Please donate

 

Spring Weekend 2026

17 – 19 April 2026

Booking Now Open!

Join us as Mary Beard, Michael Scott, Bendor Grosvenor, Greg Doran, Christopher de Hamel and Pam Ayres share their passion for the past. With war in the Middle East, the BBC’s Edward Stourton examines President Trump, and we welcome UK Strategic Command’s James Daniel.

Booking now open!

Download the Brochure
Book Tickets and Passes
Become a Member
Explore the Digital Festival

 

Gloucester History Festival Bread

17 – 19 April 2026

Festival goers can buy Gloucester History Festival bread at the History Festival box office at Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester or at The Forest Bakehouse, Longhope on Fri 17 and Saturday 18 September, costing £5.
 
It’s a sourdough loaf enriched with Double Gloucester cheese from Smarts Farm, Birdwood who supply the mighty cheeses that will be rolled down Cooper’s Hill at the end of May in the age-old Cheese Rolling Competition and red onions inspired by the original 14th century Newent Onion Fayre. 
 
This entirely new loaf has been created by bakers at The Forest Bakehouse to celebrate both the history of Gloucestershire as well as the 2026 Gloucester History Festival Spring Weekend starting this Friday.
 
It will also be included as part of the ticket price with 4 other Forest Bakehouse breads at David Wright’s History of Bread event at 2.30pm on Friday 17 September in Britain’s oldest library building – the Scriptorium at Blackfriars Priory built in 1239.
Book for David Wright's History of Bread

 

New Festival Merchandise

Grab your merch!

We are Proud to work in close partnership with other Gloucester heritage organisations: Gloucester Day, Heritage Open Days and Voices Gloucester.

Explore Gloucester History Festival

Explore Our Partners

 Find out more about Heritage Open Days and Voices Gloucester

 

Explore partners

Explore Gloucester

Use our virtual maps to discover hidden the gems of the City, Barton and Tredworth

Explore interactive maps

Watch Past Events

Enjoy events from previous festivals

 

Explore Winter Warmer 2026

2026 Events

April

fri17apr10:00 am11:00 amGloucester & The 1926 General StrikeTony Conder

fri17apr12:00 pm1:00 pmRadicals: Chartists, Suffragettes and StrikesGeoff Andrews

fri17apr2:00 pm3:00 pmGreg DoranLove, Loss and Shakespeare

fri17apr2:30 pm4:00 pmBreaking Bread: How Baking Shaped Our World

fri17apr4:00 pm5:00 pmEdward StourtonThe Dark History of Trump’s America

fri17apr5:15 pm5:55 pmWhat History Taught MeJanina Ramirez & David Musgrove

fri17apr6:00 pm7:00 pmPam AyresDoggedly Onwards

fri17apr8:00 pm9:00 pmWaldy and Bendy’s Adventures in Art: The English Civil WarBendor Grosvenor & Waldemar Januszczak

sat18apr10:00 am11:00 amThe Confessions of Samuel PepysGuy de la Bédoyère

sat18apr12:00 pm1:00 pmThe Battle of the Imjin River: 75 Years OnBrigadier James Daniel, Nicola Nash & Robert Dixon

sat18apr1:00 pm2:30 pmLunch with Shakespeare: Much Ado About CookingSam Bilton

sat18apr2:00 pm3:00 pmThe Cambridge Five: Stalin’s ApostlesAntonia Senior

sat18apr4:00 pm5:00 pmMary BeardTalking Classics: The Shock of the Old

sat18apr5:30 pm6:15 pmThe Three Choirs Festival in GloucesterAdrian Partington, Simon Carpenter & David Francis

sat18apr6:00 pm7:00 pmCleopatra: Life & LegendLucy Hughes-Hallett

sat18apr8:00 pm9:00 pmGreat Gloucestershire WomenJanina Ramirez, Mark Cummings & Helen Timlin

sun19apr10:00 am11:00 amMuslim Europe: In Search Of A 1400 Year HistoryTharik Hussain

sun19apr12:00 pm1:00 pmRevealing the Real King OffaRory Naismith

sun19apr2:00 pm3:00 pmChristopher de HamelMeetings with Remarkable Manuscripts

sun19apr4:00 pm5:00 pmMedieval Queens at WarAlison Weir

History Festival Gallery

See more gallery items

Join our
mailing list

Sign up for the latest news & event updates.