What’s on in Stroud this week: 21 – 27 July
The school holidays have arrived, but there’s no need to head off to foreign destinations to have fun.
From a food and drink festival at Gatcombe, to a circus spectacular at Slimbridge, via a radical reading group, library craft, music and song, as always, Stroud is laying on a rich tapestry of interesting and engaging events for everyone to enjoy.
Find out more in our regular look at things coming up in Stroud and the wider district. To suggest an event for inclusion, use this form.
Regular and one off events
- Make a kingfisher at Stroud Library – Tue 22 Jul, 10:30am
As part of The Library Challenge 2025, Stroud Library hosts this free fun-filled craft session, supplying the materials for a canal-inspired kingfisher-making workshop. Children must be aged five-and-over and accompanied by an adult.
- Attend the Stroud Radical Reading Group – Wed 23 Jul, 7.30pm
The Stroud Radical Reading Group hosts a special discussion of Syria Speaks Art and Culture from the Frontline, the 2014 book edited by Malu Halasa, Zaher Omareen and Nawara Mahfoud. The group will meet at Coco Caravan in Bedford Street, to coincide with their showing of Cammy Leon’s exhibition, “Hope & Imagining – Syria’s past and future”.
- Eat and drink at Gatcombe – Sat 26 – Sun 27 Jul, 9am – 5pm
Gatcombe Park – between Avening and Minchinhampton – hosts a special food festival with live demonstrations and more than fifty different food and drink stalls. Attendees can also live demonstrations from different chefs and younger attendees can enjoy a children’s cookery school or learn circus skills with the party workshops family circus.
- Attend the Stroud Crystal and Gem Show – Sat 26 Jul, 10am – 4pm
The Glastonbury Crystal and Gem Show decamps to Stroud for a special event at the Paganhill Maypole Hall. The event promises the best range of high quality crystals and gemstones in the UK, including rare and hard-to-find collector’s specimens.
- Enjoy the circus spectacular at Slimbridge – Sat 26 – Sun 27 Jul, 9.30am – 5.30pm
As part of their summer programme of events, the team at WWT Slimbridge are welcoming some dragonfly stilt walkers, who will be on parade around the site this weekend at 12pm, 2pm and 3pm. Plus, if you want to get hands on the on site engagement team will be running hands-on activities including magic acts, circus skills and pretend tightrope walking.
- See Elliott Morris at the Albert – Sat 26 Jul, 8:30pm
Award-winning singer-songwriter Elliott Morris brings his mix of folk, country and blues to the Prince Albert, teaming up with one of the pub’s resident soundspeople Alex Watts. Half English, half Scottish and raised in Wales and Lincolnshire, Morris has gigged his way around all corners of the UK, as well as headlining shows as far afield as Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada.
Beginning this week
- Sing with Stroud Folk Choir – Weekly on Mondays, 21 Jul – 1 Sep, 7pm
Stroud Folk Choir kicks off seven weeks of drop-in sessions at the Trinity Rooms, welcoming all who want to sing with them. The sessions offer the chance to learn a simple song or two in each session in two or three part harmony, alongside circle singing and group improvisation.
Further afield
- Attend the Welland Steam Rally – Fri 25 – Sun 27 Jul
Taking place in the shadow of the Malvern Hills just under an hour from Stroud, the Welland Steam Rally is a huge show featuring a hundred of the country’s finest steam engines, a farmers market, vintage tractors and an old-time fairground. Plus for fans of the obscure, the team will also be laying on a living history field with classic machinery and a historical road-laying demonstration.
- 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.
