Hereford Military History Festival is set to return this autumn with an expanded programme and the launch of a major new event series exploring some of the most pressing security and geopolitical questions facing the modern world.

Taking place from 25-27 September 2026, the festival has quickly established itself as a distinctive addition to the UK’s cultural calendar. Billed as Britain’s only global military history festival, it brings together leading historians, authors, journalists, military figures and academics to examine conflict, leadership and the lessons of history.

This year’s programme promises to be even more ambitious, spanning subjects from ancient Sparta to contemporary conflicts in the Middle East, while making full use of some of Hereford’s most historic venues, including Hereford Cathedral, St Peter’s Church, the Green Dragon Hotel, Castle Green Pavilion and College Hall.

At the heart of the 2026 festival is the launch of the Stirling Memorial Series, named in honour of SAS founder David Stirling. The new series has been created to provide a platform for informed discussion and debate on major contemporary issues, bringing together prominent voices from military, political and public life.

The inaugural Stirling Series event, The SAS: Past, Present and Future, will take place in Hereford Cathedral on Saturday 26 September. Chaired by Daily Telegraph columnist and bestselling author Allison Pearson, the discussion will feature four highly distinguished former members of the SAS: Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Richard Williams, George Simm and Dr Bob Parr.

Drawing on decades of frontline experience, the panel will examine how the regiment has evolved from its wartime origins in 1941 into one of the world’s most respected special forces units. Alongside its historical legacy, the discussion will also address contemporary national security issues, including the challenges posed when human rights legislation intersects with the use of lethal force.

The choice of Hereford as the setting for the discussion is particularly significant. The city has long been synonymous with the SAS and remains home to a large community of serving personnel, veterans and military families.

Christian Dangerfield, founder and director of the Hereford Military History Festival, said: “I am delighted to announce details of this ground-breaking discussion, between four highly distinguished SAS veterans, as the inaugural headline event of the Stirling Series. Hereford has been the proud home of the SAS for many years and the Regiment’s serving and retired personnel are an integral and vital part of our community.”

The series is named after Lieutenant Colonel Sir David Stirling, the Scottish officer who founded the SAS during the Second World War. Under his leadership, the regiment developed its reputation through highly unconventional operations behind enemy lines in North Africa, creating a model for special forces warfare that continues to influence military thinking today.

Beyond the Stirling Series, the wider festival programme will feature internationally renowned writers, historians and commentators including Charles Cumming, Lyndal Roper, Frank Gardner, Andrew Roberts, Helen Carr and Fergal Keane.

Additional Stirling Series events will tackle topics ranging from modern geopolitics and the consequences of conflict in Iran to the relationship between warfare and technological innovation. Organisers say the aim is to create a space for intelligent conversations about conflict, history and the challenges facing the world today.

The festival is supported by a range of local organisations, including Herefordshire County BID, Herefordshire Community Foundation and the Green Dragon Hotel, highlighting the growing role the event now plays in the county’s visitor economy. For tickets visit https://www.ticketsource.com/military-history-festival