The insider’s guide to Cheltenham: The Festival Town

Come for the festivals and stay for the fun, food and fabulous hospitality: indulge your passions and experience so much more in Cheltenham.

Our Regency gem, just a short hop from London, Birmingham and the South West, is renowned as The Festival Town with an action packed calendar of large events year-round and 35+ annual festivals encompassing culture, music, food and sport, and so much more.

In fact, with so much going on it’s easy to miss out on some of the other things that make Cheltenham such a great place to visit, from its elegant architecture, proud history and unrivalled shopping opportunities, to an award-winning food scene offering a world of flavours and buzzing night life.

It all adds up to The Festival Town being an unbeatable destination for a weekend break, a mid-week stay or even a return visit to refresh the mind, body and spirit. 

Our town is famous for hosting the world’s oldest literature festival, which takes place in October,  along with May’s Jazz Festival, which attracts many of the scene’s coolest performers.

But that’s far from all. Other key dates in the town’s packed and diverse event schedule include the Cheltenham Science Festival, which asks important questions about the world today and is held at Imperial Gardens (and other venues) from June 4th to 9^th. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway's spectacular Cotswold Festival of Steam which features at least eight locomotives in steam and takes place on May 25th to May 27th.

Cheltenham Running Festival returns June 16^th and offers you the unique opportunity to run a 5k, 10k or Half Marathon around the famous Cheltenham Racecourse. 21^st to 23^rd June sees the Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival at Montpellier Gardens to enjoy live music, free wine tasting talks, cheese tasting, artisan food producers, along with a myriad of demonstrations from some of the country’s leading chefs.

Fantasy Forest, a unique festival celebrating the fantasy genre, is returning to the magnificent grounds of Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire from 19th to 21st July. Meanwhile, there’s an opportunity to develop a deeper appreciation of spirits at the Gin and Rum Festival at Cheltenham Town Hall on Saturday November 2nd, with more than 120 different brands to sample.

Other events attracting the crowds include Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse from 31st May to 2nd June, an annual summer family festival featuring a star-studded line up and various workshops; Cheltenham Music Festival with its eight days of incredible music from July 6th to 13th, hear world premieres at Cheltenham Town Hall and emerging talent at Pittville Pump Room – two iconic landmark buildings in a town dotted with magnificent Regency architecture.

Images - Left Cheltenham Paint Festival, top Cheltenham Jazz Festival, bottom Cheltenham Music Festival

There’s also the popular Cheltenham 7s Sports & Music Festival, 19th - 20th July, the UK’s best up-and-coming sports & music festival. A spectacular show of music, sports, entertainment, food, drink & much more. 

Lives of Colour Culture Fest on the 15th June in the spectacular Pittville Park is a a multi-cultural event that embraces all cultures through art, food, music and dance. Welcoming everyone from the community and beyond and giving a platform to people from ethnically and culturally diverse communities to be visible and for them to represent their culture at the event.

Leading national and international street artists will be brightening various walls around the town during the Cheltenham Paint Festival from July 27th to 28th, and those who love the sound of leather on willow will be heading to the grounds of Cheltenham College for the world’s longest running cricket festival, Cheltenham Cricket Festival from 30 June to 19 July.

New for this year is the Fine Lines Illustration and Animation Festival at the University of Gloucestershire on the 27th April, featuring interactive workshops, animation screenings and the chance to mingle and chat with artists, makers, publishers and animators. Plus Cheltenham Fringe Festival, 20th - 26th May at Cheltenham Playhouse, a brand-new festival celebrating a wide variety of art, including music, theatre, film, drag, poetry, comedy, and more. 

Where to refuel - Your guide to dining in Cheltenham during the festival season

The diverse nature of Cheltenham’s festivals is matched by its eclectic collection of restaurants, all of which take the utmost pride in the quality of food and drink on offer.

The Nook on Five in Imperial Square, Cheltenham’s only rooftop bar and restaurant, is ideally located for those attending festivals in the town centre. This stylish, adult-only restaurant combines fine dining with an iconic vista, with the option of eating outside during the summer months.

Restaurant Journey on Bath Road represents a culinary adventure, with unique flavour combinations and a vibrant tasting menu.

Memsahib’s Lounge on The Promenade offers contemporary Indian cuisine, while Pho in the Brewery Quarter represents the colourful flavours of Vietnam, and Kibou on Regent Street serves Japanese food in vibrant surroundings, both of which offer a children’s menu.

Images - Left KIBOU, top Nook on Five, bottom Memsahib's Lounge

Diners are also well looked after at The Ivy, a brasserie serving modern British and international classics, located in a Grade I-listed rotunda building that was originally a spa before being turned into a bank. This restaurant in Montpellier is especially well placed for Cheltenham Jazz and Literature festivals.

Delicious seasonal food and a lively atmosphere can be found at The Tavern in Royal Well Place, and discover why The Beefy Boys have garnered a cult following for their American-style ‘dirty’ burgers and cocktails at their new restaurant on Regent Street.

Round off memorable days at Cheltenham’s festivals with a good night’s sleep

Discover how the town’s proud heritage for hospitality lives on in everything from luxurious hotels to camping and glamping to suit all budgets...

Remain in the thick of the action by booking a room at the elegant Queen’s Hotel, described as ‘one of the noblest buildings of its kind in Europe’. It overlooks the beautiful Imperial Gardens and offers superb standards of comfort and convenience.

No 38 The Park, a chic and dog-friendly boutique hotel situated within a beautiful Georgian building in leafy Pittville, is just a short hop away from the Pittville Pump Room, and only a short walk from the town centre.

Images - Left Queens Hotel, top Ellenborough Park, bottom The George Hotel

The Ellenborough Park Hotel in Southam is nestled between the Cotswolds’ highest point and the gallops of the Cheltenham Racecourse, making it a perfect base for those attending The Cheltenham Festival in March or Wychwood Festival in June. Be immersed in its centuries of history, explore its 90 acres of grounds and relax in its soul-soothing Indian spa.

Other great places to stay include Malmaison, an ideal place for Montpellier-based festivals such as the Open-Air Theatre Festival at Tuckwell Amphitheatre; the centrally-located The George Hotel, and The Holiday Express next to the Brewery, close to the Summer Jam 2024 and Wimbledon screenings. For glamping and camping options, head out to Cotswold Farm Park near Guiting Power, which throws in unlimited entry to see the Farm’s resident rare breed livestock belonging to TV presenter Adam Henson.

While staying in Cheltenham, don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore Pittville Park and Pump Rooms, the waters at which established the town as a fashionable spa during the Georgian period; catch a production at the Everyman and Playhouse theatres which offer a varied programme of drama, comedy, musicals and opera, or take in the regularly changing exhibitions at The Wilson.

No visit to Cheltenham is complete without a stroll along its famous tree-lined Promenade, with a selection of the very best international retailers, or head down to the well-known shopping areas of Montpellier and The Suffolks, for a unique selection of independent stores including Bodega, Pink Vintage and MIMMO studios. For jewellery lovers, Cheltenham boasts a selection of unique and artisan designers to bespoke and pre-loved collections.

Cheltenham is renowned as The Festival Town, but with so much more to offer it’s well worth extending a stay to make the most of its wealth of fun, food and fabulous hospitality.

To plan your stay in Cheltenham check out our helpful guides...