3 Best Performing Arts Venues in The Lake District, England

A contemporary complex in a converted brewery, Brewery Arts includes a gallery, theater, cinemas, and workshop spaces. Some things are free; it's best to check online and buy tickets in advance if needed. The Brewery Arts Bar & Restaurant on-site serves up a tasty selection of pizzas and hearty mains, as well as craft beers and wine. Many film screenings, speakers, and events during November's popular four-day Kendal Mountain Festival ( kendalmountainfestival.com), a celebration of adventure, nature, and culture, take place here.

With an excellent festival in February or March and a program of international and classic films, the Keswick Film Club lights up the beautiful, 100-year-old, redbrick Alhambra Cinema on St. John's Street and the Theatre by the Lake.

In one of Cumbria's most vibrant cultural settings, the company at the Theatre by the Lake presents classic and contemporary productions year-round. The Keswick Music Society season runs from September through January, and the Words by the Water literary festival takes place here in June. The theater also has its own restaurant, ideally situated for an early dinner before the show.