Cheltenham is getting a brand-new multi-venue music festival this March 2025, as local promoter Audio Junk Food launches Crosstown Traffic.
Designed to shine a spotlight on the county's affectionately-termed 'Shiregrown' talent, the new event takes place across five grassroots music venues in the town on Friday 28 February and Saturday 1 March 2025 — and features a stacked line-up of 23 local bands and artists.
Cheltenham's iconic The Frog and Fiddle, popular pub The Bottle of Sauce and retro American diner Smokey Joe's all host stages on the Saturday, while pub and pizza joint The Steam and Whistle hosts an exclusive preview night on Friday and 2 Pigs hosts the afterparty both nights.
Audio Junk Food puts on regular gigs across Cheltenham, Gloucester and occasionally Bristol, bringing touring artists to often overlooked grassroots venues in Gloucestershire, as well as providing unrivalled opportunities for local bands, from support slots to headline sets at its homegrown festivals and events, including Sunday Funday and FrogFest.
It hosted 26 shows and 3 festivals in 2024, providing opportunities for over 80 artists across six venues — and raised over £1,000 for local charities Cheltenham Foodbank and Friends of Montpellier Skatepark through its fundraiser events, too.
Describing its artists, musicians, venue staff and volunteers as the 'Audio Junk Food Family', community is at the heart of its mission, creating opportunities to bring local people together and put Gloucestershire on the map for live music nationally.
Wristbands for Crosstown Traffic are on sale now via Fatsoma, costing £12 each for access to all venues across the weekend.
There are also a limited number of earlybird wristbands costing £9 each; and student wristbands costing £7 each with a valid NUS ID.
