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The Big Feastival have added more music and a host of chefs to their line-up for 2024. Smith's guitarist Johnny Marr, Jax Jones, 86TVs, Ministry of Sound Classical and Circa Waves will all appear on the main stage, while Raymond Blanc, Jack Stein, Andi & Miquita Oliver and Cherish Finden will be cooking in The Big Kitchen. On top of that, there will also be, as always, lots of incredible street food, heaps for families and comedy, including James and Clair Buckley recording a special live episode of their podcast. Snow Patrol, Becky Hill, Scouting For Girls, Natasha Bedingfield and Kate Nash will all be playing over the Bank Holiday weekend. The festival will take place on Alex James' Farm just outside Kingham from 23rd - 25th August. Full the full line-ups and tickets, visit thebigfeastival.com 
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 Cheltenham Jazz Festival will return this spring featuring some of the biggest names from the worlds of jazz, soul, blues, pop and beyond. One of Europe’s biggest jazz festivals with over 55,000 music fans in attendance across the week, 2024’s event will take place from Wednesday May 1 to Monday May 6 incorporating a carefully curated mix of international jazz icons, up-and-coming new artists, unique one-off performances, world premieres, masterclasses, family-friendly shows, industry talks, free events and lots more. With a cross-generational theme that brings together jazz legends with the very latest new artists, the Festival will play host to a string of world-class artists including the legendary 100 million-selling US vocalist Dionne Warwick; Grammy-winning singer Gregory Porter – who will perform twice at the Festival, in a very special solo show and a collaboration with Blues House of Fame inductee Bettye LaVette and the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra; English dance-pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whose 2001 hit song Murder On The Dancefloor recently made a return to the Top 10 following its inclusion in cult film Saltburn; multi-platinum-selling reggae royalty UB40, who’ll perform a career spanning set; powerhouse South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo; the distinctive, soulful singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti; electronica/trip hop pioneers Morcheeba; Fun Lovin' Criminals frontman and BBC 6 Music presenter Huey Morgan; and acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies who’ll be joined onstage by players from the London Concert Orchestra. In a major tribute to British blues, a luminary of the scene, Robert Plant, will also perform a set with Saving Grace feat. Suzi Dian that mixes his latest music with old favourites. The Festival will once again host the most exciting and revered artists from across the contemporary jazz scene including New York collective Snarky Puppy, US piano giant Brad Mehldau, one of the most celebrated British jazz musicians of all time Courtney Pine - who’ll be marking his 60th birthday with a special edition of his Caribbean themed, dance-inducing House of Legends project - Grammy-nominated American trumpeter Theo Croker, genre-defying Scottish multi-instrumentalist and producer corto.alto, the hotly tipped saxophonist and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter Jordan Rakei, and a double bill featuring 10-piece afro-jazz outfit Nubiyan Twist and West Africa’s iconic dance band Orchestra Baobab. Dedicated to making a positive contribution to the ongoing music festival gender divide, Cheltenham Jazz Festival is signed up to the Keychange programme and aims for an equal gender balance across the breadth of its line-up. This year’s programme is notable for its a huge array of boundary-pushing female vocalists including Malian singer and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara, MOBO award-winning Zara McFarlane, the bold Newcastle-born singer songwriter Nadine Shah, much-loved UK singer and broadcaster Clare Teal, multi-Grammy Award-winning Dee Dee Bridgewater, distinguished singer and actress Elaine Delmar, rising jazz/soul star CHERISE, Brit jazz mainstay Liane Carroll, one of America’s finest vocal talents Bettye Lavette, the multi-talented Allysha Joy, and one of the all-time great jazz singers Norma Winstone. The Festival’s commitment to talent development is at the centre of the programme, with this year’s annual Showcase event featuring rising stars Amahla and Ruta Di. 2024 will also see the return of the Parabola Arts Centre programme, which is dedicated to new, innovative music from around the world. Gracing the stage this year will be British saxophonist Trish Clowes performing alongside US trumpeter Dave Douglas, rising Brit jazz pianist Sultan Stevenson, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Nikki Yeoh together present “Speechmik Ex-Ploration”, free jazz virtuoso Charlotte Keeffe, and Mercury Music Prize nominee Kit Downes who will perform a special set with Norma Winstone. The Festival also features a significant “… around Town” element that sees unsigned and local talent play in venues across Cheltenham, including The Wilson, John Gordons and grassroots venues the Frog and Fiddle and the Bottle of Sauce. Part of the Festival’s wider commitment to talent development and local arts scenes, performers will include Plymouth’s Joanna Cooke, Gloucestershire natives GS Collective, and sets from acts from the UK’s pioneering jazz music education and artist development organisations, Tomorrow’s Warriors Youth Ensemble and Jazz North’s Ni Maxine. Some shows are already on sale. Tickets for the newly announced acts go on general sale on Wednesday March 6. All tickets available from cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz.  Season 3 of Clarkson's Farm will land on Amazon Prime Video on May 3rd 2024. The hugely popular series follows Jeremy Clarkson, Kaleb Cooper and all of the Diddly Squat regulars as they tackle all the ups and downs of farming in the Cotswolds. After facing various challenges in the previous two seasons, they will now turn their attention to buying some pigs for the farm.  Calcot & Spa, the flagship property of The Calcot Collection. Nestled amidst 220 acres of picturesque countryside near Tetbury, has officially opened its doors to The Grain Store fitness studio, as an addition to their luxury Cotswold playground. The new development, aptly named (built within an old agriculture building used to store grain within the hotel’s grounds), is a gym & fitness sanctuary offering guests and members a chance to indulge in ultimate wellbeing and self care. Connecting the mind, body and soul in one place to workout, rest and play. Members and hotel guests can immerse in the 280m2 wellness and fitness sanctuary, use the state-of-the-art gym with Technogym equipment, join classes in the spin shed, holistic space and exercise studio hosting an extensive timetable of fitness classes. The Grain Store also proudly offers café to work, relax and refuel in, The Huddle, all while being surrounded in 220 acres of rewilded Cotswold countryside, that promotes serenity and wellbeing.  The new space will allow members and hotel guests to immerse in a space that's dedicated exclusively and designed meticulously to optimize wellbeing goals. Offering picturesque countryside views, paired with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment tailored to your every fitness ambition. Grain Store Members will have access to: GYM Functional | Exigo Rig, Ski Erg, Sled Track, Team Beats from Technogym, a new way to train on the gym floor, using heart rate guidance for a fun and varied group workout. Cardio | Interactive Upright Bikes, Live Excite Varios, Climb, Treadmills & Cross Trainers, Skill Run, Concept Rowers Free Weights | Dumbbells up to 34kg, Full & Half Olympic Squat Racks Resistance | Leg Press, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Chest Press, Shoulder Press, Dual Adjustable Pulley Stretch | Post Work Out Stretch Space, Proverb Assisted Stretch Pod Outdoors | 6-Piece Kompan Outdoor Gym THE UK’S FIRST STRETCH POD BY PROVERB SKIN The Grain Store personal trainers will perform all assisted stretching in The Pod, and these Proverb Skin treatments are designed to help improve manoeuvrability, flexibility and ultimately, give a deeper result from work outs. FITNESS CLASSES The new extensive timetable of curated classes offer members wellness and fitness sessions including holistic Sound Healing, Yoga, Pilates, Barre and Ballet. Those who want to up the tempo can enjoy performance Spin in the Spin Shed and HIT, all guided by Calcot’s most exceptional instructors within spacious and air-conditioned studios. All classes are specifically designed to enhance members fitness journey with not only enjoyment but also vitality and fulfilment. PERSONAL TRAINING The Grain Store boasts a dedicated team of Personal Trainers who will be on hand to help Club Calcot members with their wellbeing and fitness journey. THE HUDDLE CAFÉ Relax, pre or post work out in the inviting café and terrace. Members and hotel guests can refuel with nourishing refreshments as you unwind and should inspiration strike, we welcome you to work freely in the café or book a private meeting within The Huddle. Partners include Dirtea, Trip Drinks, Willie’s Apple Cider and Pulsin grains, and are all available for to purchase onsite. FREE RANGE FITNESS As a bonus to all Grain Store members and hotel guests, Calcot & Spa’s stunning grounds offer an array of enjoyable ways to engage in active relaxation. Whether it's lounging beside the inviting heated outdoor pool, trying your hand at activities like disc golf or tennis, borrowing the Calcot bikes, or simply embarking on a leisurely walk along the nature trail, the natural space has plenty of options to allow members to immerse in the great outdoors. calcot.co/grain-store    Big Feastival has revealed the first names in the line-up for 2024 which will take place on 23-25 August on Alex James' Farm in Kingham. Snow Patrol will bring the festival to an anthemic close on Sunday night, with Becky Hill headlining on Friday night. Triple Brit Award nominee and singer songwriter Cat Burns whose single Go went viral on TikTok and climbed to number two on the UK singles chart joins the line-up. Irish singer songwriter Cian Ducrot will also grace the main stage. Coming to prominence in 2022 his single All For You was a huge TikTok sensation and his debut album Victory topped the UK Album Charts in 2023. Vocal powerhouse Ella Henderson is set to have the Feastival crowd singing along to hits including Ghost, Let’s Go Home Together and React whilst dance superstar Joel Corry whose huge tracks include Sorry, Lonely, Head & Heart, Bed and Out Out will also play. Natasha Bedingfield is sure to create a mass singalong with Unwritten and These Words whilst singer songwriter Kate Nash will thrill the crowd with Foundations amongst other iconic hits. Irish singer songwriter CMAT, modern soul and R&B performer Jalen Ngonda and Irish rockers Ash are confirmed to play alongside Indie heroes Scouting For Girls and upcoming Irish four piece The Florentinas. Big Feastival will be announcing more music acts soon, including Saturday’s headliner. thebigfeastival.com   The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle event of the jump-racing calendar, and this year will be bigger than ever as we celebrate 100 years of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. In March 2023, Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend became legends and wrote themselves into the history books with a scintillating performance in the Gold Cup. Can they do the same again? As like most festivals in recent year, many of the favourites will be coming over from Ireland. Constitution Hill will be flying the flag for Britain as he looks to retain his Champion Hurdle crown. DAY-BY- DAY GUIDE CHAMPION DAY: TUESDAY 12TH MARCH the Grade 1 Skybet Supreme raises the curtain to the Cheltenham Festival with the famous "Cheltenham Roar". Last year we saw Marine National land the spoils for trainer Barry Connell, who enjoyed his first Cheltenham Festival winner as a trainer, having had previous success as an owner. It was also jockey Michael O’Sullivan’s first Cheltenham Festival winner. History was made in the Unibet Champion Hurdle as Jump Racing’s hero Constitution Hill came home in emphatic style under Nico de Boinville for Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley. Constitution Hill’s performance was breath-taking, he jumped with speed, precision and accuracy and awarded Nicky Henderson his 9th Champion Hurdle winner spanning from 1985 to 2023. The legendary Honeysuckle provided for some the most memorable moment of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, when she recorded her fourth Festival win on her final visit to Presbury Park. Her triumph provided emotion, elation and pride for horse racing fans across the land. She captured our hearts and to see her finish her prolific career with a Cheltenham Festival win, was exceptionally special. STYLE WEDNESDAY: WEDNESDAY 13TH MARCH Irish raider Energumene has won the last two renewals of the Queen Mother Champion chase and he has earned his place next to greats like Altior and Sprinter Sacre. Can he make it three in a row at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival? The Real Whacker made a dream come true for trainer Patrick Neville, when landing the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ chase by a short head against the Irish powerhouse Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe. The Real Whacker provided trainer Patrick Neville, previously an electrical engineer, with his biggest victory to date, will he be able to achieve an even bigger prize this season and when he goes for gold in The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup? The day concludes with the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, where stars of the future are often making their first visit to the Cotswolds. We saw A Dream To Share come home in front last year, providing 82 year-old trainer John Kiely and young jockey John Gleeson with their first Cheltenham Festival winner. The JP McManus owned a Dream To Share gave the Gleeson family memories to last a lifetime, Claire Gleeson, wife of ITV Racing’s Brian bred both horse and jockey! There looks to be bigger days to come and surely, he will be visiting Presbury Park in the not-too-distant future. Style Wednesday is a celebration of thrilling and exhilarating sporting action, make sure you’re there to celebrate in style as racing’s glitterati put on a show like no other. ST PATRICK'S THURSDAY: THURSDAY 14TH MARCH Envoi Allen gave Henry de Bromhead his second victory of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase. No one thought anything could come close to Honeysuckle’s win earlier in the week for the de Bromhead family, but seeing Envoi Allen back in the sacred Cheltenham Winners’ Enclosure provided another emotional and exceptional moment at the Cheltenham Festival for racing fans. The Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle went to the ever tough and ever consistent Sire Du Berlais for the Cheltenham Festival’s most successful of owner all time JP McManus. Trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Mark Walsh, Sire Du Berlais, who comes to life in the Spring, put up a gutsy performance to win by 3/4 ‘s of a length to the Jeremy Scott trained Dashel Drasher. Make sure you are there to see if the Irish dominate will dominate the feature races again on St Patrick’s Thursday? GOLD CUP DAY: FRIDAY 15TH MARCH Featuring The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, the blue riband race. The pre-race tension, the exhilaration of the race and jubilations of the aftermath. You will never see or experience anything quite like it, as whatever the result, every year it is different. Stay Away Fay gave British Champion trainer Paul Nicholls his second winner of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, with Harry Cobden doing the steering in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett on the final day of the Festival. Galopin Des Champs was a spectacular winner of Jump Racing’s blue ribband race for the winning most Cheltenham Festival trainer Willie Mullins. The Cheltenham Gold Cup eluded Willie Mullins for many years, but since Al Boum Photo won his first Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2019, and he has now won three of the last five renewals of the race, with fellow Irish trainer Henry De Bromhead winning the other two. Can the exuberant and exceptional Galopin Des Champs repeat the feat of former stable mate Al Boum Photo and win back-to-back Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cups in the Gold Cup centenary year or will someone else take the most prestigious crown in Jump Racing? Don’t miss out on the Cheltenham Festival, records will be broken, history will be made and dreams will come true and you could be part of it. HOSPITALITY AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL Award-winning restaurants and intimate private boxes are the most exclusive way to enjoy your time at The Cheltenham Festival. Located the most stunning settings, from the heart of Cheltenham Racecourse to overlooking the winning line, an unforgettable experience awaits. Working with the best local suppliers, Cheltenham's team of chefs are passionate about bringing their breadth of skills and culinary knowledge to our extensive and carefully crafted menus.  THE PIG have announced that they have acquired the 17th century Barnsley House hotel, tucked away in the quintessential Cotswolds village of Barnsley, just four miles from Cirencester. Nestled in historic arts and crafts style gardens, created by renowned garden designer Rosemary Verey, this little gem of a property has all the makings of a PIG already weaved into its DNA. Chairman Robin Hutson commented on the exciting announcement, “We are absolutely thrilled to have acquired Barnsley House, it has been in my peripheral vision for many years as a possible acquisition, always thinking it would make a perfect ‘Pig’ and we are very excited to have our first pub too”. Barnsley House will continue to operate with its existing team until Sunday 4th February, when the PIG team will go in to start the works to turn this stunner of a property into a PIG, with a view to opening the doors this summer as THE PIG-and The Village Pub, their first "Pig Pub". THE PIG group is a personal collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms where the focus is on authenticity and informality of design, food and service. With an obsessive commitment to home grown and local produce, THE PIG celebrates the seasons and uses only the best, freshest and most authentic foods and ingredients. It is all about the kitchen gardens, they are the beating heart of the operation. Everything is driven by the kitchen gardener/forager and chef. They grow and source the food and the chef then creates the menu; uncomplicated and simple kitchen garden food, true to the micro seasons with the emphasis squarely on fresh, clean flavours. What cannot be grown in THE PIG’s kitchen garden is sourced within a 25-mile radius of each hotel. There are no ‘cookiecutter roll-outs’; each hotel has its own personality and sense of self. Every property comes with laid-back warm service and a genuine commitment to environmental and social responsibility. THE PIG hotels aim to deliver an outstanding experience for every guest; a ‘wow’ moment that surprises and delights for a price that won’t break the bank. Home grown in every way – breaking the mould of designed hotels by working with what it has and recognising what is good about that. Designed in the style that has become THE PIG’s signature, each hotel has a garden restaurant and bedrooms with a touch of luxury and bags of homely charm plus Potting Shed or Shepherd’s Hut massage treatment rooms in or near the kitchen gardens. www.thepighotel.com/and-the-village-pub  Excitement, anticipation and expectation is building towards the Cheltenham Festival, and Festival Trials Day on Saturday 27th January is the last chance to see racing at the Home of Jump Racing before the magical four days in March. With a seven-race card, where every race is a trial for a race at the Cheltenham Festival, it doesn’t get much more exciting, unless it is the Festival itself. The fun isn’t restricted purely to the track, with fantastic entertainment during the day and The Wickermen performing live music after racing, it is a seamless prelude to the Cheltenham Festival. Last year’s renewal included the highly anticipated match between 2022 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene and the 2022 Sporting Life Arkle winner Edwardstone didn’t disappoint, however it was the Gary Moore trained Editeur Du Gite that returned first past the post. But when he returned in March, Energumene reversed the form when winning back-to-back Queen Mother Champion Chases. The Dahlbury Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, the highly recognised trial for the Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, a race the Emma Lavelle trained Paisley Park has made his own in recent years. However, last year’s race was won by French raider Gold Tweet. Ahoy Senior was a hugely popular winner of the Grade 2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase for dual Grand National winning trainer Lucinda Russell. Come along this year, to mark your card ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. Tickets start at just £25 and under 18’s race free and do not require a ticket to enter.  Happy New Year! Our highly anticipated Top 50 Pubs in the Cotswolds guide for 2024 will be landing very soon. It's always hugely popular with the last two years' additions both attracting over 250,000 views, which it is absolutely ridiculous! A huge thank you to all of our readers and followers for their incredible support.  Regardless of how you celebrated New Year’s Eve, there is no better way to jump into 2024 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. Featuring live music from LAMPA in The Village and the ever-popular Family Fun zone and live music in The Centaur after racing from Tommy & the Fuse, there is top-class entertainment for children and adults alike. The biggest Cheltenham Festival clue we got last year, came in the shape of The Real Whacker landing the Grade 2 Paddy Power Dipper Chase beating the Paul Nicholls trained favourite by 3 and ¾ lengths. The Real Whacker went on to be triumphant in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Marie’s Rock made her seasonal reappearance by winning the Grade 2 [email protected] Relkeel Hurdle, for Nicky Henderson and Middleham Park Racing. She went on to run in the highly anticipated Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares Hurdle, on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, it wasn’t her day, but that race provided one of the most memorable moments of the Festival, when Honeysuckle returned victorious to a rip roaring reception, branding her the Queen of the Cheltenham. Under 18’s race free and do not require a ticket to enter. Please note: The Family Fun zone is only available to club/tattersalls ticket holders.  For many, the January blues hit very hard. However, we have found some great ways to shake them off with our pick of the best events taking place around the Cotswolds throughout the month. NEW YEAR'S DAY RACING AT CHELTENHAM MONDAY 1ST JANUARY 2024 • CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE Regardless of how you celebrated New Year’s Eve, there is no better way to jump into 2024 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. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/new-years-day TOM RAVENSCROFT & DJ FOOD FRIDAY 5TH JANUARY 2024 • DEYA BREWERY, CHELTENHAM For their reopening night of 2024, Deya are bringing in mainstays from two British institutions you can really be proud of - BBC 6 Music and Ninja Tune! Tom Ravenscroft is host (along with deb Grant) of 6 Music's daily New Music Fix, and one of the UK's most respected broadcasters and DJs. DJ Food is a name that needs no introduction for Ninja Heads. With nearly 25 years of DJing experience and more than a decade serving up Food for DJs, for both Ninja and Coldcut's weekly radio show 'Solid Steel', Kev is now in the Food hot seat. deyabrewing.com/event/tom-ravenscroft-dj-food-deya-re-opening-night-2024-2024-01-05/ BATH v GLOUCESTER SUNDAY 7TH JANIARY 2024 • THE REC, BATH A West Country derby is the perfect way to start the new year. These games are usually fierce battles with Gloucester seeking revenge from a 27-45 defeat at Kingsholm back in November. www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk SHAPARAK KHORSANDI & FRIENDS SATURDAY 13TH JANUARY 2024 • SUNDIAL THEARTRE, CIRENCESTER Join superstar comic Shaparak Khorsandi (Live At The Apollo, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!) and two hilarious guests for an evening of hilarity! A rare chance to see Shaparak perform in an intimate venue. www.sundial-theatre.co.uk/event-listing THE SOUND OF SPRINSTEEN SATURDAY 13TH JANUARY 2024 • EVERYMAN THEARTRE, CHELTENHAM The Sound of Springsteen brings to the stage some of the greatest hits and deep cuts from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and continues their ever-popular tour around the UK. www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/the-sound-of-springsteen/ THE ROCKET MAN: A TRIBUTE TO SIR ELTON JOHN MONDAY 15TH JANUARY 2024 • EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM This is the world’s favourite celebration to a musical icon. Join us as Jimmy and our amazing live band take you down the Yellow Brick Road with two hours of glorious Elton hits, including, Saturday Nights Alright, Crocodile Rock, I’m Still Standing, Philadelphia Freedom, and many, many more. www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/the-rocket-man/ JESCA HOOP SATURDAY 20TH JANUARY 2024 • THE SUB ROOMS, STROUD California-born but now based in Manchester, UK, Jesca Hoop is what you’d call a musician’s musician. Discovered by Tom Waits and brought on tour by Peter Gabriel to sing in his band, it was a phone call from Elbow’s Guy Garvey that saw her move to the UK. Hoop's 6 studio albums including her most recent album “Order of Romance”, produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding, This is the Kit), all received huge acclaim from critics and fans alike, and it’s easy to see why: Jesca Hoop is one of our most captivating singers. Her beautiful songs, rooted in the folk tradition are intricately detailed, acoustic-led pieces that teem with ideas, expertly crafted lyrics and melodies that spring from a deeply curious imagination. thesubrooms.co.uk/whats-on/jesca-hoop COCKLEBARROW RACES SUNDAY 21ST JANUARY 2024 • COCKLEBARROW FARM, ALDSWORTH Cocklebarrow Races is the only Heythrop Point to Point of the year and attracts people from all over the UK (and world). However, in the main, the majority of our 4,000+ visitors hail from surrounding Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Warwickshire. www.cocklebarrowraces.com THE WORLD ACCORDING TO KALEB THURSDAY 25TH - SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 2024 • EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM Kaleb Cooper, Chipping Norton’s finest celebrity farmer and Sunday Times bestselling author, who shot to fame starring in Prime Video series, Clarkson’s Farm, has decided to conquer his fear of the unknown and embark on his first ever theatre tour with The World According to Kaleb. www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/the-world-according-to-kaleb-kaleb-goes-on-tour/ ROMESH RANGANATHAN: HUSTLE FRIDAY 26TH JANUARY 2024 • CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL After a sell-out tour in 2022, Romesh is back with his new show which examines the human condition… are people inherently good? Is charity always a positive thing? Is hustling the key to success? Or is all this a load of rubbish we’ve made up to keep people working hard for no reason. cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/event/romesh-ranganathan-hustle/ FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 2024 • CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE Excitement, anticipation and expectation is building. It is the final opportunity to see the sports protagonists go out to battle on Cheltenham Racecourse’s hallowed turf before the Cheltenham Festival. What horses will catch the eye before those four days of extraordinary in March, will we see returning champions defending their crown? Whilst anything can happen in March, Festival Trials day maybe able to give us a clearer picture. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/festival-trials-day TOM DAVIS: UNDERDOG SUNDAY 28TH JANUARY 2024 • CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL Tom Davis is best known for hit shows King Gary, The Curse, Live at the Apollo and Murder in Successville, as well as his hugely popular podcast Wolf and Owl with Romesh Ranganathan, which has received critical acclaim and sold out live shows. Tom is also known for multiple appearances on A League of Their Own, Ranganation, Judge Romesh, and Action Team. cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/event/tom-davis-underdog/ The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle event of the jump-racing calendar, and this year will be bigger than ever as we celebrate 100 years of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. In March 2023, Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend became legends and wrote themselves into the history books with a scintillating performance in the Gold Cup - racing's most esteemed race. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the one they all long to win, many times over, above all others. Greats become legends and legends rewrite history. With four breath-taking days and 28 races, including 14 Grade 1 races, nowhere beats Cheltenham for the unrelenting prestige, competition, and pure excitement. BUY TICKETS After a brief hiatus, one of Cheltenham's most cherished restaurants will reopen its doors this December. A true icon in the town's culinary landscape, The Mayflower will aim to rekindle the flavours that have long been etched into the memories of locals and visitors alike, with new owners Jay Ahmed and Michael Raphel paying homage to the Kong family who created and ran this much-loved restaurant for over 40 years. Diners at The Mayflower can expect a meticulously crafted menu that celebrates the diverse regional cuisines of China. The menu will showcase a myriad of influences, combining the best of classic Chinese dishes to Cantonese and East Asian favourites, all created with a passion for uniquely rooted recipes yet with a contemporary flair, showcasing the wonderful flavours of east Asia. The restaurant's interior is a blend of modern elegance and traditional Chinese design elements, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Reservations will be open from mid December and bookings can be made through the restaurant's website www.themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk or by calling 01242 522426. You can sign up to receive news from The Mayflower by clicking on the link above.   Start your Christmas celebrations off in style with a weekend of top-quality racing on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 December. With the big day just days away, The Christmas Meeting brings joy and excitement for all. This two-day meeting is one of the highlights of the Christmas racing calendar and kick starts the festive sporting season. Across the two days there is top quality racing on offer, with a total of 14 races to enjoy, from the adrenaline rush of the Glenfarclas Cross-Country race to the The Virgin Bet December Gold Cup. 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. Off the track, they is a heap of entertainment for all ages across the weekend. Friday will be filled with Christmas cheer across the racecourse with entertainment from The Hipcats performing Christmas hits on the Quevega Stage to Got2Sing Choir entertaining racegoers with Christmas Carols throughout the day. Saturday is their Christmas Extravaganza themed family fun, including meeting Santa and his elves in Santa’s Grotto. Santa’s elves will also be there to help with your Christmas crafts including - letters to Santa, making a magical Christmas wish to leave on the special night and designing snowflakes. Pampered Pony rides will also be available from Santa's Grotto on Saturday at 10:00 till 15:30 for children of all ages to enjoy around the tented village. The Hipcats and Got2Sing will also return on Saturday for festive music and entertainment throughout the day. The Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales are back on the Friday of The Christmas Meeting, the racing sales will offer a select group of winning and placed point-to-pointers and form horses after racing in the sales ring. Under 18’s race free and do not require a ticket to enter. For all the information and tickets, please visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham  Returning to Cheltenham Racecourse on March 23 2024, the gala dinner offers a night of fine dining and entertainment, with plenty of opportunities to raise money for the 4Ed campaign, established in July 2022 by Gloucester Rugby as a way of generating awareness and funds following Ed Slater’s diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The 2023 event saw over £250,000 raised for the campaign through ticket sales, silent and live auctions, and a raffle. The money generated contributed significantly towards adaptations to Ed’s home as well as creating precious memories for him, his wife, Jo, and their three young children. With 4Ed now adopted by the Gloucester Rugby Charitable Foundation as a restricted fund, all money raised from next year’s dinner will be used to provide bursaries for families affected by MND in Gloucestershire to access support, including funding vital equipment, changes to the home, family days out, or psychological provision.
For all information, visit www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk  Cheltenham Jazz Festival is offering audiences a sneak-peak of their exciting 2024 programme, releasing tickets for six of the acts that will grace its storied stages in the spring.
Set to headline the Festival’s iconic Big Top in 2024 are singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti and pop reggae royalty UB40. Electronica pioneers Morcheeba will also take the stage. Superstar saxophonist and former Jazz Warrior Courtney Pine and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Dee Dee Bridgewater will also make the trip to Cheltenham. And West African dance legends Orchestra Baobab will perform in a double-headline show with Afro Jazz innovators Nubiyan Twist. “This first release of tickets for our exciting 2024 programme reflects the Festival’s long-standing commitment to celebrating the influences of jazz across all musical genres,” says Ian George, Head of Programming for the Jazz Festival and co-CEO of parent charity Cheltenham Festivals. “We celebrate all the genres that have jazz in their DNA by bringing the best of contemporary UK, US and European jazz to our Festival Village and across the town of Cheltenham,” he explains “The breadth of jazz’s influence is unique. From pop to soul, blues to world music, we are always so spoiled for fantastic musicians at Cheltenham. From orchestras and big bands to club sessions and late-night jams, the Festival runs the gamut of the music – as this line-up proves!” Jack Savoretti has appeared at Cheltenham once before, and is excited to return to a Festival he believes has a unique character. “Cheltenham Jazz Festival is one of those Festivals you always want to play, our first show there was incredible and I look forward to returning next year.” The Festival also always looks forward to the future of the music, playing host to fresh new names and pushing the boundaries of the genre’s definition. Morcheeba’s Skye Edwards thinks this commitment to fostering the next generation is more important than ever. “We're looking forward to performing at Cheltenham. It has such a great reputation for having an eclectic mix of bands and genres. There’s a place for new talent alongside the established names which makes this a very vibrant festival for everyone!” Tickets for the early announcement shows will be available to the public from 27 November via cheltenhamfestivals/jazz/. The full programme for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2024 will be revealed in February.  Brand new for the 2023/24 season Cheltenham Racecourse has launched The Mandarin, their first walk in restaurant. For our non Cheltenham Festival fixtures, racegoers will be able to walk in and request a table in The Mandarin. The restaurant offers a glorious and cosy Cotswold pub feel. Its impressive interior takes its inspiration from a traditional country stable. Here you will find exposed wooden beams, quirky racing artefacts and exquisite seasonal food and drink. Racegoers can simply walk in and request a table and tuck into delicious pub favourites such as The ‘Bookies’ favourite starter Traditional Scotch Eggs and the Local Burger. Priced at £65 per person for 2 courses and £85 for 3 courses, with children’s meals offered at half price, it’s the perfect destination for those looking to make their Raceday experience a little more special. Tables are available for 2-8 people and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. The restaurant is named after legendary horse Mandarin who was the winner of the 1962 Gold Cup. He was ridden by the legendary jockey, Fred Winter and trained by Fulke Walwyn, a four-time Gold Cup winning trainer. The Mandarin is well situated on the ground floor of the main grandstand and is in close proximity to the Parade Ring. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/plan-your-day/food-drink/the-mandarin-walk-in-restaurant/
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