We are all aware or at least we should be that Stratford upon Avon was the town where the famous bard William Shakespeare was born then raised and lived and eventually died.

Thousands of visitors from the UK and the world flock to Stratford upon Avon each year to see the famous house where he lived but it’s not all just about Shakespeare in Stratford.

There are all sorts of Events that take place in Stratford each month from community events and charity events to haunted ghost walks and river cruises to plays at the world famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

On top of all this, there are sporting events like the Great Shakespeare Ride and the Shakespeare Marathon that takes place each year. In addition every year for lovers of music the Global Gathering at the Long Marston Airfield possibly one of the biggest music events of the year.

The events are very varied and offer a scope of enjoyment for all, the organisers of these particular events in Stratford range from charities events to haunted ghost walks and tours around the town on where you can find out about the history of the town.

Charity Events in Stratford

The Shakespeare Hospice is a local independent charity that provides specialist care for adults in Stratford upon Avon. In addition to been a worthwhile charity the hospice holds all sorts of community and charity events all year round to raise money and awareness for there causes.

Some of the great charity events that the hospice holds every year in Stratford include the Great Shakespeare Ride and the Moonlit Walk in Stratford. The Great Shakespeare takes place in August every year and is a very challenging sporting event.

The ride takes in most of South Warwickshire and the Cotswolds as you ride through beautiful villages, rolling terrain and some rather straining hills.

The Moonlit Walk in Stratford is another great charity event held by the hospice each year to raise money for services at the hospice. The event always starts and finishes at the Stratford High School and its not called the moonlit walk for nothing the event begins at 8.30pm!mums and daughters and aunts and nieces are all encouraged to register and take part.

As well as holding charity, sporting events the hospice is also well known for holding carnivals in Stratford and clothing and fashion sales and summer fairs all in the aid of charity. The Shakespeare Hospice is located at Church Lane Shottery Stratford upon Avon.

Ghost Walks and Tours in Stratford

If you are interested in learning about the history of Stratford upon Avon and some of its dark past then The Stratford Town Walk tours are an excellent start.

This Godiva Award Winning Attraction for best visitor attraction does all types of walks through the town of Stratford founded in 2002 The Stratford Town Walk comprises of a team of dedicated and enthusiastic local guides and specialise and have experience in walking and sightseeing and coach tours in Stratford upon Avon and the Cotswolds.

The town walk is one of the most popular ones, is held every day of the year even on Christmas Day, and respectively includes a tour of all the famous sites of Stratford upon Avon. These include the Birthplace of William Shakespeare and New Place and Halls Croft. In addition, the walk also takes in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre the beautiful River Avon and The Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was baptised and eventually laid to rest.

All the walks are very informative and are made to be as interesting as possible apart from the Shakespeare Houses on the walk you will also learn about the plague in Stratford and stories of fires and flooding and an overall history of the town.

Then you have the award winning Ghost Walk and the Ghost Cruise here you join the so-called “Man In Black” as you take a historic tour of the town.

On the tour you will learn all about the sinister past of the town and discover stories of ghosts and witches misery and murder including a visit to the 17th century haunted tearoom and a visit to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre said to be haunted by a phantom!.

The guides on the Ghost walks are all professionals, are all members of Equity, and include professional magicians and entertainers they deliver and present the walks in their own unique style making it a ghostly and fascinating evening when on the walk in Stratford upon Avon

If you are not so energetic and you would rather have a relaxing evening on the River Avon then the Ghost Cruise would be ideal. As you stroll down the River Avon, you will hear spine chilling ghost stories and be entertained by magic and mind reading the ghost cruises always begin and end at Bancroft Cruisers landing stage which is at the Holiday Inn Bridgefoot Stratford upon Avon.

The Stratford Town Walk also do a Stratford Coach Tour, which is a panoramic tour around the town here from the comfort of the coach you will be able to take in all the famous Shakespeare Houses and the beautiful Warwickshire countryside the tour is normally 1-3 hrs in duration.

Another event organiser famous for its Ghost tours and walks of Stratford upon Avon is the company known as The Falstaff Experience who also got the Godiva Award for best visitor attraction. The Falstaff experience is set in one of Stratford upon Avon most historic buildings known as “Tudor world” which is “Shrieves House” said to be the most haunted building in the UK

The events held at The Falstaff Experience range from Séance Evenings to Ghost Tours these are held every night as you walk within the building only led by a lantern light. Then you have the ghost hunts and vigils where you can actually use ghost hunting equipment and watch and wait vigils in the most haunted areas of the building.

If that was not enough another event is the Haunted Pub Walk of Stratford on the walk you will follow a route through alley ways and courtyards that lead you to some of Stratford’s most haunted pubs and inns, where you will hear stories and learn about the history behind the haunting.

Music Events in Stratford

If you want the best in live music events in Stratford upon Avon then you need to look no further than the very popular destination that is Cox’s yard. The location of Cox’s Yard is a converted timber yard on the River Avon, which has been recently refurbished. The yard now incorporates an Attic Theatre, Tea Room a Music Venue and a family pub and coffee shop.

Cox’s Yard is well known for its wide spectrum of live music events throughout the year from live bands to dance and theatre all held in the state of the art live music room complete with turbosound and a relay screen. The yard also has a Studio theatre on site, which can seat up to 95 people known as the Attic Theatre.

Here you can see all sorts of theatre productions to suit all ages such as the Childrens Theatre and the Playbox Theatre featuring classic theatre for children. In addition, the Attic Theatre also presents an array of professional productions from the local company Tread the Boards Theatre Company who have played to sell out audiences from around the Warwickshire Area and the Midlands.

Theatre Events in Stratford  

If you are a serious about Theatre then respectively a visit to the recently renovated Royal Shakespeare Theatre cannot be missed. One of the world best known theatre companies in the world the RSC produces spectacular Shakespeare theatre productions all year round from the “Merchant of Venice” to a “Midsummer Nights Dream” to “Macbeth” to name just a few.

The RSC also holds open days where members of the public can visit and see for themselves how the plays and productions at the RSC are brought to life,

The open day also include theatre skills, fun workshops, onstage debates and talks and is open to all ages.

Therefore, as you can see there’s always some sort of event going on in Stratford upon Avon all year round.