Sunshine, honey-stone villages, lush gardens, trickling rivers and a cold drink in a pub beer garden – there aren’t many places better than the Cotswolds to spend your summer. And whether the weather is sunny or not there’s plenty to do in the Cotswolds in summer – from festivals and events to day trips, walking trails, outdoor film screenings and even a day on the beach. So to help you plan the next few months, here are 25 of our top things to do in summer 2025 in the Cotswolds.
25 things to do in the Cotswolds in summer
The great outdoors
1. Photograph a flower field
With their rows of colourful blooms stretching as far as the eye can see, flower fields are one of the top photo opportunities in the Cotswolds in summer. The best known are the purple-hued fields of Cotswold Lavender near Snowshill, which are open from 18 June–6 August in 2025.
There are also the confetti fields at the Real Flower Petal Confetti Co in Worcestershire (26 June–6 July) and the Summer Flower Festival at Cotswold Farm Park (19 July–31 August).
2. Take a walk on the Cotswold Way
The 102-mile (164km) route of the Cotswold Way National Trail is one of the most beautiful long-distance walking paths in the country, running between Chipping Campden and Bath past castles and country houses, churches and abbey ruins, scenic viewpoints and historic towns.
You don’t have to commit to the full distance though, as there are plenty of shorter stretches available to give you a taste of the Cotswold Way. We picked eight of our favourite circular walks along the Cotswold Way from 2.5 to 6 miles, but you can also choose a linear stretch between two towns or villages and then take public transport or a taxi back to your starting point.
3. Enjoy an outdoor film screening
Grab your popcorn and watch a film under the stars this summer at an outdoor film screening. The Alfresco Film Co are hosting screenings of several different films between June and September, including Mamma Mia!, Top Gun Maverick, Wicked and Finding Nemo. Cotswold venues this year include Cowley Manor and Ellenborough Park hotels and the Cheltenham Lido.
Or Adventure Cinema comes to Westonbirt Arboretum from 15–17 August 2025, with a sing-a-long Greatest Showman, an ABBA party night and a Pretty Woman picnic.
4. Or an al-fresco theatre performance
There are also outdoor theatre performances around the Cotswolds this summer. Touring theatre troupe The Handlebards – who travel by bike – perform Much Ado About Nothing at Painswick Rococo Garden (26–28 June), The Manor Notgrove (29 June) and Asthall Manor (2 July).
Shakespeare fans can also see Twelfth Night at the Broadway Tower (27 June), The Merry Wives of Windsor at Cheltenham Lido (19 July) and Macbeth at Sudeley Castle (10 August).
Jenny Wren Productions are putting on Treasure Island at spectacular local venues including Cerney House Gardens (9 August) and the Cotswold Sculpture Park (15/16 August). And National Trust site Newark Park hosts Sense and Sensibility (2 August) and Hamlet (30 August).
5. Listen to music among the trees
Forest Live is an annual concert series, with live music performances in some of the UK’s most beautiful natural woodlands – including Westonbirt Arboretum. This year sees performances from Snow Patrol (17 June), Sting (18 June), Elbow (19 June), Paul Heaton (20 June), McFly (21 June) and The Script (22 June). And the proceeds go towards protecting forests for the future.
6. Looks for lions in Cheltenham
Lions at Large: The Pride of Gloucestershire trail see 32 large lion sculptures taking to the streets and parks of Cheltenham and Gloucester from 11 July–14 September 2025. Each of the lions is decorated differently by local artists – track them down and see if you can find them all. Then once the trail is finished, the sculptures will be auctioned off to raise money for cancer charities.
Cool off
7. Hit the beach at the Cotswold Country Park
The Cotswolds might not have the sea, but it does have the UK’s largest inland beach. The Cotswold Country Park and Beach south of Cirencester is set among the 40 square miles of the Cotswold Lakes. As well as building sandcastles on the beach, you can swim, try watersports like kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, or tackle the AquaVenture inflatable waterpark.
8. Take a dip in a lido
Another way to enjoy an al fresco dip this summer in the Cotswolds is at one of the area’s outdoor swimming pools – which are heated to a comfortable 25ºC. There’s been a lido in Sandford Park in Cheltenham since 1935, with a 50-metre main pool plus children’s pools. There’s also a 25-metre pool at Chipping Norton Lido and the 27-metre Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool.
9. Try a local ice cream
For an ice cream with a view, head to Winstones Ice Cream Parlour on the edge of Rodborough Common near Stroud, who celebrate their 100th anniversary this year. This National Trust common is home to grazing cattle, butterflies and wildflowers, and has views over the Stroud Valley and Severn Estuary. There are 17 different ice creams available each day, including dairy-free options, with flavours like English toffee fudge, rhubarb crumble and blackberries and cream.
10. Paddle in the river at Bourton-on-the-Water
Cool off with a paddle in the shallow River Windrush in Bourton-on-the-Water, which runs through the middle of the village. The water is refreshingly cool on a hot day, though it gets busy so you’ll find more space away from the village centre. And if you visit on August Bank Holiday you can watch the annual river football match, where two teams battle for glory in a very wet game.
Festivals and events
11. Music festivals
We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to music festivals in the Cotswolds this summer, from big-name events to smaller community festivals. Whether you’re packing a tent and camping for the weekend or just visiting for the day, there’s plenty of music to enjoy including:
- Wychwood (30 May–1 June): Shed Seven and James headline at Cheltenham Racecourse.
- 2000 Trees (9–12 July): 130 rock and indie bands across five stages in Withington.
- Tetfest (12 July): Family-friendly Tetbury event with entertainment and fairground rides.
- Chalfest (18–19 July): Judge Jules and Kula Shaker headline, plus craft and DJ workshops.
- Riverside Festival (19–20 July): Oxfordshire’s biggest free music festival with 30 bands.
- Big Feastival (22–24 August): Celebrates the best of music and food in Kingham.
12. The Cotswold Olimpick Games
The Olimpick Games is one of the Cotswolds’ quirkiest events, taking place on 30 May 2025 on Dover’s Hill, just outside Chipping Campden. The games date back to 1612 when Robert Dover had the idea for an Olympics-style sporting competition, and were revived in the 1960s.
Events are a bit different to the real Olympics though, including shin-kicking, tug ‘o war and hammer throwing. Then it ends with fireworks and a torchlit procession into Chipping Campden.
13. Art festivals in Broadway and Langford
Art lovers can enjoy theatre shows, walks, talks, tours and workshops at Broadway Arts Festival from 6–15 June 2025. There’s also artBEAT on the village green on the first weekend, showcasing local artists, jewellers, sculptors and ceramicists. And there’s more artistic inspiration at Langford Arts Festival on 7–8 June, with hands-on sessions and works by 60 artists to view and buy.
14. The Cotswold Show
The Cotswold Show and Food Festival takes place on 28–29 June 2025 in Cirencester Park, part of the Bathurst Estate. This country fair features exciting events like motorcycle displays, Olympic dressage, falconry shows and a parachute display, alongside cookery and rural skills demonstrations, dog shows and hundreds of trade stands selling local food, drink, crafts and gifts.
15. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace
The Battle Proms picnic concerts combine music and military history in a celebration of all things British. This year’s event at Blenheim Palace takes place on 5 July, with battle reenactments from the Napoleonic cavalry and parachute displays from the Red Devils, a music performance including a Spitfire flypast and 193 cannons, and a giant firework display over the palace.
16. Celebrate all things canine
Your four-legged friends have not one but two special events for them in the Cotswolds this summer. DogFest at Blenheim Palace (12–13 July) and The Big Bark in Cirencester Park (16-17 August) both include doggy activities and demonstrations, expert tips from dog trainers and nutritionists, dog shows and plenty of shopping, eating and drinking opportunities for owners too.
17. The Royal International Air Tattoo
Taking place on 18–20 July at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the Royal International Air Tattoo is the world’s largest military air show. Fast jets, giant transporters and historic aircraft take to the skies, including the Red Arrows and a historic Lancaster Bomber and Spitfire. On the ground you can try flight simulators, meet air crews in the RAF Experience and shop the Vintage Village.
18. Fantasy Forest Festival
The grounds of Sudeley Castle are transformed into a magical world for the Fantasy Forest Festival on 18–20 July. The festival includes all genres of fantasy, from sci-fi to steampunk, cosplay to comics. There are three stages dedicated to live music, a costume competition, games zone, circus skills workshops for kids and the UK’s largest fantasy market with over 100 stalls.
History and heritage
19. Tewkesbury Medieval Festival
Go back in time to 1471 and experience the Battle of Tewkesbury on the site where it took place at Tewkesbury Medieval Festival on 12–13 July. It’s the largest free medieval gathering in Europe, with period music, drama, falconry displays and arts and craft sessions. It’s free to visit but there’s food and drink available to buy, including their own specially brewed medieval ale.
20. Ride on a steam train
Take a ride on board a stream train on the Gloucestershire–Warwickshire Steam Railway this summer. This volunteer-run railway travels through stunning Cotswold scenery between Cheltenham and Broadway. Get a Day Rover ticket to travel on the line all day, or join in events like the Real Ale Festival (13–15 June) and Teddy Bear Thursdays (31 July, 7 and 14 August).
21. Explore a historic house and garden
The Cotswolds is full of beautiful historic properties, and summer is a great time to visit to see their gardens in full bloom. Among the region’s highlights are the Arts and Crafts-inspired Hidcote Manor Garden and Kiftsgate Court Gardens, both near Chipping Campden, Prior Park Landscape Garden near Bath, and the charming organic cottage gardens at Snowshill Manor.
For something a bit different, visit the quirky Indian-style Sezincote House and Gardens near Moreton-in-Marsh. Also nearby is Bourton House Garden which is now open for the summer months, as are the romantic, tucked-away Cerney House Gardens just north of Cirencester.
Food and drink
22. Feast your way around Cheltenham Food Festival
Eat, drink and be merry at the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival this summer, which takes place in Montpellier Gardens on 20–22 June. There are demonstrations from chefs Rosemary Schrager and MasterChef winner Ping Coombs, wine tastings and cheese masterclasses alongside live music, street theatre, a dog show, kids’ entertainment and plenty of food and drink stalls.
23. Have a picnic with a view
Gather together some of Cotswolds’ tasty local produce and head to one of the area’s scenic viewpoints for a summer picnic. Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds at 330 metres and has panoramic views across the Severn Vale towards Wales. More of our favourite Cotswold picnic spots include Leckhampton Hill and Crickley Hill Country Park near Cheltenham, Painswick and Harefield Beacons, the Broadway Tower, Selsey Common and the Tyndale Monument.
24. Taste wine at Woodchester Valley Vineyard
Woodchester Valley Vineyard near Stroud brings a taste of the South of France to the Cotswolds this summer with rows of grapes ripening in the sunshine. This award-winning vineyard produces white, rosé and sparkling wines, and you can learn how it’s made and try some on a tour and tasting. Or there are regular events like afternoon tea, dog walks and Friday fizz and chips.
25. Raise a glass at a beer festival
The last of our highlights of the Cotswolds in summer is a beer festival, with two to choose from, both serving a wide range of real ales and craft beers. The Charlbury Beer Festival on 28 June includes the World Aunt Sally Singles Championships. And the Campaign for Real Ale’s Cotswold Beer Festival at Postlip Hall on 18–20 July features Morris dancers, brass bands and food trucks.
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