What’s on in Stroud this week: 10 – 16 February
It’s Valentine’s Day this Friday, so if you want to spend an evening gazing at a loved one across a candle-lit table for two you should probably get your restaurant booking in as soon as possible.
If you’d rather avoid that sort of thing, or limit it to one night only, then help is at hand in the form of Stroud’s community events scene, which is very happy to pay Valentine’s Day only a cursory glance.
From getting stuck into landscape maintenance in the Heavens to learning to print, engaging with politics or heading out to an early outlier to next month’s Stroud Film Festival, there’s plenty to see and do all week.
Find out more in our regular look at things coming up in Stroud and the wider district. To suggest an event for inclusion in 2025, use this form.
Regular and one off events
- Become a Heavens Helper – Tue 11 Feb, 9:30am – 3pm
Following the community buyout of the Heavens last year, Stroud Valleys Project invites anyone with a free Tuesday to volunteer their time to help maintain this local treasure. The session will involve helping to cut back vegetation overgrowing some of the most heavily used routes in the valley, helping to maintain access to the area.
- Learn woodblock printing at Prema – Six week course commences Wed 12 Feb, 6pm
Charlie Ash, resident artist and printmaker at Prema in Uley, leads a six week course offering the chance to learn how to make woodblock prints in a contemporary style. During the course, Ash promises to teach you how to prepare the wood, safely use carving tools, and make an original woodblock from which you’ll print a small edition.
- Attend a Stroud District Council meeting – Thu 13 Feb, 7pm
If you love long evenings of listening to people you’ve never heard of express opposing opinions about your community then this one’s for you. Head down to Ebley Mill this evening, where Stroud District Council discuss (amongst other things) their plan for the council’s priorities and objectives for the next four years.
- See Mark Thomas at the Sub Rooms – Thu 13 Feb, 7:30pm
One time Guinness World Record holder for most protests in 24 hours, Mark Thomas arrives at the Sub Rooms for his latest show in a 39 year stand up career. Thomas’ varied career has taken him from early appearances on BBC Radio 1’s The Mary Whitehouse Experience via his celebrated Channel 4 programme the Mark Thomas Comedy Product, to a show based on a walk along the Israeli Wall in the West Bank, an honorary doctorate for services to peace from the University of Bradford and surveillance by the National Domestic Extremism and Disorder Intelligence Unit. Expect swearing.
- Enjoy a film night at Brunel Goods Shed – Fri 14 Feb, from 7pm
Following her exclusive interview with Stroud Times’ Faye Hatcher last weekend, Stroudie actor/writer/director Alice Lowe heads to the Brunel Goods Shed for a Valentine’s Day special evening as an early outlier to Stroud Film Festival. Join Lowe for a special screening of her 2024 historical romantic comedy horror Timestalker, followed by a bonus question and answer session.
- Fall in love with yourself at Warrior and Wild – Sat 15 Feb, 2pm – 5pm
For those looking to mark the season with a bit of ‘me time’ Francesca Shore leads a three hour Saturday afternoon self-awareness retreat at Nailsworth’s Warrior and Warrior & Wild Yoga Studio. Expect gentle yet transformative practices, intuitive sound healing, guided meditations and hot chocolate.
Beginning this week
- Learn about Gloucestershire Archives’ Green Pledge project – Sat 15 – Fri 21 Feb
The Museum in the Park hosts a special exhibition as part of Gloucestershire Archives’ National Lottery Heritage Fund backed Green Pledge project. The project uncovers historical records with an environmental theme, and hosts special events and talk at various venues, as part of a plan to record the county’s environmental legacy and inspire climate action.
Further afield
- Celebrate peace at Tewkesbury Abbey – Until Thu 27 Feb
Tewkesbury Abbey promotes peace with a pair of installations this month. The abbey nave has been filled with thousands of paper doves – each decorated with messages of love and peace from local residents – as part of an artwork by artist Peter Walker. Meanwhile Walker’s Luxmuralis collaboration with David Harper sees a peace-themed sound and light show illuminate the abbey’s Grade I listed Norman architecture each day at sunset.
- For a full month of art, music, theatre, literature, film and comedy events, pick up a copy of Stroud’s popular listings magazine, Good on Paper.
