Tomorrow (Saturday) marks Gloucester Day again: the annual celebration of the relief of the Siege of Gloucester in August 1643 - our city's most dire time, and a major turning point in the Civil War.
2022 Mock Mayor making, orchestrated by Town Crier Alan Myatt
This used to be celebrated annually, then this slipped into abeyance and in 2009 Town Crier Alan Myatt reinvented the tradition, along with a Mock Mayor of Barton making, two parades, music speeches and often VIP visitors.
We cover a couple of thousand years of history in one parade
Gloucester Day, now kicks off two weeks of the Gloucester History Festival, a change I introduced in 2012 to bring Gloucester Day the Heritage Open Days and the new Blackfriars Talks together. Later we added a City Voices programme (now Voices Gloucester).
TRH Duke & Duchess of Gloucester meet
the Tailor of Gloucester, Nader Razae
What's the point of it all?
Heritage and history that looks forward as well as back: pride and fun
..and ancient coins found in or close to Gloucester, in the Heritage Hub
Where does it all happen?
Tomorrow is Gloucester Day: there'll be stalls in both the Gate Streets and in Kings Square - and here's a programme of events in Kings Sq:
10.00 on Gloucester’s Got Talent
11.00 Ukrainian singing
11.20 Mock Mayor of Barton making
11.40 on Choirs, Strings & Swing Dance
14.20 Mayor takes parade salute
14.40 Swing Dancing
15.10 Pride
And the Heritage Open Days?
Next weekend ie Fri 8-10th and a full list of wonderful buildings (many not usually open to the public), places and pubs to visit are all listed plus many talks and walks on gloucestercivictrust.org.uk
Look for the pink banner with a white H for buildings open on Heritage Open Weekend
What about the Blackfriars Talks?
There are 49 talks, discussions and even some music from the 9-17th September
Who's coming?
Great historians and tv celebrities, brilliant less well known authors, Gloucester's own historian, a retired Chief of General Staff, a former Prime Minister, our city archaeologist..and many others
How do we see the details and book?
Everything is easily seen and booked online through gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk but if you prefer - like me - to look at a hard copy brochure there are copies available at the Museum of Gloucester, the Folk of Gloucester and Gloucester Railway Station.
You can even ask for help booking from box office staff at the Museum - there'll be there tomorrow by the way.
What are your favourite tips?
Some of the best known speakers and authors (eg Janina Ramirez, Theresa May, David Olusoga, Michael Wood, Jeremy Bowen & David Owen) are already sold out - although you might get lucky checking on the day at Blackfriars if any tickets have been returned.
That still leaves you a feast of opportunity - including Tom Holland on War & Peace in Rome's Golden Age (Sat 16th), and my book of the year Devil-Land by Clare Jackson (Sun 10th), brilliant on the 100 years of chaos in the 17th century (and makes today look like a picnic in the park)
Here are a couple of really interesting talks I like the sound of:
From Bridgerton to Poldark: the Secret Life of the Historical Consultant (Thurs 14 Sep)
And on this Day in Politics by Iain Dale (Fri 15th Sep, in conversation with me!) Brilliant for pub quizzes..
What about talks for children?
Most of the Blackfriars Talks are very accessible for children, but we are also planning a film of Gloucester's Visible and Less Visible History designed especially for schools and shown not least through the King's Talks in the Ivor Gurney Hall.
Anything else we should know?
An amazing event with great stars of past and present at Kingsholm to celebrate 150 years of rugby in Gloucester at 7pm 7th September.
Is our Heritage & History only celebrated during the Gloucester History Festival fortnight?
Not at all - the Museum of Gloucester and the Civic Trust run Folk of Gloucester, as well as many other great buildings - including the Cathedral - are open all year round.
The festival's own King's Talks also include talks predominantly about local history: and I recommend the talk on Windrush with three Gloucester residents of the Windrush generation on October 20th.
The Civic Trust also has its own range of talks, and have guided walks on dates around the year too.
Lastly our Festival also now has a Spring Weekend in April, and more details on some exciting plans for 2024 will be shared closer the time.
How's it all financed?
The City Council helps fund Gloucester Day and is a sponsor of the Gloucester History Festival - but most of our funding is from ticket buyers, a few generous local businesses like Ecclesiastical, the University of Gloucestershire and a handful of foundations.
Our aim is to avoid being a burden non the taxpayer, though the grants we had during the pandemic were invaluable for survival.
Has the Festival lived up to your dream and added to Gloucester's greater good?
More than. In 2011 I wrote:
"I believe that a History Festival will show what different individuals and organisations can achieve if we pull together - encouraging a History Festival to be a great part of Gloucester's future."
Thirteen years since we started, with almost a thousand talks on local, national and international history and over 40 Heritage Lottery Fund wins for Gloucester later: tens of thousands of people who've come to events; and with Blackfriars now wedding venue of the year (South West) as well as our great base for Talks - yes I hope this Festival goes on for decades to come and spreads into our schools as a key part of knowing ourselves better, with all our mistakes, tragedies and yes triumphs as well.
For who can forget only a few weeks ago when Kingsholm became Queensholm and more dreams were made..
See you there!
PS I hope to see lots of our Ukrainian community again too!
