May sees the return of Gloucester’s signature event, our Tall Ships Festival. First held in October 2007 to help the city’s economy recover from the awful flooding experienced that summer, it has steadily grown in popularity ever since. It takes place every two years and is organised by Marketing Gloucester, with the support of many businesses and organisations locally.

The event attracts well over 100,000 visitors and is part of the successful programme of festivals taking place at the historic Docks now, including the recent Spring Fest, the Food Festival and the Victorian Market.

This year four vessels, making their first appearance at Gloucester, will sail into the main Dock basin and visitors will have the opportunity to go on board. A range of land-based entertainment will take place at the festival, including pirate ship battles and flyboarding displays. On 23rd and 24th May the Gloucester Stonecarving Festival will take place at the nearby Llanthony Priory, featuring some of the top stonemasons from up and down the country.

2015 is living up to its billing as “Our BiG Year”
A sea shanty festival will also run alongside the event at venues in the city centre, hopefully persuading people to visit our gate streets as well as the Docks.

When ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ was being filmed at the Docks last year, the producer told us that it was images of the Tall Ships Festival that persuaded them to choose Gloucester as a film location. Let’s hope this year’s event will also have a positive impact on investment and the economy in general.

With the Rugby World Cup coming here in September and October, Sir Elton John and Madness performing at Kingsholm over the summer and a whole range of events taking place throughout the year, 2015 is living up to its billing as “Our BiG Year”. And with continued progress on Gloucester’s regeneration, we really are a city on the up!

For more information about Gloucester’s Tall Ships Festival, visit www.gloucestertallships.co.uk.