With the anticipated return of Giffords Circus, as well as Fresh: Art Fair and Gloucester History Festival's popular Spring Weekend, April is shaping up to be a busy month for Gloucestershire's arts and culture scene.
Not forgetting supper clubs, Strictly Come Dancing stars and new insights into Britain's 'car park king', discover 10 unmissable events to get in your diary this month.
Start ticking things off the Gloucestershire Family Bucket List
Featuring 100 ways to make magical memories with your loved ones in the county, the 2024-25 edition of the Gloucestershire Family Bucket List is available now — with free printed guides to pick up at key locations across the county, as well as a handy digital version on SoGlos.
Encouraging families to get out and about in Gloucestershire, there's plenty for toddlers, teenagers and big kids to tick off — from beating the wall at Ninja Warrior UK Gloucester to navigating the Tree Top Walkway at Westonbirt Arboretum.
Don't forget to share your adventures with SoGlos on social media, using the hashtag #GlosFamilyBucketList — we'll share our favourites!
Experience the magic of Giffords Circus
Gloucestershire's legendary Giffords Circus is back at Fennels Farm until Sunday 21 April 2024, with the chance to see gravity-defying stunts and jaw-dropping costumes in its Arthurian-inspired show, Avalon, before it sets off on tour.
Once under the big top, you'll be transported to a medieval island for an immersive performance from Giffords' awe-inspiring acrobats, magicians and musicians — with plenty of clowning around from Tweedy's hilarious replacement, Tyler West. See First look: Avalon from Giffords Circus for a sneak peek...
Quench your curiosity at Gloucester History Festival Spring Weekend
Following its sell-out success in 2023, Gloucester History Festival brings its Spring Weekend programme back to Blackfriars Priory this month, with 17 inspiring events from leading historians, comedians and broadcasters from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 April 2024.
Local legend and comedian Dom Joly shares his humorous take on conspiracy theories; Call The Midwife star Stephen McGann joins Dr Janina Ramirez and Estelle Paranque to tell the untold stories of some of history's most compelling women, from Joan of Arc to Anne Boleyn; and Victor Sebestyen, the BBC reporter who witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, discusses the future of Ukraine with Ukrainian Institute director Olesya Khromeychuk and Gloucester MP Richard Graham.
Meet a Strictly Come Dancing star in Cheltenham
Strictly fans can meet one of the show's most popular professional dancers, Johannes Radebe, as he cha-chas into Cheltenham for an exclusive signing of his new book at Waterstones on the Promenade.
Shimmy your way over on Saturday 6 April 2024 to get a signed copy of Jojo: Finally Home — which tells Johannes's story of growing up as a young gay man in a South African township and how dancing transformed his life — and chat to the Strictly Come Dancing legend himself!
Uncover the secrets of Richard III at Sudeley Castle
Another one for the history lovers, or anyone with a penchant for murder mystery, Sudeley Castle welcomes Philippa Langley — the woman who led the search for Richard III's remains, found under a car park in Leicester — to examine another case of historical intrigue on Monday 15 April 2024.
At this eye-opening event, Philippa shares her discoveries from seven years of research into one of history's most compelling cold cases, investigating the disappearance of the boy king, Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York from the Tower of London — and whether Richard III was responsible for their deaths.
See this year's exhibition at Cotswold Sculpture Park
Open from Monday 1 April 2024, the mesmerising Cotswold Sculpture Park showcases contemporary sculpture work in a stunning open-air setting near Cirencester — and comes highly recommended for a relaxing day out, whether you're in the market for a unique new art piece or not.
Voted SGGLA Art Gallery of the Year by SoGlos readers in 2022, the outdoor gallery displays sculptures from a global cohort of over 100 artists, with everything for sale if you spot something that inspires you.
Smell the spring flowers at Badminton Estate
The gorgeous Badminton Estate is throwing open the gates to its spring gardens on Sunday 21 April 2024, for its first open day of the year.
Take this rare chance to explore the private gardens of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, with colourful tulips, formal plantings and beautifully landscaped grounds to admire. Plus, green-fingered visitors can shop for plants and gardening tools on the day — as well as treats and coffee from KNEAD Bakery.
Browse Britain's biggest choice of art at Fresh: Art Fair
This month, Gloucestershire art lovers only need to travel as far as Cheltenham Racecourse to see the widest range of contemporary art outside of London, when Fresh: Art Fair returns from Friday 26 to Sunday 38 April 2024.
Described as Britain's biggest provincial art fair, browse and buy artwork from 50 different galleries, with exciting up-and-coming talent exhibiting alongside some of the art world's biggest names — from Hockney to Picasso.
Snap your fingers for The Addams Family at Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre
They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky... and they're coming to Cheltenham this month!
See Morticia, Gomez and the rest of the Addams Family on stage at the Everyman Theatre, for a wickedly funny new musical adaptation of the 1960s sitcom by The Cotswold Savoyards — opening on Tuesday 30 April 2024. Click click!
Tuck into wild garlic supper club at Harts Barn Cookery School
You might have spotted — and smelt! — garlic all around Gloucestershire's woodlands, as April marks the start of wild garlic season.
If you're not quite ready to start foraging yourself, Harts Barn Cookery School is hosting a special wild garlic-themed supper club on Friday 26 April 2024, celebrating the fragrant allium with dishes like wild garlic focaccia, served with wild garlic pesto and butternut and date houmous, and wild garlic-stuffed chicken served with Wye Valley asparagus and wild garlic roasted new potatoes. Yum!
