There's loads going on at Gloucester Cathedral this summer 2023, with its packed programme of fun and free activities providing plenty to see families through the school holidays.
From Friday 4 August 2023, there's a new Summer Challenge to take on, with a free, picnic basket-themed activity sheet to fill up with stickers.
Pick up a sheet from the Welcome Desk on the way in and choose which activities you want to try, from dressing up as royalty, sending a secret message along the Whispering Gallery, to laying on the floor to see the incredible building in a new way.
For every activity they complete, little ones will be awarded a sticker to add to their picnic basket, with a prize to take home once their basket is full — and grown-ups who want to get in on the fun also have a chance to win a luxury picnic hamper prize worth over £300, with details of how to enter on the back of the activity sheet.
The Labyrinth returns to the Nave from Tuesday 8 to Thursday 31 August 2023, inviting visitors to join in a 1,000-year-old tradition. This exact replica of the Labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral in France offers a winding path to follow, where visitors can take a mindful moment out of their busy lives to focus on their thoughts and feelings.
Families can take part in the 'Monks, Medicine and Mayhem' event from 11am to 3pm on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 August 2023, when they can learn all about the fascinating world of the monks that used to live at the cathedral, with fun activities like medieval board games, creating a healing lip balm and decorating a gingerbread monk to try. There'll even be a medieval barber surgeon on hand, too!
There's also the NHS 75 community art exhibition in the Cloister until Friday 1 September 2023, with artworks on display celebrating the history of the NHS and its impact on the local community, including Deborah Harrison's renowned sculpture 'The Hand That Cared'.
All activities are free to take part in and don't require advance booking, but donations to the cathedral are gratefully received.
