Entertainment in Worcester

With a music festival and several live music venues, there’s plenty of places in Worcester to get your groove on.

Over a decade old, the Worcester Music Festival is a three-day festival held in the middle of September across a range of venues in the city. Spanning everything from blues and folk music to jazz, metal, reggae and pop, the festival and its workshops are free entry for everyone and are targeted towards emerging artists meaning you could discover the next Ed Sheeran.

Worcester’s leading live music venue, Huntingdon Hall is a converted Methodist church and has been hosting live music since 1987, as well as stand up comedy and spoken word events. The 350-capacity venue on Chapel Walk, a short distance from the Cathedral, has hosted a wide range of talents spanning jazz, pop, rock and indie with big names including Madness and Courtney Pine both recent visitors.

Round the corner from the Foregate Street train station on the northern edge of the city centre, The Marrs Bar is a bustling live music venue that strives to host bands every night of the week. As well as showcasing some of the best up-and-coming talent in the region, they hold a regular Jam Night every Wednesday while you can pogo to the best alternative rock and pop every Saturday at their long-running club night TNT.

One of 18 first-class cricket teams in England, Worcester County Cricket Club were founded in 1865 and have won the County Championship five times as well as picking up several limited overs cups. Home games are played at the 5,500-capacity New Road stadium, a well-hit six hit from our Worcester city centre hotel. The traditional season runs from April until September featuring a mix of four-day games, one-day competitions and the exciting T20 format where the Worcestershire Rapids battle it out during the month-long competition every August. Notable past players include Glenn McGrath, Ian Botham and Imran Khan.

Overlooking the River Severn, a short walk from the city centre, Worcester Racecourse is a National Hunt-standard venue that hosts over 20 fixtures each year from May to October. Home to horse racing for over 300 years, the 100-acre ground – locally known as Pitchcroft – is home to a 2,615m-long oval circuit and several bars and restaurants where you can enjoy first-class hospitality and cheer the horses over the finish line.

A professional rugby union team who play in the English Premiership, Worcester Warriors were founded in 1871 and have fought their way up through the leagues over the last few decades to become one of the top dozen teams in the country. The Warriors play their home games at the 11,499-capacity Sixways Stadium on the eastern outskirt of Worcester, less than 200m from our Worcester M5 hotel. The club has been promoted and relegated several times from the top tier of English rugby, but have been mainstays in the league for the past four years, creating an intense rivalry with nearby Gloucester.

Next to Worcester Racecourse, the Swan Theatre is a 350-capacity venue that programs a wide range of events including drama, family events, theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word and more. Founded in 1965, the theatre was given an extensive overhaul in 2011 and now produces its own events as well as hosting touring and travelling shows from major names like the Reduced Shakespeare Company and the Middleground Theatre.