Get ready to pack your wellies and picnic blankets as Big Feastival 2025 is back, bigger and tastier than ever! Set against the backdrop of Alex James’ farm in Kingham from 22 - 24 August 2025, the weekend is a glorious mash-up of top-tier live music, dining experiences, family fun and, of course, incredible street food. If you're there for all three days or just one, here is some of the best food that you need to try. SMITHS OF BOURTONWe couldn't start with anyone else than our fellow Cotswoldians Smiths. Brothers Theo and Seb have been smashing awesome burgers in their parent's old tea room since 2020, and will be appearing at Feastival for the first time. You can expect huge flavours in their hand-pressed beef burgers made with Aubrey Allen dry-aged beef, buns from Marks Cotswold Bakery, homemade sauces and a while lot of love. www.smithsofbourton.com Our favourites from last year's festival, Bab Haus specialise in Mexican Street Food with a focus on pure, bold flavours and fresh ingredients. Their food is a fresh mix of authentic Mexican recipes with strong influences from LA and the West Coast. Their loaded nachos are awesome, but the Birria Taco is next level and an absolute must. www.babhausmex.co.uk If wild game is your thing, then you need to visit Game and Flames. Created by Cai Ap Bryn, a renowned wild food chef, hunter, and outdoor cooking expert with a deep passion for field-to-fork cuisine, Game and Flames not only caters using wild game but also sources high-quality meat from across the British Isles, supporting sustainable and ethical farming practices. Combining culinary creativity with traditional skills, Cai and his team deliver unforgettable, flame-fired feasts that reconnect people with the origins of their food www.gameandflames.com At Banquet 1415, you can expect delicious Beef Short Ribs to Argentine Sausage, Pork Collar and mixed grill with the famous chimichurri that will have your taste buds dancing. Insta: @banquet1415 These guys have been a staple of Feastival for a few years and are a must if you're going this summer. Serving classic New Orleans and Regional American flavours with their and Buttermilk Fried, don't be surprised if you venture back more than once! eatpoorboys.com That’s It Pancit is your go-to for bold Filipino BBQ, loaded noodle bowls, and crispy fries with a twist. They're all about big u, street food vibes, and sharing the love for pancit—Filipino-style stir-fried noodles—done right. Whether it’s juicy skewers fresh off the grill, saucy pancit packed with toppings, or fries drizzled with our signature sauces, we keep it simple, fun, and full of Filipino soul. Inspired by classic European bistros, neighbourhood bars and cafés that have influenced Australasian culinary duo Melanie Brown and Sami Harvey, The Laundry will be bringing their masterfully slow-cooked caramelised NZ spiced pork belly, a rich and creamy Mac'n'Cheese with smoked manuka and crispy Pangrattato, as well as a BBQ Brekky Bun to kick-start your day at Big Feastival. thelaundrybrixton.com If, like us, you love Mexican food, you will definitely love Elote Tacos. If you are a regular at Gloucester Food Dock, you will be familiar with these guys, and they will be bringing their flavour-packed authentic Mexican cuisine to the farm for the first time in 2025. elotetacos.com For anyone with a sweeter tooth, look no further than Blondies Kitchen. Founded in 2016 by two blonde foodies and professionally trained chefs, Kristelle and Chelsie, the girls became obsessed with American style cookies and have taken the cookie world by storm with their unique flavours and irresistible taste. Instagram: www.instagram.com/blondieskitchen We absolutely love Dumplings and these hand-crafted Himalayan ones are a thing of beauty. Their usual offering includes traditional pork and leek, signature beef and their vegan ones too. A restaurant in London for over a decade, Chick 'N' Sours have been taking their awesome fried chicken and flavours around the UK and is just another you should be trying at Big Feastival this August. www.chicknsours.co.uk
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After three sell out shows since Dom Joly’s Speakeazy started in April this year, the next two Speakeazy dates with a Dom Joly exclusive for Cheltenham have been announced at The Steam and Whistle Pub.
Not only will there be some incredible guests appearing, but ahead of Dom’s 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy Live Nation UK tour later this year, Dom thought it would be fun to give Cheltenham a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming UK tour. FRIDAY 8th August THURSDAY 11th September What started off as a whimsical idea has come true Dom Joly’s Speakeazy appears to have been a massive success with Cheltonians, and he couldn’t be happier. The opportunity to curate a regular mystery night out in his hometown has been both amazing fun and an incredible privilege for him. “I set out to curate Dom Joly’s Speakeazy to host big name guests like Jenny Éclair alongside emerging new talent like the extraordinary Tom A Smith whom Elton John described as “a massive star for the future.” Dom is also keen to support local talent and is on the look-out for interesting Cheltonian artists. “I want to support a wide range of acts, both in content and in age and across the whole spectrum of show business. The feedback has been fantastic with all the shows sold out so far and demand for future ones off the charts. Dom and the team have listened to regulars of the show and have slightly decreased the ticket capacity to make the experience more enjoyable. SpeakeaZy is driven by Dom’s wicked sense of fun along with his impeccable music taste. He adores curating the evenings so that SpeakeaZers never know what’s coming next. This Cabaret of Curiosities ranges from Dom’s tales of thirty extraordinary years stumbling through showbusiness, outrageous comedy characters, incredible music and of course, surprises…lots of surprises. August & September exclusive “What with this being the 25th anniversary of Trigger Happy TV, it’s a massively busy year for me, but for the next couple of shows prior to my UK tour I thought it might be fun to to give Cheltenham at our SpeakeaZy a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming shows on my 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy UK tour. So, the August and September Speakeazys will have a decidedly Trigger Happy TV theme to them and as news builds outside of Cheltenham about this incredibly popular night more names are set to join me on stage. We’ve moved the August date from a usual Thursday to a Friday to fit in with a particular name! But as always, you’ll have to wait to find out on the night! Tickets are on sale now - www.domjoly.tv/dom-jolys-speakeazy Radio 2 DJ and all-round music legend Jo Whiley will be bringing her 90s Anthems to Dunkertons on Saturday 20th September.
She will bring you all the best tracks from the greatest decade for music. Think Blur vs Oasis, Fatboy Slim, Primal Scream, The Verve, The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Prodigy and a whole lot more. Jo Whiley is quite simply the ultimate authority on British music – and the voice and face of a generation. Jo is headed your way with a dazzling new show as she rummages through her record bag to dig out the very best of 90s Anthems. No-one knows the 90s like Jo – she was right there on the cutting-edge, leading the charge as Britpop blew up, dance music exploded and indie went wild. Now you can relive those magical memories on a dancefloor once again with the queen of the 90's. Let Jo take you on a personal tour of her finest musical memories of the decade that defined them all. You can find all the info and tickets HERE. After a dramatic year in National Hunt racing, the curtain comes down at Prestbury Park with their one and only evening meeting of the season on Friday 2 May.
Amateur riders and trainers will be taking centre stage, all with the dream of winning at Cheltenham. The evening will bursting with energy, excitement, and great entertainment. Cheltenham favourite Richard James returns to the Tattersalls Sales Arena from 16:45 for the final time this season, delivering a feel-good soundtrack guaranteed to set the tone for a great night. Don’t miss local legends The Chip Shop Boys in a spectacular post racing finale, where they'll bringing the season to a close with an extended live performance. Gates open at 3:30pm with the first race going off at 4:35pm. Groups of 6 plus get 10% off at checkout. Under 18’s race free and must be accompanied by a responsible adult (over 21). All tickets and further info can be found here - www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/race-night One of our favourite things at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival is the incredible free "around town" events that take place across various venues in the town.
This dynamic programme showcases an exciting mix of performances, from intimate pop-up shows in pubs and bars to vibrant acts in unexpected spaces around town. With 70+ artists, it’s your chance to discover fresh talent, support emerging artists and maybe even catch a future headliner. The venues include The Free Stage on the festival site, Bottle of Sauce, Smokey Joes, The Queens, Hotel du Vin, The Tavern, The Brewery Quarter, John Lewis, and the Imperial Garden Bar. For the full day-to-day line-ups, visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.org/our-projects/around-town/cheltenham-jazz-festival-around-town After a sell-out first Cabaret of Curiosities last week, multi-award-winning comedian, and Cheltenham resident, Dom Joly has added some new dates at The Steam and Whistle Pub in Cheltenham
The next dates are: Thursday 1st May Thursday 5th June Thursday 3rd July The 230 deep crowd enjoyed a performance from the "You're Gorgeous" famed 90s rockers Babybird and the brilliantly funny French comedian Marcel Lucont. The Speakeazy is recorded for a podcast, with a mission to not only shine a light of local talent but invite bands he loves to do unplugged sets as well as a series of top mystery guests that, with the help of the audience, he will interview on stage. You can find all the information and ticket links HERE and photos from the first show below. Multi-award-winning comedian, and Cheltenham resident, Dom Joly has created an awesome new night in town.
Dom’s first Cabaret of Curiosities will take place aton Thursday 3rd April at The Steam and Whistle Pub (opposite Chetenham Spa railway station) and have a late-night chat show vibe with guests, music & comedy. Dom wants to provide a unique, off-beat experience. The idea is to have an evening that incorporates all of Joly’s interests- music, comedy, a bit of culture and a smattering of current affairs. It aims to be a monthly affair, taking place on the first Thursday of every month, and the evenings will be recorded for a podcast of the same name which he promises that it will not be your usual podcast. Joly wants to not only shine a light of local talent in his curiosity show, he has persuaded bands he loves to do unplugged sets and promises a series of top mystery guests that, with the help of the audience, he will interview on stage. These could be musicians, comedians, writers, politicians…anybody who Dom feels might be interesting and are foolish enough to accept his invitation. 2025 is already a huge year with the 25th anniversary of global smash hit Trigger Happy TV, and a tour being announced this week. You can find all the information of the Speakeazy HERE. Tickets for Gloucester Hartpury's Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) semi-final vs Bristol Bears are now on sale!
The two-time defending champions will play in their third consecutive semi-final on Sunday 2nd March, when West Country Rivals, Bristol Bears, come to Queensholm. General admission adult tickets are available for just £20 for seating & £15 for standing, whilst juniors can gain entry for just £10 anywhere in the Stadium for the highly anticipated semi-final fixture. With a bumper crowd expected at the iconic ground, be quick to secure your place now and click here to get your tickets. In other news, Gloucester Hartpury can confirm that Maud Muir has signed a new contract with the Club and has committed her future to The Circus. At just 23, the Red Rose front rower has already made 33 appearances for Gloucester Hartpury and has put pen to paper on a new deal to extend her time with the defending champions. For all information regarding the Gloucester Hartpury v Bristol Bears fixture, please visit www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk. Lulu, Tom Walker, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lisa Stansfield, David Gray, Roger Daltrey, Curtis Stigers, Macy Gray and Katie Melua are just a few of the names that will descend on Cheltenham Jazz Festival that takes place in the town from Wednesday 30 April – Monday 5 May 2025.
Since launching in 1996, Cheltenham Jazz Festival has built a reputation for hosting world class acts spanning jazz, blues, pop, soul and beyond, and will this year present globally celebrated performers. Taking place in the Festival Village in the town’s central Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2025 presents an array of special one-off performances, free events, group workshops, family-orientated shows, late-night jams and more. The Festival is also set to pop-up across the town, incorporating several additional venues including Cheltenham Town Hall, Parabola Arts Centre, Dunkerton's and late-night jazz jams held at Hotel Du Vin. Marking a special milestone as part of Cheltenham Festivals’ 80th anniversary – the charity behind four world renowned Jazz, Literature, Music and Science Festivals and talent and outreach programmes – the Jazz Festival will run across six days with a programme that once again reflects the far-reaching jazz landscape, offering music from a broad spectrum of styles and celebrating sounds from all corners of the globe. You can find all information here - www.cheltenhamfestivals.org The Big Feastival have today announce their line-up for this year's festival in August.
Travis, Nelly Futado, The Wombats, Faithless, Tom Walker and Sophie Ellis-Bextor will all play across the Bank Holiday weekend at Alex James' Farm in Kingham. The Pigeon Detectives, Rizzle Kicks, Maximo Park and Scouting For Girls will also be playing. The festival takes place from the 22nd-24th August 2025. For the full line up, visit bigfeastival.com With the Cheltenham Festival just weeks away, Festival Trials on Saturday 25th January is the last chance to catch racing at Cheltenham before the magical four days in March.
With a now 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 excitement isn’t restricted to the track, with fantastic live performances from The Afterparty and The Cinelli Brothers post racing and the return of the Race. Ride. Cheltenham VR equiciser experience; it is a seamless prelude to the Cheltenham Festival. Last year, Sir Gino put in a massive performance winning the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Hurdle trial, for Nicky Henderson, James Bowen and Mrs J Donnelly. He showed a spine-tingling turn of foot winning by an impressive 10 lengths and is favourite for the Arkle after outclassing Ballyburn at Kempton over Christmas. For us, Festival Trials is one of the best days of the year at Cheltenham with top quality racing and off course entertainment. Click here for all tickets and further info The entries for the 2025 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup have been announced and include just five horses from UK based yards.
Dual winner Galopin Des Champs is one of five Willie Mullins-trained horses entered into the race that takes place at Prestbury Park on Friday 15th March. The entered horses are: Ahoy Senor Banbridge Conflated Corbetts Cross Embassy Gardens Fact To File Galopin Des Champs Gentlemansgame Gerri Colombe Grangeclare West Grey Dawning Hewick Il Est Francais Jungle Boogie L’Homme Presse Minella Cocooner Monty’s Star Royale Pagaille The Real Whacker You can buy Cheltenham festival tickets here. Former Gloucester Rugby, Wales & British & Irish Lions back, James Hook. will return to Kingsholm at for this week's European Rugby Challenge Cup clash, under the lights against Welsh side, Scarlets.
The fan-favourite fly-half will be participating in an exclusive Q&A in the Captain's Lounge with his former teammate, Mark 'Aki' Atkinson, before the big fixture on Friday 10 January. Hook made 78 appearances for the Cherry & Whites between 2014 and 2017. He also represented Ospreys in Wales and Perpignan in France. A versatile player, he won 81 caps for Wales and toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 2009. Book your place in the iconic Captain's Lounge now for a pre-match meal and complimentary bar until kick-off, in addition to hearing from the former Cherry & White. Places are limited, click here to book your spot now. 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! FOREST LIVELet'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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