Local Business Bingo
2025-06-30 - 2025-07-06
How to play our Local Business Bingo this Independents Week:

1. Grab your bingo card from any of the 8 participating businesses (Sisu Pancakes, Bizarre, Blue Bamboo, The Thirsty Pine Beer Cafe, David Edwards Jewellers, Faeluna, Dr Foster, Gloucestershire Arts and Crafts Centre)

2. Shop local and complete all of the bingo squares

3. Drop your completed bingo card at Gloucestershire Arts and Crafts Centre by 10am Monday 7th July for a chance to win a £50 Gloucester Gift Card!

ShopKind Week 2025
2025-06-30 08:00 - 2025-07-06 17:00 (Europe/London) | Various venues across Gloucester City
Gloucester BID is proud to support ShopKind Week, running from 30th June to 6th July 2025, a national campaign that calls for kindness and respect towards shopworkers and highlights the essential role they play in our communities.
Led by the Home Office and supported by major retailers and local organisations, ShopKind aims to tackle the rising issue of abuse and violence against retail staff – promoting a safer and more respectful shopping environment for all.
Retail staff across the UK continue to report concerning levels of abuse, with many facing verbal threats or worse while simply doing their jobs.ind
Throughout ShopKind Week, Gloucester BID, Gloucester City Safe and Gloucestershire Constabulary will be working with local businesses to display campaign materials, raise awareness, and remind shoppers that a little kindness can make a big difference.
ShopKind Week is a timely opportunity to say thank you and stand in solidarity with those on the front lines of our local high streets.
How You Can Get Involved:
– Visit participating Gloucester shops and thank staff for their hard work
– Share messages of support online using #ShopKind
– Encourage respectful and positive behaviour while shopping
For more information, visit https://www.gloucesterbid.uk/shop-kind/

The Great Gift Card Giveaway 2025
2025-06-30 09:00 - 2025-07-13 16:00 | Various venues across Gloucester City
The Great Gift Card Giveaway is back!

Would you like to win a Gloucester Gift Card as a reward for shopping local?

Between 30th June and 13th July, a selection of businesses who are part of the Gloucester Gift Card will be handing out small cards to their customers featuring a QR code linking to an online game which will reveal if the customer has won a Gloucester Gift Card or a discount off a Gloucester Gift Card.

There will be £350 in Gloucester Gift Cards and discounts given away during the campaign.

Participating businesses:
💝 The Body Shop, Eastgate Street
💝 Brewhouse & Kitchen, Gloucester Quays
💝 Chez Rose, bottom of Westgate Street
💝 The Entertainer, King’s Walk
💝 The Fountain Inn, Westgate Street

💝 Miju Wools, Cathedral Street
💝 Norville Opticians, Eastgate Street
💝 Spago, Bakers Quay
💝 VRXPERIENCE, Southgate Street

More businesses will be added throughout the event

Cathedral Quarter Pop-Up Create & Make
2025-07-05 10:00 - 2025-07-06 15:00 | 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester, 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester
Come and join us for our free monthly pop-up create and make sessions.
This month, July, we will be making Lion inspired creations, ahead of the Lions At Large Trail, which will be unveiled in a few weeks across Gloucester and Cheltenham.
No need to book, just drop-in and have fun!
Venue: 49 Westgate Street, Quedgeley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2NW
Opening times:
Saturday – 10am to 4pm
Sunday – 11am to 3pm

Second Hand Summer Challenge
2025-07-07 08:00 - 2025-08-24 17:00
Everyone loves a bargain and this summer there’s more reason than ever to hunt some out in Gloucester’s own treasure trove of charity shops.
Pre-loved clothes, brilliantly retro homewares and vintage finds – there’s something extra special about rooting them out for a steal, while supporting worthwhile causes along the way. And now there’s more incentive than ever to visit the city centre’s amazing network of charity outlets and nose through all they have to offer, by taking part in the Second Hand Summer Challenge.

Lions At Large
2025-07-11
From Friday 11th July, Lions at Large – The Pride of Gloucestershire Trail will be ‘roaring’ onto the streets of Cheltenham and Gloucester!
There will be 32 large Lion sculptures, painted by local artists; celebrating Gloucestershire’s rich history, culture and diversity. They will be joined by our Cub Club – a pride of 54 little Lions lovingly created by local schools and community groups.

Lions at Large Trail
2025-07-14 08:00 - 2025-07-20 17:00
From Friday 11th July, Lions at Large – The Pride of Gloucestershire Trail will be ‘roaring’ onto the streets of Cheltenham and Gloucester!
There will be 32 large Lion sculptures, painted by local artists; celebrating Gloucestershire’s rich history, culture and diversity. They will be joined by our Cub Club – a pride of 54 little Lions lovingly created by local schools and community groups.
This is a fun, free and family-friendly Wild in Art event. Streets, parks and open spaces will dazzle with their vibrant colours and surprising designs. Helping to bring together our community to explore and feel pride in their local area.

Festival of Archaeology 2025
2025-07-14 08:00 - 2025-07-26 17:00 | Gloucester City Centre, Gloucester, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
The Festival of Archaeology Returns to Gloucester in July 2025
The much-anticipated Festival of Archaeology returns to Gloucester in July 2025, promising an exciting programme of events celebrating the city’s rich and diverse history. Organised in partnership with a range of city centre venues and charities, the festival will bring together Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester Civic Trust, Museum of Gloucester, Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucester BID, the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society (BGAS), and GlosArch to create an immersive and engaging experience for visitors of all ages.
As one of the highlights of Gloucester’s cultural calendar, the Festival of Archaeology will feature guided tours, hands-on excavation experiences, family-friendly workshops, expert talks, and special exhibitions that explore the city’s fascinating past, from its Roman origins to its medieval grandeur and beyond. The event will showcase the invaluable work of local historians, archaeologists, and heritage organisations, offering rare insights into Gloucester’s evolving landscape.

Gloucester Rhythm & Blues 2025
2025-07-25 19:00 - 2025-08-03 21:00
Music-lovers in Gloucestershire are in luck that the Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival is back in the city!

CQ: Make and Create
2025-08-02 11:00 - 2025-08-03 15:00 | 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester, 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester
Come and join us for our free monthly pop-up create and make sessions.
This month we will be creating Retro-esque recycling crafts
No need to book, just drop-in and have fun!
Venue: 49 Westgate Street, Quedgeley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2NW
Opening times:
Saturday – 11am to 3pm
Sunday – 11am to 3pm

Gloucester Day 2025
2025-09-06 09:45 - 18:00 | The Folk of Gloucester, 99-103 Westgate Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2PG, United Kingdom
Originally established to celebrate the lifting of The Siege of Gloucester in 1643, Gloucester Day has grown into a citywide celebration of civic pride.
Come and celebrate the very best of Gloucester with a fun-filled day for all ages. Explore a wide variety of stalls, enjoy live performances, and experience the lively Mock Mayor Parade at 11am, followed by the grand Gloucester Day Parade at 2pm, proudly led by the Mayor and Sheriff of Gloucester.
Enjoy a vibrant atmosphere with music, street entertainment, and a dramatic Civil War Musketry finale at 4pm at The Folk of Gloucester.
Stalls are open from 9.45am to 4.30pm in Gloucester city centre. Between parades, reenactors will be gathering at The Folk of Gloucester where there will be children’s craft activities, Civil War exhibits and displays, and live historical music from The Bristol Waites throughout the day.

Gloucester History Festival 2025
2025-09-06 10:00 - 2025-09-21 22:00
Kicking off with Gloucester Day on Saturday 6 September, the packed Autumn programme of 150 talks, exhibitions, tours and performances is taking place all over Gloucester. Blackfriars Priory hosts the final week of festivities from Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 September, with talks, and free exhibitions and entertainment every day in the newly restored Scriptorium Buttery.
Frank Skinner, Alice Roberts, Celia Imrie, Alan Johnson, Lyse Doucet, David Olusoga, Olivette Otele, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Heseltine, Greg Jenner, Vince Cable and Peter Frankopan are just some of the top historians, actors, broadcasters and authors joining us at this year’s Autumn festival!

Cathedral Quarter Pop-Up Create & Make
2025-09-06 11:00 - 2025-09-07 15:00 | 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester, 49 Westgate Street, Gloucester
Come and join us for our free monthly pop-up create and make sessions.
This month, September, we will be making Gloucester Day inspired crafts in celebration of this wonderful day, which sees activities across the city centre.
No need to book, just drop-in and have fun!
Venue: 49 Westgate Street, Quedgeley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2NW
Opening times:
Saturday – 11am to 3pm
Sunday – 11am to 3pm

Heritage Open Days 2025
2025-09-12 | Gloucester City Centre, Gloucester, GL1 1PD, United Kingdom
🎉🎉Heritage Open Days 🎉🎉 📅 12–14 September 2025 Step back in time and explore over 2,000 years of Gloucester’s history — from Roman remains to medieval streets, from secret underground chambers to stunning architecture. 🗝 All events are FREE! Some require booking, so check the programme and plan your heritage adventure. 👉 Full details: https://www.gloucestercivictrust.org/heritage-open-days

Foodie Passport
2025-09-15 17:00 - 21:00
Pick up a Foodie Passport

Embark on a delectable journey through Gloucester’s finest eateries. Dine out, collect stamps and savour the delights!
Dine out in the evening from 5pm, between 15th September and 31st October.
Foodie Passport

ReFresh - Opportunities Fair
2025-09-20 11:00 - 15:00 | Kings Sqaure
KINGS SQUARE 11:00 – 15:00 &
UoG CITY CAMPUS 11:00 – 15:00

Time for you to find out more about the different opportunities in the city! If you’re 14-19 (or older) come, enjoy a free event, try a spot of golf, listen to artists from The Music Works, speak to different communities and ReFresh on what you know about Gloucester.
ReFresh – Opportunities Fair

Big Pub Push
2025-10-20
Pubs are so much more than just, well, pubs! They are support for many, a place to socialise, meet, have fun and enjoy. Many of the Gloucester pubs host various events through out the week, from quizzes to brewing sessions.
Celebrating pubs between 20th-26th October 2025!
We have a special beer being brewed for this year. a meet the brewer event, guided walks with Gloucester Civic Trust and prizes to be won!

🎃🪩 BELTERS BINGO, FRIDAY 31ST OCTOBER at Warehouse 4! 🪩🎃
2025-10-31 19:00 - 23:00 | Gloucester Brewery
It’s time for Hocus Pocus chaos, Ghostbusters grooves, and Beetlejuice bingo madness! 💀🎶
📅 Friday 31st October
⏰ First call: 7:00pm
💸 Tickets: £12
Expect spooky singalongs, killer prizes, and a night of frightful fun, and don’t forget to dress to distress! 🧛‍♀️🧙‍♂️ Costumes encouraged, screams guaranteed! 👻
📍 Warehouse 4 – where the only thing to fear is missing out! 🕷️
Book

Lantern Parade and Light Switch-On
2025-11-15 16:30
The parade is a much-loved festive tradition that draws thousands of people into the city to enjoy the annual event and the light switch-on.

BiG Gloucester Clean Up
2026-01-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Various venues across Gloucester City
Join us for our monthly BiG Gloucester Clean Up! ♻️
Tidying up Gloucester one street at a time to make it more attractive to live, work and visit.
Bring your gloves and tools, and keep an eye on our socials for the exact location each month, where we’ll be picking up litter, cleaning off graffiti, removing posters/stickers and weeding planters/green spaces.
New volunteers are always welcome! Email us for further details to marketing@gloucesterbid.org.uk 💚

Apple Tree Wassail
2026-01-17 10:00 - 16:00 | The Folk of Gloucester, 99-103 Westgate Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2PG, United Kingdom
Welcome in the new year with our traditional folk ceremony! Become part of a centuries-old custom as we bless the apple trees in the Folk of Gloucester garden to bring in a year of good health, good luck and fruitful harvests.
Our 500-year-old historic building is hosting a day of live music, Morris dancing and community celebration. Enjoy delicious food and drink in our cafe and bar, kids’ craft activities, stalls and demonstrations, and of course excellent craft cider!
Schedule:
11am – music and song session in the Ed Shed
12pm – Morris dancing in the courtyard
12:30pm – Morris dancing at the Cross (Gloucester city centre)
2pm – Morris dancing in the courtyard
2:30pm – procession followed by Wassail ceremony with speech, music, singing and a firing cannon!
4pm – close
Adults: suggested donation £4 on the door (children free). All proceeds go towards the upkeep of our historic building.

Gloucestershire Academy of Music - Junior Department Open Day
2026-01-24 09:00 - 13:00 | Gloucestershire Academy of Music, Barbican House, Gloucester, GL1 2JF
Join us for a music-packed Saturday morning at Barbican House, where families are invited to come and explore our Junior Department classes in action.

This open day is a fantastic opportunity to:
Watch our Saturday classes taking place
Meet our friendly, expert tutors
Have a go at making music
Try out an instrument before committing

We’ll have brass, string and wind instruments available, as well as pre-school music sessions — truly something for children of all ages and stages.
Thinking of trying an instrument but not sure if it’s for you? We’ll also be running a number of “Try an Instrument” sessions with our fantastic tutors. (Instruments and timings to be confirmed.)

If you already play and would like to join in, feel free to bring your instrument along.

Come and see what all the noise is about!

Connections Over Coffee
2026-01-30 10:00 - 23:30 | Patch, The Forum, 5-7 Cathedral Walk, Gloucester, GL1 1DF, United Kingdom
Come join us for a morning of networking, mingling, and making new connections over a cup of coffee! ☕

Join us at Patch, the latest tenant in The Forum, for a relaxed morning of networking, fresh coffee, and meaningful connections. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, spark new collaborations, or simply enjoy great conversation with like-minded professionals, this is the perfect space to do it.
Expect a warm welcome, a chance to meet new faces, and plenty of opportunities to share ideas in a friendly and informal setting. Come for the coffee, leave with new connections!

Love Gloucester
2026-02-01 - 2026-02-28

Love Gloucester: Heart Craft Session
2026-02-07 11:00 - 15:00 | The Folk of Gloucester, 99-103 Westgate Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 2PG, United Kingdom
Calling all young crafters

Join us on 7th February, 11am–3pm at The Folk of Gloucester for a fun, hands-on heart-themed craft session perfect for getting creative and spreading the love.

Drop in 11am-3pm The Folk of Gloucester £ Donations to The Folk are warmly welcomed

Bring your imagination, your little makers, and come make something lovely together! All materials are provided.

Gloucester Folk Trail 2026
2026-02-13 10:00 - 2026-02-15 20:00
13th-15th February 2026
Folk musicians, artists and poets from around the county congregate in venues around the city, paying homage to traditional forms of Folk music, performance, entertainment, and arts & crafts.
It is funded and supported by the businesses and venues involved and Gloucester BID.

Networking Breakfast at Gloucester Cathedral
2026-03-05 09:00 - 11:00 | Chapter House, 12 College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX
Begin 2026 by connecting with fellow professionals in the inspiring surroundings of Gloucester Cathedral.
Gloucester Cathedral is partnering with WSP Solicitors to host our first Networking Breakfast, bringing together professionals from across the region for a relaxed and engaging morning of conversation.
Guests will be welcomed by The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, The Dean of Gloucester and hear from Antony Feltham King, architect for the Cathedral’s Cloister Project, who will provide an update on this important programme of work.
Tickets cost £10.

A Department Store of the Imagination
2026-03-13 10:00 - 2026-03-27 17:00 | University of Gloucestershire, Kings Square, Gloucester, GL1 1AW, United Kingdom
University of Gloucestershire is set to launch two exhibitions at its new City Campus, exploring the history of one of Gloucester’s most iconic buildings.
Marking a moment of transition for the former retail location – now a modern centre of teaching and learning – the Memories of Debenhams campaign has collected the stories and photographs that connect generations of local people to Debenhams and Bon Marché.
The free Memories of Debenhams exhibition, which runs from 13 March to 27 March, will showcase the artefacts held by Gloucestershire Archives, oral histories, and mementos from members of the community and former Debenhams and Bon Marché employees.

Bright Nights Presents - Kyneburgh Tower Illuminated
2026-03-20 19:30 - 20:00 | Kyneburgh Tower, Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1TX
Gloucester will mark World Happiness Day with the official switch-on of Kyneburgh Tower Illuminated at 7:30pm on Friday 20 March. Commissioned by Bright Nights and created by creative team Helena Doyle and Jonathan Katona, Kyneburgh Tower Illuminated is a new interactive lighting experience designed for Kyneburgh Tower, the landmark sculpture by Tom Price on Southgate Street in Gloucester city centre. More information on the sculpture can be found here.
The project introduces dynamic, animated lighting that responds and evolves, transforming the tower after dark into a vibrant focal point within the city. Through light, colour and movement, the sculpture will take on a renewed presence in Gloucester’s evening landscape, inviting residents and visitors to experience a familiar landmark in a new way.
The switch-on will take place at 7:30pm sharp. Members of the public are invited to gather on Southgate Street to witness the moment the tower is illuminated for the first time as part of this new creative initiative.

Connections Over Coffee - 2026 - Number 2
2026-03-27 10:00 - 11:30 | Hotel Indigo, 4 Cathedral Walk, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 1SZ, United Kingdom
Business Networking
Come join us for a morning of networking, mingling, and making new connections over a cup of coffee!
Join us at the new Hotel Indigo, the latest tenant in The Forum, for a relaxed morning of networking, fresh coffee, and meaningful connections. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, spark new collaborations, or simply enjoy great conversation with like-minded professionals, this is the perfect space to do it.
Expect a warm welcome, a chance to meet new faces, and plenty of opportunities to share ideas in a friendly and informal setting. Come for the coffee, leave with new connections!
FREE for members
