Cirencester Road Charlton Kings Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 8EA United Kingdom
Tel: 01242 222021
Fax: 01242 254880
Feb 2009 (annual)
The Cotswold Creative Crafts Show at Cheltenham Racecourse's Centaur Centre covers all areas of hand and machine knitting, cross stitch, sewing, dressmaking, embroidery, tapestry, needlepoint, patchwork, quilting, other needlecrafts and creative crafts.
Mar 2009 (annual)
The National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham is the biggest event of the season. The 20 races offer in excess of £2 million in prize money and attract the finest horses from all over Britain, Ireland and France. The spa town plays host to visitors from all over the world, who flock here to witness the "Olympics of Steeplechasing".
Mar 2009 (annual)
Westonbirt Arboretum celebrates Easter with its own clue-led trail to follow and plenty of opportunity to make your own Easter decorations. All those who complete the trail receive a sweet reward and are entered into a prize draw.
May 2009 (annual)
Badminton Horse Trials is one of the more testing competitions in the equestrian calendar. The famous cross-country course is long, gruelling, but always well-built and most competitors get round, if they don't fall in the water!
May 2009 (annual)
Step back in time to the dance floors of the 1930s and 1940s as Gloucester's Guildhall hosts Europe's biggest gathering of jazz-jivers and lindy hoppers - Jumpin' at the Woodside.
Apr - May 2009 (annual)
Every year the beautiful Cotswold town of Cheltenham hosts a Jazz Festival, featuring performances from established artists and up-and-coming scenesters.
May 2009 (annual)
Each year on Whit Sunday the small village of St Briavels, in the Wye Valley, plays host to the Bread and Cheese Dole.
May 2009 (annual)
Dragon-boat racing began over 2000 years ago on the riverbanks of southern China as a fertility rite to ensure plentiful crops. Gloucester Docks offer their own version in this annual fund-raising event, as 30 teams compete for the CLIC Shield.
May 2009 (annual)
If you want to see people risking life and limb chasing cheese, head for Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, where competitors battle it out in pursuit of an eight-pound Double Gloucester.
May 2009 (annual)
Tetbury holds an extraordinary annual event on May Bank Holiday. Locals arrange themselves into teams of four and, in pairs, relay a 60lb woolsack (35lb for ladies) up and down Gumstool Hill between the Crown and the Royal Oak pubs.
Daily
Home to some of the UK's most prestigious horseraces, Cheltenham Racecourse provides some stunning views of the racing and the unusual uphill finish due to its positioning in a natural amphitheatre. Everyone has their favourite spot, and among the unique on-site facilities is a train station which serves as the southern terminus of the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.
Daily
Indulge in exclusively designed and handcrafted footwear for men and women from Italy and Spain in a shop where emphasis is placed on personal service.
Daily
The Promenade is Cheltenham's most famous street. Established in 1817-18, it was designed as a carriage drive connecting the new Sherborne Spa with the High Street and it retains a certain opulent elegance. Once known for the gentlemen's clubs that were strung out along its length, the Promenade is now famous for smart shops and cosmopolitan pavement cafes.
Daily; not Mon or Sun
Gustav Holst was born at 4 Clarence Road, Cheltenham on 21 September 1874. His home is now a monument to his industry and fame. As well as running the house museum, The Holst Birthplace Trust aims to promote the music of Holst and encourages the performance and understanding of his work through its events.
Daily
Start the evening in style with the smart set in the trendy Montpellier Wine Bar in Cheltenham where drinkers come to see and be seen before a night out on the town.
Daily
The 100-mile, ancient droving trail of the Cotswold Way is a fantastic way to explore the beauty of this romantic countryside. Buy an Ordnance Survey Map and follow the route for an epic eight-day hike along the western escarpment, starting close to Shakespeare's Stratford and finishing in Bath via Stanton, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, Painswick, Dursley, Upton and Cold Ashton.
Daily
Beside Gloucester Cathedral is the house that, over 100 years ago, inspired Beatrix Potter's story The Tailor of Gloucester. Inside the house visitors can see the tailor, his cat Simpkin and the collection of nimble-fingered mice.
Daily
Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water is a rare haven of the exotic tucked away in rural England, boasting over 500 birds from 130 species including pelicans, penguins and flamingos.
Daily
Gloucester's Café René is an atmospheric bar and restaurant with extended opening hours, live bands on Wednesday evenings and resident DJs on Friday and Saturday.
Daily
The Cotswold Water Park is a series of 133 gravel lakes covering a massive 40 square miles in the heart of the south Cotswolds - "a blooming marvellous place" according to David Bellamy.
Daily; not Sun
Made in Gloucestershire acts as a showcase for talented local craftspeople. Hand-made jewellery, pottery, soaps, textiles, greeting cards and garden sculptures are all on offer in the shop, along with home-made food and drink.
Daily
Gloucester Cathedral is one of Britain's oldest and most beautiful religious buildings. The medieval architecture boasts the added attraction of having featured in the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School.
Daily
Occupying the only privately-owned Victorian warehouse in the historic Gloucester Docks, the Gloucester Antique Centre has five floors where 140 dealers offer antiques and collectables, from jewellery to dining tables, porcelain figures and 1950s records.
Daily
Forming one of the most beautiful walks in the Cotswolds, the Swells and Slaughters are four villages which nestle between dairy pastures and wooded corners, linked by the bubbling rivers of the Dickler and the Eye.
Daily
Fairford's St Mary's Church is well worth visiting for its 28 precious stained glass windows, made circa 1480 for the spaces they still occupy 500 years later. The windows decorate a classic "wool" church, built of Cotswold stone in the perpendicular style in the 15th century.
Daily
The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum charts the history of two famous regiments, the Gloucestershire Regiment (The Glorious Glosters) and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. The collection includes art, medals, weapons, uniforms and soldiers' personal items.
Daily
A longstanding part of the Cheltenham scene, Thread Shed is a must if you are looking for alternative clothing with funky footwear and snazzy clothing for the rebel in all of us.
Daily
Until a few years ago the Gloucester Docks were busy functioning as Britain's most inland port. Today they have been extensively redeveloped to house antique shops, restaurants, a museum of commercial products and the National Waterways Museum.
Daily
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway runs steam services between Toddington and Winchcombe in the beautiful Cotswolds. The service not only reminds visitors of the ways we used to travel but also offers great views of the surrounding area. Special events are organised throughout the year so remember to check the website for full details.
Daily; not Sun
Visitors to The Daffodil in Cheltenham can sip champagne or a cocktail in style before dinner in the first floor bar. Styled after the vitality of the Roaring Twenties, this converted Art Deco cinema attracts sophisticates and the curious, so make sure you book a table.
Daily; not Sun
The Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum is known for its internationally significant collection relating to the Arts and Crafts Movement, recognised as outstanding by the award of Designated Museum status in 1998. Particularly strong in furniture, the collection also includes silver, textiles, ceramics and paintings, much of which was made by Cotswold craftsmen inspired by William Morris.
Daily; not Thu or Fri
Hidcote Manor was described by its creator as a "wild garden in a formal setting", which perfectly sums up the duality of its nature. Hidcote is both formal and fecund, precise and profuse, linear and lush.
Daily; not Mon or Sun
Opened in 1935, the Gloucester Folk Museum was one of the first museums of social history to be established in Britain, filling three timber-framed buildings on Westgate St (Nos 99-101), which had been a merchant's house from the late 15th-century, as well as 103 Westgate St, an early 17th-century building.
Daily; not Tue or Sun
With two main music rooms and the VIP Lounge, Moda in Cheltenham has it covered with club classics, R&B, retro, funky house and even a night of cheese where you can strut your stuff to the cheesiest pop tunes.
Daily
Gloucester's New Inn offers two different experiences to thirsty locals and visitors. Relax while sipping real ale in a 14th-century coaching inn (Britain's oldest galleried inn), or groove in the nightclub.
Daily; not Mon
Gloucester's Nature in Art is a unique museum dedicated to fine, decorative and applied art inspired by the natural world. The comprehensive collection includes work from the last 1500 years, from over 60 countries and by more than 600 artists.
Daily
Gloucester's award-winning National Waterways Museum, housed in a splendid Victorian warehouse on Gloucester's Docks, gives a hands-on history of Britain's canal system. From May 2008, visitors can enjoy the museum's extensive refurbishment and brand new galleries.
Daily
Gloucester Cathedral is one of Britain's oldest and most beautiful religious buildings. The current building can date its beginnings back to 1089 when Robert, Bishop of Hereford, laid the foundation stone of the new abbey church, but in fact a church was built here back in 678AD. Gloucester Cathedral's cloisters were used as part of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
Daily
Occupying the only privately owned Victorian warehouse in the historic Gloucester Docks, the Gloucester Antique Centre has five floors and 140 dealers offering antiques and collectables, from jewellery to dining tables, from porcelain figures to 1950's records.
Daily
The Cotswolds offers some of the most spectacular horse-riding in England with its steep banks, oak forests and open grassland criss-crossed by bridlepaths. Woodlands Riding Stables, situated at the foot of Stanway Bank in Wood Stanway, has a lovely position in the heart of the region, with well-trained, lively horses to suit riders of all abilities and sizes.
Daily
The Barn Owl Centre of Gloucestershire aims to provide captive-bred birds with the best possible care, Visits to the centre are available by prior arrangement only, so please call or e-mail to arrange your trip.
Daily
The Innteraction nightclub is home to Gloucester's loudest sound system and a great light show. Watch out for Delicious Friday R&B nights and Reactive Saturdays, offering anything from Funky House to Seventies, hip-hop and dance.
Daily
Batsford House boasts a beautiful arboretum created in the 1870s by Lord Redesdale, who spent much of his time in the Far East. More than 100 years later his grand plan has come to fruition, with exotic trees from all over Asia tumbling amongst silvery streams on the banks around the house.
Daily
Britain's premier climbing centre is located in the heart of Gloucester, and is just one of the many facilities of local health club The Warehouse. In addition to the gym, the aerobics suite, the jacuzzi, sauna and steam room and sun bed, the climbing wall is a major draw.
No monthly events available.
May - Jun 2009 (annual)
The Wychwood Festival returns to Cheltenham Racecourse. Cutting-edge contemporary sounds mix seamlessly with folk traditions and world music rubs shoulders with experimental jazz.
Mar 2009 (annual)
Westonbirt Arboretum celebrates Easter with its own clue-led trail to follow and plenty of opportunity to make your own Easter decorations. All those who complete the trail receive a sweet reward and are entered into a prize draw.
Feb 2009 (annual)
The Cotswold Creative Crafts Show at Cheltenham Racecourse's Centaur Centre covers all areas of hand and machine knitting, cross stitch, sewing, dressmaking, embroidery, tapestry, needlepoint, patchwork, quilting, other needlecrafts and creative crafts.
Nov 2009 (annual)
More than 50,000 people attend The Open meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse. Jump racing takes centre stage and the highlight of the weekend is Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Nov 2009 (annual)
One of the most decorative and stylish of the UK's annual antique fairs, The LAPADA Show has been running for a decade, attracting more than 100 dealers from all over the country. In 2008 it is held at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Jul 2009 (annual)
The annual Tewkesbury Medieval Festival includes the re-enactment of the battle of Tewkesbury - way back in 1471 - with hosts of armoured participants.
May 2009 (annual)
Tetbury holds an extraordinary annual event on May Bank Holiday. Locals arrange themselves into teams of four and, in pairs, relay a 60lb woolsack (35lb for ladies) up and down Gumstool Hill between the Crown and the Royal Oak pubs.
Mar - Oct 2009 (annual)
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in a rich royal history and surrounded by 14 acres of stunning gardens.
Jun - Aug 2009; not Mon or Sun (annual)
Pictuesque Stanway House in Gloucestershire is a beautiful place in which to spend a leisurely Cotswold afternoon.
May 2009 (annual)
Each year on Whit Sunday the small village of St Briavels, in the Wye Valley, plays host to the Bread and Cheese Dole.
Aug 2009 (annual)
The Spring Hill Horse Trials, held on the Spring Hill estate between Moreton-in-Marsh and Broadway, is a Cotswold summer highlight. Top-class equestrian professionals flock to this stunning setting to compete in an exciting one-day event.
Jul 2009 (annual)
Daredevil pilots put their machines through their paces at the annual Royal International Air Tattoo, attracting hordes of visitors to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
Oct 2009 (annual)
Scores of crystal, mineral, fossil and gemstone experts gather at Cheltenham Racecourse for the Rock 'n' Gem Show, devoted to some of Earth's more interesting offerings. Pick up top tips on what crystals can do for mind, body and soul.
Jun 2009 (annual)
Every year, the beautiful Cotswold town of Chipping Campden celebrates the season with a series of strange and time-honoured sports, and some even stranger costumes...
Jul 2009 (annual)
Cancer Research UK's annual race for charity, the Race For Life incorporates a series of 5km walks or runs just for women. Gloucester's run starts at Plock Court, Longford and the course laps twice around Oxstalls Playing Fields.
Sep 2009 (annual)
Every September an ancient ceremony takes place at Painswick's St Mary's Church. The Painswick Ancient Clypping Ceremony involves locals joining hands round the church to form an unbroken chain, then singing the Clypping Hymn as part of an open-air service.
Oct 2009 (annual)
Cheltenham's annual show of all things healthy and holistic takes place at the Pitville Pump Rooms. More than 100 stands tout their wares, together with a full programme of lectures and workshops on a number of esoteric and "alternative" topics.
Jul - Aug 2009 (annual)
Musica Deo Sacra comprises a group of semi-professional singers from many different cathedral, collegiate and recital choirs throughout England who give concerts in the stunning surroundings of Tewkesbury Abbey.
Jun 2009 (annual)
Gloucester city centre is transformed into a medieval village as the Westgate Association stages its annual Medieval Fayre.
Jun - Jul 2009; not Sun (annual)
During the summer, Longborough Festival Opera fills a privately-owned house on the edge of this Cotswold village. This year's performances include Das Rheingold, Verdi's La Traviata and Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen.
Mar - Sep 2009 (annual)
Kiftsgate Court's gardens are often overlooked on account of their famous neighbour (Hidcote Manor) across the road. But the formality of Hidcote is beautifully offset by Kiftsgate's steep terracing, unusual planting and breathtaking beauty.
May 2009 (annual)
Step back in time to the dance floors of the 1930s and 1940s as Gloucester's Guildhall hosts Europe's biggest gathering of jazz-jivers and lindy hoppers - Jumpin' at the Woodside.
Jul - Aug 2009 (annual)
The International Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival brings the best of the blues from the US and UK to King Square and various pubs around the city.
Aug 2009 (annual)
Dragons and space-pirates take over Sudeley Castle's 70-acre parkland for the House of Fairy Tales. By night, sleep under the stars; by day, write scripts, perform in your own theatre production and wander round the three themed 'villages'.
Sep 2009 (annual)
Heritage Open Days is England's biggest and most popular voluntary cultural event, opening the doors of around 2000 fascinating properties that are not normally accessible to the public, over four days, completely free of charge.
Mar - Nov 2009 (annual)
Hailes Abbey is one of the most striking abbey ruins in southern England, located near a host of other historic sites. A must-see in any central Cotswolds itinerary, the abbey marked its 750th anniversary in 2002.
Aug 2009 (annual)
Join thousands of happy campers at the Cheltenham Racecourse for the annual Greenbelt Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Christians from all over the world gather to share news, views and music.
Jul - Aug 2009 (annual)
Gloucester's annual summer festival lauches with a spectacular street procession and features live music, street theatre, a children's festival, outdoor cinema, a funfair, fireworks and a massive finale weekend.
May - Jun 2009 (annual)
Gloucestershire take on Warwickshire in a County Championship match at the superb Archdeacon Meadow, overlooked by the impressive Gloucester Cathedral.
Jul 2009 (annual)
Giffords is an old-fashioned circus all the family will enjoy. Fusing mime, dance and acrobatics and inspired by a 1930s traditional circus, the show visits locations around Gloucestershire this summer, including Stratton Meadows in Cirencester.
Aug 2009 (annual)
The annual Gatcombe Horse Trials are held in the spectacular setting of Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, home of the Princess Royal and her family. Leading riders from around the world take part, ensuring an exciting and extremely competitive event.
Aug 2009 (annual)
The summertime Frocester Beer Festival, held at Frocester Cricket Club, has proved so popular with real ale enthusiasts in the Cotswolds that it sells out before most people can even say the word Gloucestershire. Get your tickets now!
Aug 2009 (annual)
Quintessential Cotswold village Bourton-on-the-Water sits astride the Windrush. This three-metre-wide bubbling brook flows down Bourton's main street, and it's here that the annual Football in the River game takes place, and has done for over 70 years.
Nov 2009 (annual)
Gloucester Round Table organises this firework display in the impressive surroundings of Gloucester Docks. With an onsite funfair and refreshments available, the event is Gloucester's biggest Guy Fawkes celebration.
Aug 2009 (annual)
Unique creations in wood are on display at Bristol's Festival of the Tree, hosted by Westonbirt Arboretum. A variety of child-friendly activities and events make this a fun day out for all the family.
14 Mar - 1 Nov 2009; not Wed or Thu (annual)
Fine textiles, paintings and pretty items of blue-and-white delftware reside at Gloucestershire's majestic Dyrham Park. Built between 1692 and 1704, the house and its contents reflect the taste of the time for Dutch fashions.
May 2009 (annual)
Dragon-boat racing began over 2000 years ago on the riverbanks of southern China as a fertility rite to ensure plentiful crops. Gloucester Docks offer their own version in this annual fund-raising event, as 30 teams compete for the CLIC Shield.
Jul 2009 (annual)
The Cotswold Show and Country Fair in Cirencester Park is a wonderful chance to discover the gastronomic highlights of the Cotswolds region, along with crafts, livestock shows, country pursuits and much more.
May 2009 (annual)
If you want to see people risking life and limb chasing cheese, head for Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, where competitors battle it out in pursuit of an eight-pound Double Gloucester.
Oct 2009 (annual)
The season at Cheltenham Racecourse opens with two days of racing - The Showcase - that attract many horses preparing for major races in late autumn and winter.
12 - 13 Dec 2008 (annual)
The Cheltenham Racecourse December Meeting, The Boylesports International, is one of Cheltenham's great race meetings, with one of the most valuable hurdle races of the season on Saturday.
Mar 2009 (annual)
The National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham is the biggest event of the season. The 20 races offer in excess of £2 million in prize money and attract the finest horses from all over Britain, Ireland and France. The spa town plays host to visitors from all over the world, who flock here to witness the "Olympics of Steeplechasing".
Apr - May 2009 (annual)
Every year the beautiful Cotswold town of Cheltenham hosts a Jazz Festival, featuring performances from established artists and up-and-coming scenesters.
Jul 2009 (annual)
Cheltenham's International Festival of Music is a refreshing blend of old and new featuring around 60 events in two weeks, with a tradition of pairing the best of the classical repertoire with the cutting edge of contemporary compositions.
May 2009 (annual)
From cushion covers to conservatory blinds, pick up a present for your home at the Cheltenham Home and Garden Show, held at the Centaur exhibition space at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Jun 2009 (annual)
Cheltenham's Food and Wine Festival takes place in Montpellier Gardens. While you search for your next delicious freebie, celebrity chefs provide demos, food experts give talks and exhibitors sell epicurean goods.
Feb 2009 (annual)
The midwinter Cheltenham Folk Festival presents local and national artists with an unashamed bias towards the traditional.
Jun 2009 (annual)
Cheltenham's annual Science Festival explores everything from energy for the future to why Pete Doherty is hooked on Kate Moss. The packed programme includes talks, debates, family events, an interactive exhibition and a drop-in cinema.
Oct 2009 (annual)
Cheltenham's huge annual literary festival features talks and workshops with some of the biggest names in the business, creative writing courses, literary walks, performers and special themed events.
3 Mar - 15 Nov 2009; not Mon (annual)
Take a walk around Gloucestershire's 4th-century Chedworth Roman Villa and spot mosaics, bathhouses, a water shrine and latrine. The sweeping views across the valley from the villa are equally spectacular.
Mar - Nov 2009 (annual)
The beauty of the Jacobean Chastleton House, situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, is that almost nothing in it has been altered since its construction in 1603.
May 2009 (annual)
Asparagus is so well-loved by the residents of the Vale of Evesham that they dedicate a festival to it. Events include a party, tastings, auctions and educational events for all vegetable-lovers.
Oct 2009 (annual)
Running alongside the adult event, the Book It! Children's Book Festival in Cheltenham brings together favourites, old and new, for the delight of kids (and their parents).
Aug 2009 (annual)
In 2008, Gloucestershire's boutique festival enters its third year. Packed with fun and frolics, this year's Bloom Festival in Seven Springs boasts a fabulous line-up as well as plenty of kid-friendly antics.
May 2009 (annual)
Badminton Horse Trials is one of the more testing competitions in the equestrian calendar. The famous cross-country course is long, gruelling, but always well-built and most competitors get round, if they don't fall in the water!
Oct 2009 (annual)
With the hard fruit season in full swing, Highfield Nurseries unveils many delicious varieties of English apple, as well as offering invaluable advice on fruit growing, during its annual Apple Day Celebrations.
Jun - Sep 2009 (annual)
A&A Fruit Farm near Cheltenham offers Pick-Your-Own summer fruit including strawberries, blackcurrants and raspberries, as well as a variety of vegetables.
No biennial events available.