Stroud and communities across the wider district are preparing for a busy first weekend of September, with a programme spanning traditional Morris dancing, folk music, Bluegrass, Americana, community activities, fundraising and family entertainment.
The events guide, published on 1 September 2026, covers activities taking place from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 September, with the main programme concentrated between Friday 4 and Sunday 6 September. Venues include Stroud Brewery, the Prince Albert in Rodborough, the Little Vic, St Laurence’s Church, Bank Gardens, Lansdown Hall, the Crown and Sceptre, Everlands Sports Field in Cam, Whiteway Colony and Gallery Pangolin in Chalford.
Morris dancing comes to Stroud and Rodborough
The weekend’s Morris dancing begins on Friday 4 September, when the Jolly Boys perform in the garden at Stroud Brewery from 3pm. The side comes from Kent and is visiting the area as part of a regional tour. The dancers are also scheduled to appear at the Prince Albert in Rodborough after 7pm.
The visit forms part of a wider celebration by Miserden Morris, one of Stroud’s two Merry-family-influenced Morris sides. The group is marking its tenth anniversary with a two-day event running from Friday 4 to Saturday 5 September.
The anniversary programme starts with a folk session at the Little Vic on Friday evening. On Saturday, guest Morris sides will perform at various locations around Stroud. The celebrations then conclude with an evening ceilidh at St Laurence’s Church.
Music, food and a new festival
The Crown and Sceptre’s Outer Fringe events conclude on Saturday with a full day of Bluegrass and Americana from noon. Alongside the music, the programme includes a chilli cook-off.
The listed performers are Luke Philbrick and the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion, Trevor Babajack Steger, and Sons of The Delta. The event provides another live-music option for people looking for an all-day activity in the Stroud area.
Cam will host the first Cam Peak Fest at Everlands Sports Field on Saturday. The festival is scheduled to run from noon until 11pm, with a range of musical acts performing to raise funds for local charities.
Beneficiaries named in the event information include the GL11 Community Hub and The Cam Youth and Community Centre. Performers are expected to include Thrill Collins, Shanghai Shuffle and Magerison. The source describes these acts as expected performers, so the line-up may change.
Awareness day at Bank Gardens and Lansdown Hall
Saturday will also see a family-friendly Palestine awareness event at Bank Gardens and Lansdown Hall, running from noon to 4pm. Mark Palestine Global Awareness Day is being organised by Stroud District Coalition for a Just Peace in Palestine, Stroud Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Community Solidarity Stroud District.
The programme is scheduled to include music, talks, activities, stalls and food. The two venues in the Lansdown area will host the event as organisers mark Global Awareness Day.
Whiteway Colony Fete returns
The annual Whiteway Colony Fete takes place on Sunday 6 September from 1pm to 4.30pm. Whiteway Colony was founded in 1898 by Tolstoyan anarchists, who, according to the event guide, cycled out in corduroys in search of a better life. The colony is now home to more than 100 people.
Visitors can expect stalls, a bouncy slide, a traditional tea tent, a bar and barbecue, together with a dog show. The fete also usually provides a rare opportunity to swim in the colony’s outdoor pool, although the source does not confirm that swimming will be available at this particular event.
Exhibitions in Chalford and Gloucester
Gallery Pangolin in Chalford opens a solo retrospective of ceramicist Jason Wason’s work on Saturday 5 September. The exhibition showcases selected works from across Wason’s career.
Wason is described as an 80-year-old ceramicist who has lived and worked on Cornwall’s rugged West Penwith peninsula for more than 30 years. His work is informed by the location, his travels around the world and his understanding of ancient and ceremonial pottery.
Further afield, Gloucester History Festival runs from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 September at Blackfriars Priory. This year it is being held as a guest of English Heritage after Gloucester City Council returned the lease in May.
The festival features more than 150 speakers, including David Olusoga, Tony Robinson, Michael Wood and Jung Chang. The events are part of the regular weekly guide to activities in Stroud and the wider district. Community organisers can submit events for possible inclusion in future editions through the newspaper’s event-listing process.