D.H. Lawrence Festival is back this August with six weeks of events

The festival will run from 1 August until Lawrence’s birthday on 14 September. The festival programme has been co-produced by D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, D.H. Lawrence Society, Haggs Farm Preservation Society, Broxtowe Women’s Project, Eastwood Town Council and Ben Mark Smith of the D.H. Lawrence Music Festival.

Launching the festival is the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, who will be welcoming everyone into Lawrence’s first home for a free event with plenty of refreshments! Meet other participants, the Museum team, and pick up your free festival brochure.

Carolyn Melbourne, Museum and Collections Officer said, “This year's festival is going to have something for everyone. There are literature events of course, but also walking, music, heritage and plenty of cream teas! I'm really excited about how the programme is shaping up.”

Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Health, Councillor Teresa Cullen, said, “The D.H. Lawrence festival is always such a special event, bringing together so many people at events across a wide variety of themes, with most events running for free!. I encourage everyone to try and attend an event in Eastwood and surrounding areas and truly immerse themselves in the local culture.”

The full programme includes:

Festival Launch

• Friday 1 August, 3:00pm
• The official launch of the D.H. Lawrence Festival 2025. Come along to meet participants and pick up your festival brochure.
• A free event, no need to book.

Wellbeing Walk

• Tuesday 5 August, 10.00am
• A free guided walk of the D.H. Lawrence Trail through Eastwood. The walk offers gentle exercise and a historical insight into the places that Lawrence knew so well.
• A free event, no need to book.
• Venue: Meet at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Exhibition - Broxtowe: A Journey Through History and Custom (1945 to the Present)

• Until Saturday 23 August (free to visit during the museum’s regular opening hours)
• An exhibition that explores the rich and evolving story of this vibrant borough from 1945 to the present day. Through a curated collection of photographs, this exhibition highlights the milestones that have defined Broxtowe’s past – social, industrial and cultural.
• Venue: The Gallery Space at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Cream Tea with Broxtowe Women’s Project (BWP)

• Thursday 21 August, 12.00pm till 2.30pm
• Cream tea in the museum’s lovely walled garden with Broxtowe Women’s Project.
• This is a bookable event, please book here (opens in a new window). Cost is £5 each, with all profits going to the BWP charity.
• Booking includes free admission to the museum.
• Venue: The Garden at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

D.H. Lawrence Festival Walk.

• Wednesday 27 August, 1.00pm
• A free guided walk from Collier's Wood to Moorgreen reservoir (3 miles, circular).
• A cream tea is on offer after the walk at Greasley Church tearoom (£8 cash only). Please pre-book the tearoom refreshments by phoning 01773 436776 or 07905 161420
• Venue: Meet at Collier’s Wood, NG16 3QU

Exhibition - I Am A Reader

• From Thursday 28 August until Saturday 8 November (free to visit during the museum’s regular opening hours)
• From a project by Inspire and featuring the beautiful artwork of Carol Adlam, this exhibition is inspired by the words and thoughts of real readers. It reflects and celebrates everything that happens when we open a book.
• Venue: The Gallery Space at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Wellbeing Walk

• Tuesday 2 September, 10.00am
• Join us for this free guided walk in the local countryside, where we explore music and Lawrence. In partnership with Broxtowe Women’s Project.
• A free event, no need to book.
• Venue: Meet at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Talk - “Of course, it will be you who will write my epitaph.” 

• Friday 5 September, 2.00pm
• Kate Foster, from the Haggs Farm Preservation Society explores Jessie Chambers’ memoir, A Personal Record; a vital and illuminating account of D.H. Lawrence’s early development as a writer, and depiction of life in Eastwood at the turn of the twentieth century.
• A free event, but please  book your place here (opens in a new window).
• Venue: D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

D.H. Lawrence Music Festival

• Saturday 6 September, from 12.00pm
• 16 stages at 15 Eastwood venues showcasing FREE live music from 200+ talented local artists, something for everyone! More information about stages and artists, available on the festival's Facebook page (opens in a new window) or search for the D.H. Lawrence Music Festival playlist on Spotify for a taste of what’s to come.
• Venue: Opening in the garden at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum at 12.00pm until 3.00pm and at pubs across Eastwood between 2.00pm and 11.00pm.

Family Music Trail

• 6 September, 11.30am
• Join this musical procession through Eastwood to the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, to celebrate the opening of the D.H. Lawrence Music Festival.
• A free fun event for all ages! (instruments provided).
• Venue: meet outside Eastwood Library, Wellington Pl, Eastwood, Nottingham NG16 3GB

Reading group – ‘Tickets Please’

• Friday 12 September, 7.00pm
• A reading group with Dr Andrew Harrison, Director of the D.H. Lawrence Research Centre. Looking at Lawrence’s short story ‘Tickets Please,’ an Eastwood tale which offers a fascinating glimpse of the seismic changes in gender roles, and gender relations, during the Great War.
• A free event, no need to book.
• Venue: D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Lawrence/Leavis Conference

• Saturday 13 September, 10.00am till 4.00pm
• A series of talks exploring literary critic F.R. Leavis’ understanding of Lawrence.
• A free event, no need to book.
• Venue: Zoom  - more information available at dhlawrencesociety.com (opens in a new window).

Mr. Lawrence Returns to Nottingham

• Saturday 13 September, 11:00am – 4:00pm
• A day of activities exploring Lawrence’s connection with Nottingham City.
• Venue: Meet at Nottingham Central Library, 1 Carrington Street, Nottingham, NG1 7FH
• Find out more (opens in a new window).

D.H. Lawrence Birthday Lecture - "Taking ‘the imaginative line’ in Etruscan Places and Lady Chatterley’s Lover”

• Sunday 14 September, 10.30am
• Lawrence scholar Paul Eggert’s lecture asks the question “Why was the famous third version of Lady Chatterley’s Lover so different from the first two?” and explores the influence of Lawrence’s visit to ancient Etruscan sites and his return visit to his Midlands homeland.
• Venue: Zoom - more information available at dhlawrencesociety.com (opens in a new window)

Heritage Open Days

• Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September, 10.00am - 4.00pm
• Step back in time with costumed guides demonstrating the Victorian wash house and describing family life in Lawrence’s first home – all completely free as part of the National Heritage Open Days.
• Free admission.
• Venue: D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, NG16 3AW

Breach House Open Days

• Saturday 2 August, Saturday 6 September and Saturday 13 September 11.00am – 3.00pm
• A chance to visit and have a guided tour of The Breach House, a typical miner’s cottage from the 1880s, D.H. Lawrence’s childhood home and the setting for The Bottoms in his novel Sons and Lovers.
• Free admission, donations welcome.
• Venue: The Breach House, 28 Garden Road, Eastwood, NG16 3FW

Pop-up Museum

• 30 Jul 2025, 12pm - 4pm, Nuthall Play Day, Basil Russell Playing Fields, NG16 1DT
• 5 Aug 2025, 12pm - 4pm, Chilwell Play Day, Inham Nook Recreation Ground, NG9 4GY
• 7 Aug 2025, 12pm - 4pm, Eastwood Play Day Coronation Park, NG16 3LQ
• 11 Aug 2025 (Mon), Stapleford Play Day, Ilkeston Road Recreation Ground, NG9 8JL
• 16 August 2025, 12pm - 4pm, Beeston Summer Fete Broadgate Park, High Rd, Beeston (NG9 2LN)