Month-Long Celebration Returns of Chester’s Historic Rows

Month-long celebration showcases the unique medieval galleries with tours, performances, and family activities throughout November 2025

Heritage Chester CIC announces the return of Rowvember, a month-long celebration of Chester's world-famous Rows, running throughout November 2025. Following last year's successful inaugural event, this year's programme invites residents and visitors to explore the only surviving continuous first-floor medieval galleries in Britain through an exciting mix of free and ticketed events.

The Rows, Chester's Grade I Listed covered galleries dating back to the 13th century, will come alive with pop-up choir performances, dance and theatre from University of Chester students, specialist tours, and interactive family activities.

The celebration aims to shine a spotlight on both the remarkable heritage of these unique structures and the vibrant businesses that call them home today.

What’s On This Rowvember?

• Daily Building Spotlights: Each day throughout November, archaeologist James Dixon will share fascinating tales about a different building within the Rows, revealing hidden histories and architectural secrets through Heritage Chester’s social media.
• Pop-Up Performances: Unexpected moments of joy as choirs appear throughout the Rows, alongside dance and theatre performances by University of Chester students, bringing the historic galleries to life with contemporary creativity.
• Expert Pub Trail: A unique twist on heritage tours – historians stationed in different Rows pubs ready to share stories and answer questions in a relaxed, social setting.
• Specialist Tours: From “Chester Rows for Absolute Beginners” to tours following random prompts, there’s something for every interest level. New this year are conservation planning sessions specifically designed for business owners in the Rows.
• Family Activities: Free workshops invite participants to imagine and design the “missing buildings” in the Rows’ fascinating architectural puzzle, as well as opportunities to create your very own stained glass window artwork to take home.
• Art in the Streets: Historic paintings from the Grosvenor Museum collection will be displayed throughout the Rows, bringing the museum out to the people.

Last year's inaugural Rowvember generated lots of interest,

People were genuinely excited to learn about these Grade I Listed buildings they walk past every day. The Rows aren't a movie set or part of a theme park – they're a living, breathing part of Chester. Where else can you shop for contemporary fashion in a medieval gallery, enjoy lunch where merchants have traded for centuries, or discover an independent bookshop in a space that's been welcoming customers since the 1300s? Rowvember celebrates this incredible blend of past and present.

Following the success of Chester Heritage Festival's live interview with the man behind The Chester Blog, Rowevember’s closing event will be an original film featured in Chester Picturehouse turning the tables on Chester’s mouthpiece for the community and delving into his experiences of Chester over the past 12 years.

It's wonderful to see Heritage Chester supporting the community

and bringing heritage to life in such inventive and engaging ways yet again. Rowvember is exactly the kind of creative celebration that helps residents and visitors alike connect with Chester's extraordinary history.

Rowvember offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience Chester's Rows as both a historic treasure and a vibrant modern destination. Throughout the month, participating businesses will share their stories, revealing what makes trading in these 700-year-old galleries so special. From independent shops tucked into medieval alcoves to modern cafés with Roman foundations, each business adds to the Rows' continuing story.

Rowvember runs from 1-30 November 2025, with events happening daily throughout Chester's historic Rows. Most activities are free and drop-in, making it easy to explore at your own pace. The full programme is available to explore on heritagechester.co.uk/Rowvember, with ticketed tours and workshops available for advance booking now.

Whether you're a Chester resident who walks the Rows daily or a visitor discovering them for the first time, Rowvember offers fresh perspectives on these extraordinary galleries. Join a specialist tour, stumble upon a pop-up performance, or simply explore with new eyes as you discover the stories behind the buildings.
The celebration is part of Heritage Chester CIC's year-round programme of events promoting and preserving Chester's remarkable heritage, which also includes the Chester Heritage Festival in May and Heritage Open Days in September.