With our rich history of local tradition, Worcestershire does festivals better than most, and the 2025 calendar is jam-packed with timeless tradition and fresh excitement. Lifelong locals might recognise a few of the events here, but even Worcestershire residents might be pleasantly surprised by a few of the inclusions on our list.
This year’s calendar is packed with moments that’ll make you laugh, eat, dance, and maybe even time travel. Pop the kettle on, get yourself a cuppa, and let me walk you through the year’s highlights, with a few insider secrets along the way.
1. International Living History Festival (26–27 April, Avoncroft Museum)
Witness Avoncroft Museum transform into a time traveller’s playground during this year’s International Living History Festival. Over 40 reenactment groups bring history to life across the museum’s 19-acre site, from Stone Age camps to Cold War bunkers. If something has happened in the Black Country over the past 100,000 years, you’ll find reanimated examples here. Watch Viking blacksmiths forging weapons for battle or chat with World War II soldiers while they wait for the kettle to boil.
When hunger strikes, the on-site tavern serves mead in traditional Tudor fashion, but I’d recommend popping over to Bromsgrove’s Butcher Bob for one of his legendary sausage rolls.
2. Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe (8–14 June, Various Venues)
Each spring Worcestershire’s literary scene comes alive with the LitFest & Fringe, a celebration of words that ranges from highbrow poetry to delightfully silly murder mysteries. The festival kicks off with SpeakEasy LIVE at Boston Tea Party, where spoken-word artists take centre stage and show off their artistic talents.
If you’re in Worcester for the festival, don’t miss “Murder at the Manor,” a 1920s-themed murder mystery held at The Commandery. Guests interrogate suspicious characters while sipping gin cocktails and tucking into delicious small bites.
Worcester Porcelain Museum’s “Writing with Quills” workshop gives you the chance to channel your inner Jane Austen while learning just how messy ink can be. We bet you’ll last five minutes before realising how lucky you are with today’s modern keyboards.
3. Royal Three Counties Show (13–15 June, Malvern)
The Royal Three Counties Show is literally like the Oscars of agricultural festivals. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a royal guest or two flying in on their private jet. The Three Counties Showground becomes a red carpet of farming displays, food stalls, and family-friendly entertainment. The main arena hosts equestrian stunts, while the Artisan Cheese Tent offers samples that could convert the most devoted supermarket shopper into a local dairy fanatic.
Friday tends to be the quietest day, perfect for leisurely exploring, while Sunday gives visitors the chance to bag a bargain, with vendors slashing prices on everything from honey to handmade soaps.
4. Worcester Balloon Festival (20–21 June, Worcester Racecourse)
When you think of hot air balloons, you might think about the famous daily ascents in Cappadocia, but you’ll be surprised to hear that you can have the same, no, better experience right here in the heart of Worcestershire. Witness dozens of hot air balloons drift over the city like giant, candy-coloured jellyfish. Pilots synchronise their burners to music at dusk during the Balloon Glow, turning the racecourse into a luminous dreamscape.
Once back on solid ground, head to The Oil Basin Brewhouse for their signature “Balloon-tini,” a purple cocktail that tastes as magical as the event itself. Local legend says if a balloon lands in your garden, you owe the pilot a cuppa.
5. Three Counties Food & Drink Festival (26–27 July, Malvern)
Another standout event at the Three Counties Showground, this festival serves as a glutton’s paradise, where sampling your way through the stalls is a competitive sport. Pensons Farm’s hop-infused sourdough is an iconic stop, while the Malvern Pudding Co.’s sticky toffee pudding has become a staple finale to most locals’ Sunday roasts.
6. Worcester Tribute Festival (23 August, Worcester Racecourse)
Guilty pleasures become headline acts at Worcester Tribute Festival, home to more fan favourites than any festival in the U.K. Tribute bands and artists from Eminem to Ed Sheeran turn the racecourse into a sing-along paradise, delivering an unforgettable music festival experience.
Food options are surprisingly diverse, with a standout Thai street food van serving pad thai that might make you second-guess whether you’re in Bangkok or Birmingham. And if you’ve ever wanted to see a middle-aged mum lose her mind over a Take That impersonator, this is your chance.
7. Droitwich Spa Christmas Lights Switch-On (Early December)
Droitwich’s lights switch-on is small-town charm at its best. Hosted in Victoria Square, details for the 2025 event remain tightly under wraps. However, the 2024 event included a Lantern Festival, market stalls, the Salvation Army Band, an ENTW9 dance display and performances by SB Danceworks and Norbury Theatre.
After the ceremony, Webb’s Garden Centre usually provides the mince pies with enough brandy to warm you from the inside out.
Why Worcestershire Wins
One important thing not to forget about these Worcestershire festivals is that none of them would exist without the amazing local people giving up their time to make them happen. The farmer who patiently explains sheep shearing to wide-eyed kids. The balloon pilot who high-fives every child in reach. The card-show veteran who’ll trade you a Pikachu for a good story. It’s the people who are at the heart of everything fun in Worcestershire.
Article written by Lisa Nathalie
