Diary
A forward date for your diary; a new Giffords Circus show Yasmine: A Musical, visits Cheltenham 10-14 June, Minchinhampton Common 4-17 August and Cirencester 2-6 September. It is a musical circus about the life of a legendary female horse trainer Yasmine Smart set in a glamorous 1940s setting.Tickets available now on 0845 459 7469 or book online at www.everymantheatre.org.uk. Adults £18 and children £12.
Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire is the venue for another season of popular outdoor concerts.
18 June, Keane is performing with Simply Red the next evening and James Morrison on 18 July. For ticket sales call 01842 814612. Buy online at www.forestry.gov.uk/music.
The Cotswold Craft Market is held on the second and fourth Saturday of each month at the Corn Hall in Cirencester, 10am-4.30pm. For more information contact Matthew Smith on 01761 431237. www.cotswoldcraftmarket.co.uk
There are monthly auctions of antiques and general items at Moore Allen & Innocent’s Norcote salerooms, Burford Road, Cirencester. Tel: 01285 646050. www.mooreallen.co.uk
The Corinium Museum in Cirencester holds monthly evening lectures on a wide range of subjects. Tickets cost £5 with a 10% discount for annual season ticket holders and Friends of the Corinium Museum. Booking is essential. The museum is also taking part in the Cotswold District Council Rural Cinema scheme and holds regular family events and children's holiday activities. For more details contact the museum on 01285 655611 or email: museums@cotswold.gov.uk.
Regular Farmers' Markets are held across the Cotswolds. Stroud is one of the largest and is regarded as one of the best in England. The market is held every Saturday from 9am until 2pm in Cornhill Market Place and the surrounding streets. There is a wide range of organic food including cheese and poultry and occaisional special events. On the last Saturday of each month, it joins forces with the Threadneedle Flea Market which offers jewellery and vintage home and garden ware.
Cheltenham holds its Farmers' market on the second and last Friday of each month from 9am to 3pm by the Long Gardens on the Promenade. There are regularly more than 40 stalls. There is a wide selection of meat products available both traditional breeds and more exotic including ostrich. There are also many more stalls selling among other things fresh and smoked fish, wines, ciders, juices and dairy produce.
Cirencester's Farmers' Market takes place in the historic market place on the second and fourth Saturday of each month between 8.30am and 1pm. Cheese, fruit and veg, and drinks such as Cotswold Country Liqueurs' traditional damson and sloe gins, are on offer.
Gloucester, Nailsworth, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Tewkesbury, Berkeley, Dursley and Winchcombe also have regular Farmers' Markets.
Annual Events:
March: National Hunt Festival and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham Racecourse. Tel. 01242 513014May is a busy month with a number of key events including the Badminton Horse Trials, Badminton. Tel: 01454 218375 for tickets.
In addition there are the following: Royal Horticultural Society Spring Gardening Show at Malvern, Worcestershire. Tel: 01684 584924 to book. The annual Woolsack Races and traditional street fair in Tetbury. Tel: 01666 503686, Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill, near Brockworth. www.cheese-rolling.co.uk and the Bath International Music Festival.