It takes place at the beginning of August at Pendley Manor, a hotel in Tring, Hertfordshire.

The first official festival took place in 1949 with a production of King Henry VIII, although there had been less formal presentations in the two preceding years.

Pendley Manor was his family home (it only became a hotel in later years) and he helped oversee the development of part of the house into an adult education centre.

Her productions (Twelfth Night - 1998, Romeo and Juliet - 1999, and since becoming Artistic Director - Henry V - 2001, The Winter's Tale - 2003, A Midsummer Night's Dream - 2004, King Lear - 2006, The Merchant of Venice - 2008, Richard III - 2010, Much Ado About Nothing - 2012 and Hamlet - 2014) are considered by regular festival-goers to be amongst the finest in the history of the event[citation needed].

Her parents, John and Jennie Branston, actually met at a festival over thirty years ago and have been attending ever since.