A SENIOR FESTIVAL IN THE APEX SERIES
The 1st XI Festival.
An elite, invitation-led summer festival for senior school cricket. Hosted at Millfield in parallel with the APEX U15 Festival, this co-branded edition brings six leading 1st XI programmes together for four days of 50-over cricket, with a fixture every day from arrival, holistic player development and an unforgettable festival atmosphere.
DATES
4-7 July 2027
VENUE
Millfield School, Somerset
AGE GROUP
U18 / 1st XI
FORMAT
50-Over · 6 Teams
THE SERIES EXTENDS
A senior festival built alongside the world's leading U15 event.
In July 2027, Inspire Travels and APEX Cricket Festival come together to launch a dedicated U18 / 1st XI edition of the celebrated APEX series, running in parallel with the established U15 Boys' and Girls' festival at Millfield School.
Where APEX has built its reputation as the world's premier U15 festival, this senior edition extends that platform upwards, giving 1st XI squads the same elite environment, the same world-class facilities, and the same powerful festival atmosphere, only now pitched at the level that prepares players for county pathways, university cricket and beyond.
Touring schools and academies should expect the standard set by APEX in Cape Town and Millfield's 2025 inaugural edition: tight tournament management, professional match-day production, and a community-driven culture that lasts long after the final ball is bowled.
15+
Years organising elite school and academy cricket tours. ATOL 12298 protected, PTS member.
YOUR FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
Everything included, every detail considered
Each touring squad receives a fully managed festival package, designed jointly by Inspire Travels and the APEX team. From on-campus boarding to 50-over fixtures and closing ceremony, every element is taken care of so coaches and players can focus on the cricket.
On-Campus Boarding at Millfield
50-Over Format · 6 Teams
Match-Quality Off-Site Venues
9-Hole Golf Course Access
Festival Atmosphere & Community
Inspire Travels Tour Management
Squads stay on the Millfield campus throughout, in dedicated boarding houses, with all meals provided in the school dining hall.
A six-team round-robin played in the traditional 50-over format, with a fixture every day from Sunday arrival through to the Wednesday finals — the standard for senior school cricket.
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Squads have access to Millfield's on-campus 9-hole golf course throughout the festival — the perfect way to unwind on rest days or in the evening between fixtures.
Fixtures played at Millfield's outstanding facilities and at hand-picked Somerset grounds, including Wells Cathedral School and Shapwick & Polden CC.
Welcome ceremony, parents' evening, all-festival social events and closing presentations, shared with the U15 festival running alongside.
Full Inspire Travels support on the ground for visiting squads — airport transfers, local logistics, fixture liaison and 24/7 tour leader cover.
INSIDE THE FESTIVAL
Everything APEX, every detail considered.
The atmosphere, the standard, the culture — captured from the 2025 Millfield festival. Now extended, under the same banner, to the U18 / 1st XI age group
FESTIVAL ITINERARY
Four days. One unforgettable festival.
The festival follows the established APEX format, refined over the 2025 Millfield edition and the Cape Town festival in February 2027, adapted to the 50-over format that defines senior school cricket. A six-team round-robin runs across the first three days, with Finals Day on Wednesday 7th July.
Day 01 · Sun
Arrival & Opening Round
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Squads arrive on the Millfield campus from Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, completing registration at the festival HQ on arrival.
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Boarding accommodation handover, kit drop and short campus orientation walk.
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Round 1 fixtures — opening 50-over matches across Millfield and partner venues. Three games played across the festival, two teams per fixture, six teams in total.
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Official Welcome Ceremony in the evening with APEX and Inspire Travels leadership, followed by the Welcome Asado Dinner and combined U15 / U18 squad social.
Day 02 · Mon
Round 2 — 50-Over Fixtures
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Breakfast in the main dining hall, followed by squad warm-ups at the assigned match venue.
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Round 2 fixtures — three 50-over matches running concurrently across Millfield's main ground and selected Somerset partner venues.
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Lunch interval taken at the host venue, with afternoon innings played through to the close of play.
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Dinner served in the main dining hall, with informal squad recovery time and analysis sessions for squads who wish to review the day's play.
Day 03 · Tue
Round 3 & Community Programme
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Round 3 fixtures — the final round of group-stage 50-over matches, completing the group standings ahead of the Finals Day schedule.
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Squads not scheduled to play on the day have access to Millfield's on-campus 9-hole golf course — a relaxed way to recharge between fixtures.
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Parents' Evening and combined U15 / U18 festival social event during the evening session.
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Dinner and informal squad time follow the day's programme.
Day 04 · Wed
Finals Day & Closing Ceremony
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Finals Day fixtures — the 5th/6th place play-off, 3rd/4th place play-off and the U18 / 1st XI Final, played on the main Millfield ground.
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Lunch is provided according to match schedules at the host venue.
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The festival concludes with a joint Closing Ceremony and Presentations alongside the U15 festival, celebrating winners and individual awards across both age groups.
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Squads depart from the Millfield campus from late afternoon on Wednesday 7th July.
FESTIVAL VENUES
Played at the finest grounds in Somerset
The festival is anchored at Millfield, whose facilities are among the best in independent school cricket. Selected fixtures are also staged at established Somerset partner grounds, each chosen for pitch quality, pavilion infrastructure and match-day atmosphere.
PARTNER GROUND
Shapwick & Polden CC
A first-class club ground in the heart of the Somerset Levels, with a modern pavilion and pristine playing surface used by leading representative cricket.
MAIN HOST
Millfield School.
Festival HQ. World-class pitches, a renowned indoor cricket centre, and the on-campus boarding that houses every squad for the duration of the festival.
PARTNER GROUND
Wells Cathedral School.
One of Somerset's most picturesque cricket settings, with a beautifully maintained ground at one of the UK's leading sporting schools.
FESTIVAL ENTRY
Squad places, fully managed.
Festival entry includes on-campus boarding, all meals, 50-over fixtures, golf course access, ceremonies and full Inspire Travels tour support. Detailed pricing and inclusions are confirmed at enquiry.
PER SQUAD - ALL INCLUSIVE
£ TBC
3 Nights / 4 Days · Millfield, UK
LIMITED SQUAD PLACES
REGISTER SQUAD INTEREST
WHY JOIN THIS FESTIVAL
A festival designed for senior school cricket, built by experts.
Inspire Travels brings 15+ years of school and academy tour operation. APEX brings the standard and the platform. Together, the 1st XI Festival offers something genuinely new at the senior age group
The APEX Standard
Same production quality, same fixture-day standards, same festival culture that has established APEX as the leading U15 festival series. Now applied to the senior age group, with curated fixtures and a joint U15 / U18 closing ceremony.
Run Alongside U15 Festival
Schools sending both senior and junior squads can travel as a single touring group, with both festivals on the same campus, in the same week, sharing welcome and closing events. A unique opportunity for whole-of-cricket touring.
Inspire Travels Tour Operation
ATOL-protected (12298) and PTS-protected, with 15+ years organising elite school and academy tours across the UK, Sri Lanka, South Africa and beyond. A dedicated tour leader supports each visiting squad from arrival to departure.
Pre- & Post-Festival Tour Add-Ons
Inspire Travels can build a full UK fixture extension around the festival, including matches at leading independent schools and county venues. Recommended programmes run 10–12 days for overseas squads to acclimatise and play in.
BUILD AROUND THE FESTIVAL
Make the festival the centrepiece of a full UK tour.
Add fixtures at Harrow, Eastbourne College, Eton, Warwick School or Millfield. Combine with a Lord's tour, an Edgbaston Test day or a county pathway visit. Our team will build a personalised tour proposal entirely around your squad's schedule and standard.