A place, not just a venue
Chester felt right.
We wanted somewhere with character, surrounded by history and already connected to the paranormal community.
Chester is a city where Roman ruins sit beneath modern streets, medieval buildings remain part of everyday life and some of the area’s most talked-about haunted locations are only a short walk apart.
We wanted somewhere worth travelling to — a destination people could explore before and after the festival. Then we discovered what was beneath Chester Town Hall. That sealed it.
A city built on history
Two millennia.
Still visible.
The Romans established the fortress of Deva Victrix here. The city that grew around it lived through Saxon England, the medieval period, the English Civil War, the Victorian era and into the present day.
Much of that history never disappeared. You can walk the walls, explore Roman remains, pass beneath the medieval Rows and arrive outside a centuries-old pub without leaving the centre.
History in Chester is not kept behind glass. Old and new sit side by side almost everywhere you look.
Stories across the city
Chester’s paranormal history is all over the city.
Apparitions, footsteps, voices and unexplained encounters have become intertwined with Chester’s history. Some stories have travelled through generations; others come from investigations taking place today.
Roman Amphitheatre
The largest amphitheatre in Roman Britain still stands at the heart of the city, while stories of marching Roman apparitions have become part of Chester’s paranormal folklore.
Chester City Walls
A route shaped by Roman occupation, medieval defence and Civil War conflict — and surrounded by reported hauntings and stories accumulated across centuries.
The Rows
Chester’s famous two-tiered galleries place centuries-old architecture beside everyday city life. After dark, their covered walkways have an atmosphere all their own.
Chester Cathedral
Nearly 2,000 years of faith, architecture and human history meet here, alongside generations of stories of unexplained sightings in and around the Cathedral.
Lower Bridge Street
One of the city’s most historic streets, lined with centuries-old buildings and long associated with reported paranormal activity and local ghost stories.
Godstall Lane
Narrow, atmospheric and tucked away from the busier streets, this medieval lane feels like a fragment of old Chester carried into the present — and carries its own whispered tales.
But then we found our venue
History above.
Cells below.
Opened in 1869 after Chester’s earlier Exchange building was destroyed by fire, the Gothic Revival Town Hall has stood at the centre of civic life for more than 150 years.
Its grand rooms, staircases and corridors already make it an extraordinary festival setting. Underneath are spaces connected to Victorian criminal justice: the former police station, old lock-up cells and a surviving courtroom.
The Town Hall has attracted paranormal interest and investigations, with reports including unexplained noises, cold areas, shadows and unusual sensations. The old cells and courtroom receive particular attention.
These are reported experiences, not proof. Some visitors describe an active location; others experience nothing. We will celebrate the history, share the stories and let you decide.
Why this venue
The location is part of the experience.
A modern exhibition hall might have been easier. It would not have been us.
We want you to arrive somewhere special: different rooms, changing atmospheres, historic surroundings and discoveries around every corner. Talks, investigators, creators, interactive experiences, businesses, entertainment and community — inside one of Chester’s most recognisable buildings.
When you step outside, you are immediately back in one of Britain’s most compelling historic cities. Chester is not simply where the festival happens. Chester is part of the experience.
One remarkable city
One day.
One remarkable city.
01
Before
Arrive early
Completely optional and not part of the festival itself — but if you fancy making a day of it, walk the walls, find the Roman ruins, wander through The Rows and discover the historic streets and buildings behind the city’s stories.
02
Saturday
The Paranormal Festival
From 12PM – LATE, Chester Town Hall becomes home to investigators, creators, speakers, teams, businesses and everyone fascinated by the unexplained — one full day, all under one roof.
03
After
Stay a little longer
Again, entirely optional — the festival itself is one full day at the Town Hall. But if you’d like to, step back out into one of Britain’s most historic cities and carry the stories with you — the walls, The Rows and 2,000 years of history are all on the Town Hall’s doorstep.
Chester 2027