With frosty mornings and darker evenings comes the start of the festive season — and Gloucestershire is glimmering with gorgeous light displays, as the first signs of Christmas start to appear this November 2024.
Kicking the month off with a bang, there’s also explosive firework displays and the return of Stroud’s beloved book festival, with SoGlos sharing 10 unmissable things to do in Gloucestershire this month in this hot list.
See spectacular firework displays in Gloucestershire
Get ready to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ as the night sky above Gloucestershire lights up for Guy Fawkes Night, with an array of fireworks and bonfire events taking place across the county this November 2024.
Wrap up warm and head to one of the largest fireworks displays in the south west at Cheltenham Racecourse, hosted by Cheltenham Round Table, or experience Cattle Country Farm Park’s explosive extravaganza — with SoGlos sharing 14 spots to see dazzling displays and bonfires in Gloucestershire.
Countdown to Christmas at Gloucestershire's best lights switch on events
Towns and villages across the county are gearing up to switch on their Christmas lights this month, with plenty of opportunities to get together and count down to the start of the festive season.
From full-scale festivities in Tewkesbury and Cirencester's two-day Advent Market, to community events and goodwill festivals spanning Cheltenham to the Forest of Dean, we've rounded up the best Christmas light switch on events on SoGlos to help you plan.
Catch The November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse
A highlight in the British Jump Racing calendar, The November Meeting is bringing three days of exhilarating horse racing action to Cheltenham Racecourse from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 November 2024.
Lucky punters can place their bets with action-packed races taking place every day, as well as countryside pursuits, shopping opportunities, live music and free family activities to keep everyone entertained.
Go ice skating in Gloucestershire
For heaps of festive fun, there’s snow place like an ice rink in the run-up to Christmas — and there are plenty of seasonal skating opportunities across Gloucestershire, including the Gateway Ice Rink at Cotswold Water Park and open-air ice rink at Gloucester Quays, open from Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November respectively.
Cheltenham skaters are in luck too, as the Christmas ice rink returns to Imperial Gardens to headline the Regency town's festive celebrations from Friday 29 November 2024.
Celebrate stories at Stroud Book Festival
Featuring critically acclaimed, best-selling and up-and-coming local writers, Stroud Book Festival is back in town from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 November 2024.
There’s something for readers of all ages in the festival’s packed programme, from young bookworms to seasoned literature lovers — including talks from We're Going on a Bear Hunt author, Michael Rosen; popular novelists Kate Mosse and Rachel Joyce; and a special event celebrating the 70th anniversary of Dylan Thomas's verse drama, Under Milk Wood.
See stunning light installations across Gloucestershire
With Christmas just around the corner, some of Gloucestershire's best attractions are lighting up for the season, switching on their illuminous installations to create spellbinding light trails that will leave visitors with a fuzzy festive feeling.
The county will be glowing with light and colour from mid-November, with stand-out highlights including the brand-new Christmas at Westonbirt spectacle, Sudeley Castle's Spectacle of Light and the Enchanted Light Trail at Cotswold Farm Park.
Get outside with your dog in Gloucestershire
It's a good month for dog owners, with a brand-new, interactive (and Wallace and Gromit-themed!) dog walking experience to discover at Mallards Pike in the Forest of Dean — also launching at Westonbirt on Friday 22 November 2024. It's a fun way to get active with your four-legged friend, featuring brain-stimulating challenges and bonding activities.
Plus, if you take your pooch to Painswick Rococo Garden this month, you'll get free entry on weekends to the 18th-century pleasure garden and woodland, which is a stunning outdoor attraction for human and canine visitors alike.
Visit a Christmas market in Gloucestershire
Whether you’re shopping for stocking fillers or hankering for your first sip of mulled wine, there's nothing like marking the start of the Christmas season with an evening at one of Gloucestershire's twinkling festive markets.
With markets starting to open up all over the county, highlights include Gloucester Quays' Christmas markets starting on Saturday 2 and bringing artisan stalls and street food every weekend in the run-up to Christmas; while for an extra-special experience, check out Clearwell Caves' underground market on Saturday 30 November 2024.
Start your Christmas shopping at New Brewery Arts
It's never too early to start playing elf and Christmas shoppers can get hunting for gifts at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester, where hundreds of designer-makers will be displaying their wares as part of its JOY! winter exhibition and retail event.
Pick up everything from handmade homewares and precious jewellery to gift vouchers for pleasing the pickiest people, with the shopping event running right up until Christmas Eve.
Sip French wine at the Foston's Ash
An unmissable event for wine lovers, the Foston's Ash pub is bringing a French tradition to Gloucestershire with its very own Beaujolais Nouveau celebrations.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of November, uncorking the first French red wine that's ready to drink after harvest. Raise a glass with Foston's Ash over the weekend of Thursday 21 November 2024, with the pub opening this year's very first bottles of this famous French red, accompanied by an autumnal set menu.
