 35 years and what the future will bring."

Rod Cox, along with his business partner Pauline Thompson, designed and built the Civic Trust Award-winning courtyard.

The event will be headlined by Gilad Atzmon’s jazz organ trio Organology, featuring Ross Stanley and Joel Barford.

Organology recently performed two sell-out nights at Ronnie Scott’s.

Mr Atzmon, who is returning to the UK especially for the festival, has a long history with Alexander’s and was the last saxophonist to record with Pink Floyd.

The line-up also includes The Stumble, a six-piece blues, soul and old-school R&B band, born out of the new wave blues boom in Glasgow in the '80s and '90s.

Blues legend Leslie “Lazy Lester” Johnson once said: "Man, this band’s so good I wanna take ‘em over to America with me."

Other acts on the bill include Manchester’s Brazilian-inspired Bossa Dos Patos, blues and R&B outfit Dr T-Bone, folk singer-songwriter Ashley Fayth, and the Northwich Uke Club.

The day will also feature activities for all ages, including face painting, garden games and an interactive art installation by local artist Russell Kirk.

Rufus Court is now home to a range of independent shops, restaurants and live entertainment.

Their work began in 1976 with the opening of a gift shop on the City Walls.

By 1991, the construction of Rufus Court was complete.