The Cheltenham Year
The festivals and racing fixtures that anchor Cheltenham's year, in the order they come around — with the race weeks that reshape town traffic flagged.
Cheltenham's year runs on its festivals and its racing. Here is what comes around and roughly when, sorted so the next event is first. Race weeks — especially the March Festival — reshape traffic and parking across the north of town, so they are flagged. This calendar gives the recurring slot; for a given year's exact dates, tickets and programme, follow the official links, which are always the final word.
In 20 days
Cheltenham Music Festival
Early-to-mid July 2026 · Cheltenham Festivals
exact dates vary — confirm before you go
A summer festival of classical music, blending traditional and contemporary programmes across the town's concert venues and churches.
Through the year
Cheltenham Literature Festival
In 112 daysEarly-to-mid October, about ten days 2026 · Cheltenham Festivals
exact dates vary — confirm before you go
The world's oldest literature festival — bestselling authors and public figures across a large marquee village in Montpellier Gardens.
Ten days of large crowds around Montpellier; plan parking and town-centre journeys accordingly.