Gloucester Cathedral is hosting the longest-running classical music festival in the world.
The Three Choirs Festival dates back to the 18th Century and rotates between the cathedrals of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester.
The festival is running until Saturday, with its artistic director Adrian Partington describing it as a “fantastic thing”.
“We have some of the greatest musicians of the country walking around the streets of Gloucester and performing,” he said.
The event began as informal gatherings of music societies, which paved the way for an annual meeting of the three cathedral choirs.
The festival, which has links to royalty with King Charles as its patron and The Duke of Gloucester as its president, was officially named Three Choirs Festival in 1838, when it was held in Gloucester.
The programme for the 2026 festival celebrates English composer Edward Elgar’s legacy, champions living composers, and celebrates a landmark moment for Gloucester Cathedral’s refurbished and renewed organ.
The event also includes a series of city walks to explore Roman, Saxon and monastic Gloucester, an outdoor theatre, a silent film with live organ improvisation and late-night performances.