Sunday 18 October 2026 · 48 items · 5 min read
The Wilson reopens on Friday 23 October, and it is doing it with a free community party from 17:00: a first look at the new collections galleries, then sandwiches, cakes and soft drinks, live music and craft workshops. The museum's Halloween trail starts the next day and curator-led tours and a holiday club follow in half-term week. Elsewhere, the University of Gloucestershire has put Francis Close Hall on the market with a £14 million repair bill, and the council has confirmed there will be no ice rink this Christmas. The rest, including the GWSR's half term, is below.
The week at a glance
Grand Reopening – Community Party: Friday 23 October, 17:00
October half term fun at the GWSR!: Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November
University of Gloucestershire puts Francis Close Hall Cheltenham campus on the market with £14 million repair bill
Pick your own pumpkins in the Cotswolds: Wednesday 21 October to Saturday 31 October
No ice rink for Cheltenham Christmas 2026
Weather
A grey, damp week, wettest on Friday. Drizzle hangs about on Monday and Tuesday, with Tuesday the day most likely to see rain, and Wednesday brings heavier bursts and the coolest start, down to 4°C before a 10°C afternoon. Thursday and Saturday are the pick, overcast with the rain chance about even and only a light breeze. Friday: moderate rain and a moderate breeze, so a proper coat. Sunday turns milder again at 14°C, with drizzle and the breeze up.
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, licensed CC BY 4.0.
Out and about
Friday 23 October, 17:00 · The Wilson · free
Friday 23 October to Saturday 24 October · Cheltenham Racecourse · Visit Cheltenham
Tuesday 20 October, 19:30 · Pittville Pump Room · £24 – £29
5K Night Run with Well Run · Wednesday 21 October, 19:00 · Dunkertons
Dear Zoo · Wednesday 21 October · Cheltenham Town Hall · £15.50
Rude Science · Sunday 25 October, 11:00 · Cheltenham Town Hall · £18 – £20
Beyond this week
Dragon Tales Story Telling · Monday 26 October, 14:00 · Hesters Way Library
We Will Rock You · Tuesday 27 October to Saturday 31 October · Everyman Theatre
Curator Led Tours · Tuesday 27 October to Friday 30 October · The Wilson · free
Additional Opening Day · Wednesday 28 October, 10:00 · Jet Age Museum
Creative Explorers: October Half-Term · Wednesday 28 October, 10:00 · The Wilson · £20
Cheltenham Lab - Spooky Pixel Art GIFs · Wednesday 28 October, 10:00 · Cheltenham Library · Child £2.00
Film Chelt · Friday 30 October to Sunday 8 November · Cheltenham · Visit Cheltenham
Medicinal Waters & Magical Music – A New Walking Tour · Friday 30 October · Holst Victorian House · £20
Halloween Party · Friday 30 October, 14:00 · The Wilson · £10
Theodor von Holst by Candlelight · Saturday 31 October · Holst Victorian House
Library sessions © Gloucestershire County Council, used under its terms for re-using published information.
What's going on in Cheltenham
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Community Governance Review (CGR) - Final Recommendations · Monday 19 October, 14:30 · Council meeting, Municipal Offices · Cheltenham Borough Council
Beyond this week
The Ivy Cheltenham serves up Halloween glamour with a Little Monsters Breakfast Banquet · Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November · SoGlos
Planning applications
Former Honeybourne Line, Honeybourne Way, Cheltenham · New shared public footpath and cycleway, and associated works · 26/01600/CLPUD · Cheltenham Borough Council
Taco Bell, 211 High Street, Cheltenham · New fascia sign, projecting sign and window manifestations · 26/01571/ADV · Cheltenham Borough Council
Lloyds Bank, 130 High Street, Cheltenham · Removal and alteration of external signage, removal of ATMs, internal partitions, suspended ceilings, vinyl flooring and carpet, installation of obscure glazing, repairs to the existing fabric, reinstatement of sections of the ashlar stone facade and timber panelling, and associated works · 26/01247/FUL and 26/01247/LBC · Cheltenham Borough Council
Roads closed
Byron Road (Milton Road to Tennyson Road) · on now, until Friday 23 October · Works by Gloucestershire County Council. Reason given: Carry out footway resurfacing.
Road closures from Gloucestershire County Council's Road Works Bulletin, where every roadwork is mapped. We list a closure as it starts and again in the week it ends.
Kids & family
Coming up
Pick your own pumpkins in the Cotswolds · Wednesday 21 October to Saturday 31 October · Cotswold Farm Park
October half term fun at the GWSR! · Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November · Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Halloween Trail · Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November · The Wilson
Beyond this week
Cotswold Children's Parties · Monday 26 October · Dunkertons
DWAEC ANIMAL SHOW · Tuesday 27 October · Dunkertons
Halloween Tots Spooktakular! · Tuesday 27 October, 10:30 · The Wilson · £5
Cheltenham Lab - Draw It, Laser It: Spooky Decorations · Wednesday 28 October, 11:30 · Cheltenham Library · Child £5.00
Party Peeps – Family Halloween Party · Wednesday 28 October, 14:00 · Pittville Pump Room
Every week
Baby Bounce & Rhyme · Up Hatherley Library, Tuesdays 10:15 to 10:45; Hesters Way Library, Tuesdays 10:30 to 11:00; Charlton Kings Library, Wednesdays 10:30 to 11:00; Cheltenham Children's Library, Wednesdays 14:00 to 14:30; Prestbury Library, Fridays 14:15 to 14:45 · Early Years · free · Gloucestershire Libraries
Drama Tots · Rising Stars: Every Tuesday, 9:45am–10:30am, Kings Hall, Charlton Kings (18–36 months); Bright Stars: Every Tuesday, 11:00am–11:45am, Kings Hall, Charlton Kings (3–4 years); All Stars: Every Thursday, 10:30am–11:15am, Highbury Church Hall, Cheltenham Centre (2–5 years); All Stars: Every Friday, 1:45pm–2:45pm, United Reform Church Hall, Warden Hill (2–5 years) · Drama Tots Cheltenham
Hesters Way - Tunes & Tales Family Singing Club · Hesters Way Library, Saturdays 10:00 to 11:00 · Families · free · Gloucestershire Libraries
Lego Club · Cheltenham Children's Library, Saturdays 10:30 to 12:30; Hesters Way Library, Saturdays 11:00 to 12:00; Charlton Kings Library, Saturdays 13:00 to 14:00 · Children · Gloucestershire Libraries
Library Littles · Up Hatherley Library, Mondays 14:30 to 15:00; Prestbury Library, Tuesdays 11:00 to 11:30; Hesters Way Library, Wednesdays 10:30 to 11:00; Charlton Kings Library, Thursdays 10:30 to 11:00 · Early Years · free · Gloucestershire Libraries
Story Time · Cheltenham Children's Library, Fridays 11:00 to 11:30 · Early Years · free · Gloucestershire Libraries
Library sessions © Gloucestershire County Council, used under its terms for re-using published information.
Worth the drive
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Top autumn walks · BBC
Beyond this week
Burford Autumn Food and Gift Fair 2026 · Saturday 31 October · Burford · Cotswold Events
Guided Cotswolds dog walks · Sunday 1 November · Cotswold Farm Park
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