MX Publishing Partnering With Holmes Fest 2025 To Celebrate Arthur Conan Doyle's Portsmouth Connections

Holmes Fest, the yearly festival celebrating Arthur Conan Doyle's creation of Sherlock Holmes in Portsmouth returns this September with 10 days of all-new shows and activities, and MX Publishing is part of the mix, offering prizes and selling books at the Holmes Fest Theatre Show.

The full programme, including walks, talks, film screenings, an open mic night and even a murder mystery dinner.

It all kicks off on 19th and 20th September with the Holmes Fest Theatre Show  at the Groundlings Theatre, Portsea. With sketches, film, live music, comedy and spoken word, the two hour show is a romp through Victorian Portsmouth.

The show stars Mark Wingett (The Bill, Eastenders and Quadrophenia) alongside his brother Matt and actors singers and musicians from the Portsmouth area.

There's even a prize for the audience's Best-Dressed Victorian including gifts provided by MX Publishing. "You don't have to dress up to come along," says organiser Matt Wingett, "but you could win if you do. Last year we had some fantastic cosplayers, and I'm sure there'll be even more this year!" Standard tickets for the show are £15, VIP tickets £35, available here .

Over the full ten days festival-goers can attend talks, see shows, go to an open mic night dedicated to Conan Doyle, solve crimes at a Murder Mystery Dinner, watch original film classics and go on a guided walk of Conan Doyle's Portsmouth.

This year is the hundredth anniversary of Conan Doyle's classic movie The Lost World, which inspired Jurassic Park and a free kids' art workshop at Southsea Community Cinema and Arts Centre, where kids can paint dinosaur eggs and skulls - as well as a talk followed by a free showing of the 1925 silent movie.

If, like the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes, you love a mystery, there are discounts of up to 20% for 4+ players from Portsmouth's premier escape room Other World Escapes or for 2+ players at the fabulous puzzle bar Sip and Solve. Just use the promo code HolmesFest25 to claim a discount.

You can find full details of all events with links to tickets at Matt Wingett's publishing website www.lifeisamazing.co.uk.

Tickets are also available through Eventbrite, The Southsea Community Arts Cinema and The Chambers restaurant, Southsea.

"It's going to be such a lot of fun," says Matt Wingett.

"It's the start of something that will only grow over the coming years - so come in at the ground level and join us on our journey celebrating the extraordinary connection Sherlock Holmes has to Portsmouth. We'd love to see you there!"

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