Regardless of how you celebrated New Year’s Eve, there is no better way to jump into 2025 than racing on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham. Thrilling and high-quality racing action, that is sure to provide Cheltenham Festival insight, fresh air, and amazing free family entertainment.

There are seven highly-competitive races on the day with Graded and Listed contests, the racing action will blow away those New Year’s Eve cobwebs. Can you afford to miss out on racing at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day?

There is lots of entertainment to enjoy throughout the day for all ages.

There is an abundance of live music.

Step into the heart of the action at The Guinness Village, to feel the infectious energy of The Mark Walby. As a fantastic day of racing draws to a close, their greatest hits post-racing set promises the perfect way to kick start the new year.

If dancing along to feel-good favourites sounds like your cup of tea, head to Tattersalls Sales Arena to see Richard James in between races and for a roof raising post-racing set.

Quevega's Bar will play host to Luke Gittins and Ash Smith throughout the afternoon and post racing, its the perfect place to catch up with friends and soak up the good times.

For those looking to raise a glass to the start of a new year and a great day's racing, The Champagne Bar offers the perfect backdrop of smooth sax from Benjamin Martin throughout the day.

Before racing, you can join Martin Kelly and Aly Vance at 11.35am in the winners’ enclosure for the highly anticipated Preview Show. They will be speaking to racing greats and special guests, previewing the afternoon’s racing, providing exclusive information; insight, entertainment and hopefully some winners!

And if you have children to entertain, then the Junior Jumpers Family Fun Zone is just for you, and includes Phil The Elf one-man pantomime, Bluey and Bingo meet and greet at intervals throughout the day, arts and crafts, inflatables + lots more!

Under 18s race for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult, please apply for your child's free ticket online.

You can get your tickets HERE.

Wychwood Festival announced more bands that will join them in 2025.

Shed Seven, Doves, The Lottery Winners, Scouting For Girls, The Magic Numbers and The Zutons are just a few of the bands that will be playing across the weekend on 30th May - 1st June 2025 at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The three-day festival has won numerous awards for being the best Family Festival in the UK, and next year looks like it will be the best yet.

Day and Weekend tickets are on sale now.

wychwoodfestival.com

Get your Christmas celebrations off to a perfect start at Cheltenham Racecourse for a weekend of top-quality racing on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December. With the festive season about to enter the home straight, The Christmas Meeting brings joy and excitement for all, this two-day meeting is a highlight of  the Christmas racing calendar and kick starts the festive sporting season.

The Friday boasts a fantastic festive atmosphere with lots of racegoers celebrating their work Christmas parties by enjoying the fantastic racing and superb entertainment.

Last year saw Dysart Enos give local trainer Fergal O’Brien some extra Christmas cheer, when she thundered up the hill and hit the finish line in front and Ginny’s Destiny following up on his win at the November Meeting when beating Grey Dawning.

Saturday is a Christmas Extravaganza themed family fun with a Santa's Grotto and superb racing action. Embrace and enjoy the Christmas buzz, with Grade 2 action on the track, providing those all-important Cheltenham Festival clues and an abundance of festive treats – it is the ultimate Christmas sporting day out.

With Grade 2 and 3 racing action, including some highly competitive Cheltenham Festival trials, including the JCB Triumph Hurdle trial and the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle trial, it is a key race meeting for Cheltenham Festival clues.

The December Gold Cup went the way of local trainer Richard Hobson and his charge Fugitif in a nail-biting finish under jockey Gavin Sheehan.

Off the track, join Richard James as he returns to Quevega's for an afternoon of feel good favourites and Christmas classics; and experience the magic of the Got2Sing Choir and Hornbrokers brass trio around The Plaza's Christmas Tree.

For the younger racegoers, you can make their day at Cheltenham extra special with a magical Christmas pony ride, a visit to Father Christmas in his Grotto and getting stuck into his fun elves' workshop activities!

Under 18’s race free, apply for your free children's ticket online.

Tickets and further info here - www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

While it's cold, wet and miserable outside, you'd be forgiven to be dreaming of singing, drinking and soaking up sunshine next summer. And looking at all of the music announcements coming through, summer 2025 is going to absolutely awesome!
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Let's start with Forest Live at Westonbirt Arboretum which boasts six nights of great music from 17th  - 22nd June 2025.

If you've never been to Forest Live, it's a wonderful concert experience taking place in beautiful natural woodland arenas every summer, with a relaxed atmosphere.

17th June: Snow Patrol
18th June: Sting
19th June: Elbow (+ The Coral and Billie Marten)
20th June: ​Paul Heaton and special guest singer Rianne Downey ( + Billy Bragg)
21st June: McFly (+ Twin Atlantic and Devon)
22nd June: The Script (+ Tom Walker)

www.forestlive.com
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We then move onto Nocturne Live at Blenheim Palace. Again, this is a stunning place to watch music. 

It takes place from 18th – 22nd June 2025 with Richard Ashcroft (supported by Lightning Seeds and The Zutons) and Gary Barlow already being announced.
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nocturnelive.com

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival is a magic event that takes place across various venues around the town from 30 April – 5 May.

A couple of weeks ago, they unveiled the first artists lined up to perform at next year’s event which include the brilliant David Gray who will perform tracks from his highly anticipated new album Dear Life alongside classics from his extensive back catalogue, which includes 1998’s record-breaking, 7-million-selling White Ladder.

Also announced was multi-GRAMMY-award-winning singer Corinne Bailey Rae, Nubya Garcia and Jools Holland.

www.cheltenhamfestivals.org
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If you're looking for something louder then 2000 Trees is what you need. 

The 2025 line-up is already looking awesome with the likes of Alexisonfire, Taking Back Sunday and Kneecap already announced.

The festival takes place at Upcote Farm in Withington (just outside Cheltenham) from 9th - 12th July 2025.

2000trees.co.uk
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Located in Cornbury Park, Wilderness is one of the most popular festivals in the UK,

Hailed as a four-day party like no other and weekend of escapism, high jinks, and wholesome hedonism, the festival takes place from 31st July - 3rd August 2025

Basement Jaxx have already been announced as one of the headliners for 2025.

www.wildernessfestival.com
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Taking place from 30th May - 1st June 2025, Wychwood brings some great bands and a wonderful family friendly weekend to Cheltenham Racecourse.

They recently announced that the iconic, and much-loved, James will be headlining the Saturday night. 

wychwoodfestival.com
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If you're a Britpop fan from the nineties, Walkaway by Cast was probably on your cassette compilation. 

On Thursday 3rd April 2025, John Power will explore his extraordinary career in an acoustic-based show featuring hits alongside tales of the band's wild and successful years.

thesubrooms.co.uk

​We will keep you updated with further announcements from the festivals above and, of course, Big Feastival that will hopefully be revealing the first names on their line-up for 2025 very soon.

Gloucester Rugby host Edinburgh Rugby at Kingsholm in the first game of the Club's European Rugby Challenge cup campaign on Friday 6th December.

After falling at the final hurdle last season, the Cherry & Whites are looking to go one better this year and win the Challenge Cup trophy, which would be third European title for the Club.

Drawn in Pool 3 for the 2024/25 European Rugby Challenge Cup, alongside French sides, Vannes & Bayonne, United Rugby Championship teams, Scarlets & Edinburgh Rugby and Invitational club, Black Lion from Georgia. The top four sides will qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition, along with four teams who drop down from the Investec Champions Cup.

The Cherry & Whites have named a strong matchday squad to take on the Scottish side under the lights.

After a Player of the Match performance in last weekend's win over English champions, Northampton Saints, Santi Carreras retains his sport at full back, with Christian Wade on the right wing. On the opposite side of the field, Josh Hathaway comes into the squad for Ollie Thorley, who misses out with an injury sustained at Franklin's Gardens.

Charis Harrias comes into the midfield alongside Max Llewellyn, with the Welshman switching from 13 to 12. The half-back pairing of Gareth Anscombe and Caolan Englefield remains unchanged.

Up front, Seb Blake and Kirill Gotovtsev join Val Rapava-Ruskin in the front row, with Matias Alemanno coming into the second row alongside Arthur Clark. Alemanno's inclusion means Freddie Thomas shifts to the back row, where he combines with Ruan Ackermann and skipper, Lewis Ludlow.

On the bench, there's a potential debut for new signing Will Butler, he covers the backs alongside Charlie Chapman and George Barton, with the latter making a return form injury.

In reserve for the forwards are Jack Singleton, Ciaran Knight, Afo Fasogbon, Harry Taylor and Albert Tuisue.​

Starting XV

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Seb Blake
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Arthur Clark
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Freddie Thomas
7. Lewis Ludlow (c)
8. Ruan Ackermann
9. Caolan Englefield
10. Gareth Anscombe
11. Josh Hathaway
12. Max Llewellyn
13. Chris Harris
14. Christian Wade
15. Santi Carreras

Replacements

16. Jack Singleton
17. Ciaran Knight
18. Afo Fasogbon
19. Harry Taylor
20. Albert Tuisue
21. Charlie Chapman
22. Will Butler
23. George Barton

Next weekend, a new challenge awaits as Gloucester head to northwest France to take on newly promoted side RC Vannes. The French side defeated Grenoble to take their place in the Top 14 for the first time ever. Gloucester’s trip to Stade de la Rabine will take place on Saturday 14 December, 6:30pm kick-off.

For all tickets, hospitality and further info, visit www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk