Culture in Gloucester

Head to our Gloucester museums page to find out more about Beatrix Potter, the rise of the jet engine and much more. 

A world first, the Nature in Art Gallery at Wallsworth Hall is the first gallery dedicated to nature and art. Opened in 1982, the fascinating gallery covers everything from animal portraits and landscape paintings to garden structures and more, including work from more than 600 artists spanning the last 1,500 years. Housed in a stunning Georgian mansion, the gallery also runs regular workshops and is just a few miles from Gloucester city centre and a few minutes’ drive from our Longford hotel. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am-5pm, there’s also an on-site café and acres of parkland to explore, making it a great venue for a family day out.

Several miles south of the city centre, in Quedgeley, is the Sabre Art Gallery, an artist-led space that’s open every Saturday from 11am-5pm. It showcases works from noted artists David Hughes, Jackie John and several more. Our Little Witcombe hotel is conveniently located just a 20-minute drive away. 

One of the longest-running events in Gloucester, the Rhythm and Blues Festival is a week-long affair held every July. Hosted at various venues across the city, the festival puts on more than 70 live shows during the week, featuring local, national and international RnB names.

Nearly into its second decade, the festival has become a mainstay in Gloucester’s cultural calendar involving some of the best bars and pubs in the city, including Café René, The Fountain Inn, TANK, The Dick Whittington and several more.

The oldest non-competitive classical music festival in the world, the Three Choirs Festival has been belting out choir-led classics for over 300 years. A week-long celebration of choral and orchestral concerts, talks, masterclasses and church-led services, the festival rotates its location each year covering Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester, with the Philharmonia Orchestra performing at the biggest events each year.

A niche but increasingly popular affair, the Frightmare Halloween Festival has grown year on year to become an established part of the cultural scene in Gloucester. Nearly 20 years old, the horror festival is a 17-night mix of outdoor cinema, live-action scare events and haunted rides. Frightmare takes place at Over Farm and is very much an adult affair, with children over 12 required to be under adult supervision at all times. View our hotels in Gloucester.