What's On in Stroud
Things to do in and around Stroud: events, days out and family activities, with the practical details.
Top story
Stroud Arts Festival at 80: 10 Events Left, From £8.50
Stroud Arts Festival turns 80 with a new anthem premiere on 18 October, a community concert at £8.50, Ballet Cymru and a Christmas opera. Dates and prices.
Dates for the diary
- On now to 31 Oct Over Farm Pumpkin Festival
- On now to 31 Oct Enchanted Farm at Cattle Country
- On now to 10 Oct Art in Motion: moments from Stroud Arts Festival captured in art
- Wed 7 Oct Poetry Evening
- Thu 8 Oct Mary Coughlan, with Jamie Lawson
- 9 to 31 Oct Pumpkins After Dark at Over Farm
- Fri 9 Oct The Specials Ltd
- Sat 10 Oct Stratford Park parkrun
- Sat 10 Oct Maggie O'Farrell, Stroud Book Festival
- Sat 10 Oct Watson: The Final Problem
- Sat 10 Oct Capriol Chamber Orchestra with Clare Hammond
- Sat 10 Oct Nubiyan Twist
More stories
Nailsworth
Nailsworth Christmas Market: 14 Makers, 25 Nov to 6 Dec
The Artisan Collective's ninth Christmas show runs at Three Storeys, Nailsworth, 25 Nov to 6 Dec, with 14 local makers and late shopping 5pm to 8pm on day one.
Halloween
Halloween in Stroud 2026: Cellars, Castles and Pumpkin Patches
Halloween around Stroud: Woodchester's cellars daily 23 Oct to 1 Nov, Berkeley Castle 25 to 28 Oct, free museum lanterns 25 Oct and pumpkin picking from £2.99.
Stroud
Stroud Book Festival 2026: 4 to 8 Nov, Matt Haig, £14
Stroud Book Festival runs 4 to 8 November, most talks £14. Matt Haig, Mark Haddon, Jacqueline Wilson and Sophie Raworth, and which events have sold out.
Events
What's On in Stroud: Five Valleys Fireworks and the Book Festival
Five Valleys Fireworks on 26 October, the Stroud Half and Green Halloween on the 25th, the Book Festival from 4 November and the Sub Rooms Shindig on 14 Nov.
Remembrance
Stroud Remembrance Sunday: 8 November, Park Gardens
Remembrance Sunday is 8 November 2026. Stroud gathers at St Laurence at 9.30am for Park Gardens; Wotton, Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and Dursley times inside.
Slimbridge
Slimbridge in Winter: Wetland Wonderland, Swans, Prices
Slimbridge's new Wetland Wonderland runs December weekends and 21 to 23 Dec, free with admission. Santa is £15; adults £17.91 online. Winter hours inside.
Christmas
Stroud Christmas Markets: Cornhill 4 Dec and 16 to 18 Dec
Stroud's Goodwill market is on the Cornhill on Fri 4 Dec, 4pm to 9pm, then Christmas markets 16 to 18 Dec. Plus Dursley 27 Nov and Slimbridge's indoor market.
Christmas
Santa's Grotto Near Stroud: Slimbridge £15, Cattle Country
Meet Santa near Stroud: Slimbridge's grotto is £15 on December weekends and 21 to 23 Dec, Cattle Country runs 5 to 23 Dec, and the free Goodwill grottos.
Stroud
Stroud Fireworks: Five Valleys 26 Oct, Wotton 7 Nov
Five Valleys fireworks: Monday 26 October at Marling School, gates 6pm, display 8pm, £11 advance. Wotton is now confirmed for 7 November, adults from £8.
Stroud
Stroud Half Marathon 2026: Sun 25 Oct, 9am, Entry £39
The half starts at 9am on Sunday 25 October on Cainscross Road, the 10k at 9.20am. Entries close 23 October, and the clocks go back that morning.
Stroud
Stroud Christmas Lights: Goodwill Evening, Fri 4 Dec
Stroud Goodwill Evening is listed for Friday 4 December 2026, 6pm to 9pm. The lantern parade, the tree lights and the markets, and what nobody has confirmed.
Stroud
Stroud Pantomime: Beauty and the Beast, 18 Dec to 3 Jan
The Sub Rooms panto runs 18 December to 3 January, tickets £15 to £25, with a relaxed show on 28 December. Plus the Playhouse panto and the adults-only nights.