Love Rugby Festival 2026
A fortnight of free fun, big names and a town finding its feet under new management
Rugby's summer of love is back. From Saturday 20 June to Sunday 5 July 2026, the Love Rugby Festival returns for its second year, with a two-week programme of art, live music, sport, culture and family entertainment spread across the town and its villages. Most of it is free, much of it is run by local community groups and businesses with help from council grants, and it sits alongside one of the strongest line-ups the ticketed Festival on the Close at Rugby School has ever assembled.
It also arrives at a moment of real change for how Rugby organises its town centre events, following the closure of the long-standing Business Improvement District, Rugby First, on 31 March 2026 and the transfer of those events to Rugby Borough Council.
What's on in 2026
The festival runs for a fortnight, deliberately coinciding with Rugby School's Festival on the Close to concentrate activity in the second half of June, before winding up with the now traditional fun run on the first Sunday of July. Rugby Borough Council describes it as "a two-week celebration of local art, live music, sports, culture and family entertainment", and the breadth is genuinely wide, taking in gallery exhibitions, walking tours, dance classes, sports tasters, live bands, family fun days and a poetry competition.
Music, Comedy & Theatre (ticketed)
While most of the festival is free, this is the strand to book ahead for. The biggest names gather at the Festival on the Close in the grounds of Rugby School during the opening week, where a different act takes to the stage each evening from Saturday 20 to Tuesday 23 June, ranging from Sara Pascoe's stand-up and Michael Rosen's poetry to an 18-piece dance orchestra, an all-female brass band and a full night of opera.
Beyond the Close, the town's own venues add to the bill, with the jukebox musical We Will Rock You running across the fortnight at Rugby Theatre, a Bon Jovi and Guns N' Roses tribute at the Benn Hall, and a riotous Drag Bingo night in the town centre. Prices start at £12, and the headline shows tend to sell quickly, so early booking is wise.
NICE! Stories and Rhymes with Michael Rosen
When: Sat 20 June, 6pm
Where: Temple Speech Room, Rugby School
Cost: From £15
Ages: All ages
Book: ticketsource.com/thefestivalontheclose
The poetry legend opens the festival with a brand-new show marking his 80th birthday.
Manford's Comedy Club with Sara Pascoe
When: Sat 20 June, 8pm
Where: The Close, Rugby School
Cost: From £16
Ages: 16+
Book: ticketsource.com/thefestivalontheclose
A night of stand-up headlined by Sara Pascoe, in support of the Bradby Club.
Juke Ibiza Orchestra
When: Sun 21 June, 8pm
Where: The Close, Rugby School
Cost: From £16
Ages: 18+
The 18-piece orchestra delivers a euphoric night of live dance anthems and club classics.
She's Got Brass
When: Mon 22 June, 8pm
Where: The Close, Rugby School
Cost: From £12
London's all-female brass extravaganza, with a powerhouse horn and percussion section.
London Festival Opera: A Night at the Opera
When: Tue 23 June, 8pm
Where: The Close, Rugby School
Cost: From £20
Celebrated arias and ensembles from Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet and more.
We Will Rock You
When: Sat 20 to Sat 27 June, evenings 7.30pm (Sun 6.30pm, Sat matinee 2pm)
Where: Rugby Theatre, Henry Street
Cost: £22, concessions available
Ages: 14+
Book: rugbytheatre.co.uk
The Queen and Ben Elton jukebox musical, staged by Rugby Theatre.
Guns N Jovi
When: Sat 4 July, 7.30pm
Where: The Benn Hall, Newbold Road
Cost: Adults £19.50, child/senior £18, plus £3 booking fee
Ages: All ages, under-16s accompanied
Book: uk.patronbase.com
A tribute show built around the greatest songs of Bon Jovi and Guns N' Roses.
Drag Bingo at The Aviary Bar
When: Thu 25 June, 8.30pm
Where: The Aviary Bar, 25 High Street
Cost: £20
Ages: 18+
Book:info@aviarybar.co.uk
Bingo, prizes and outrageous performances from drag act The Saturnos, welcome drink included.
RSC Artistic Swimming Summer Show
When: Thu 9 July, 7pm
Where: Queen's Diamond Jubilee Centre, Bruce Williams Way
Cost: £3 on the door
A celebration of the club's season, just after the festival proper.
Free Live Music, Dance & Performance
Away from the ticketed headliners, the festival is full of music and dance that costs nothing at all, and much of it invites you to take part rather than simply watch. The breadth on offer says a lot about the town: choral concerts and a fusion collaboration at St Andrew's Church, a full day of local bands at the Benn Hall, jazz, folk, a traditional ceilidh and Bollywood and salsa sessions where no experience is needed.
Several events are about joining in, from adding your voice to the Love Rugby Song 2026 to having a go on the steelpans in Caldecott Park, and there are gentler options too, such as a meditative morning of Indian classical ragas at the library. Together they spread live performance across churches, parks, community halls and the villages throughout the fortnight.
Benn Hall: Live and Loud
When: Sun 28 June, 1pm to 9pm
Where: The Benn Hall, Newbold Road
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
Book: live-and-loud.eventbrite.co.uk
A full-day festival of the best bands and artists in Rugby, with food served.
Tuesday Lunchtime Concerts: The Friday Singers
When: Tue 23 June, 1pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
A 40-minute concert of secular and sacred choral music, directed by David King.
Tuesday Lunchtime Concerts: The After Dark Duo
When: Tue 30 June, 1pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
A 40-minute set of saxes, clarinet, flute, guitar and banjo.
Community Celebration of Music and Song
When: Sat 27 June, 4pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
Cost: Free, donations encouraged for Myton Hospice and the Peace Garden Project
A community concert with an interval and refreshments.
East Meets West: A Fusion Musical Collaboration
When: Fri 3 July, 6.45pm to 7.30pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
Book: via Eventbrite
An exploration of different genres blending into one enriching musical experience.
The Lazy Sunday Hoedown
When: Sun 28 June, 12pm to 3.30pm
Where: Regent Place Green
Family fun, food and live music from the Mudlands String Band.
Rugby Jazz Collective Open Mic Session
When: Sun 5 July, 3pm to 6pm
Where: West Indian Association Social Club, 102 Railway Terrace
Ages: 16+
Play jazz and blues standards with the house band, all welcome.
Eco Hub's Community Ceilidh
When: Sun 5 July, 5pm to 8pm
Where: Rugby Eco Hub, 43 Clifton Road
Book: via Eventbrite
A traditional ceilidh of food, drink, music and dance for all abilities.
Salsa in the Park
When: Sat 27 June, 2pm to 5.30pm
Where: The Bandstand, Whitehall Recreation Ground
Ages: 16+
A free outdoor salsa class and social with Latin Dynamix, no partner or experience needed.
Raga and Rhythm Dance Academy: Bollywood Workshops
When: Sat 20 June 3pm to 4pm, Sun 21 June 2pm to 3pm
Where: Rugby Indian Association, Edward Street
Ages: 5+
Energetic Bollywood and semi-classical choreography for all ages and abilities.
Music Meditation and Therapeutic Effects
When: Sat 20 June, 9.30am and 10.30am
Where: Rugby Library, Little Elborow Street
Ages: 3+
Book: via Eventbrite
Indian classical ragas paired with relaxed breathing for a meditative experience.
Love Rugby Song 2026
When: Fri 26 June and Fri 3 July, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Where: Newbold Village Hall, Newbold Road
Add your voice, story, poem or rap to the town's new community song.
Impact Steelband: Performance and Have a Go
When: Sat 4 July, 10am to 6pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Ages: 12+
Steelband performances and steelpan taster workshops at Love Rugby All In.
Art, Making & Workshops
Art runs right through the festival, and most of it is hands-on and free. The creative hub is Alexandra Arts, home to the Art in Action series in which you watch a professional at work, from silk painting to stained glass, then try it yourself, while Rugby Art Gallery and Museum hosts everything from toddler play sessions to adult life drawing.
The making on offer is wonderfully varied: foraging and printmaking, letterpress in Dunchurch, traditional stool carving in the park, even swiss roll decorating. Many sessions carry a thoughtful purpose too, including dementia-friendly crafting and workshops marking Rugby Pride. A handful charge a small fee, but the great majority are free and welcome all ages and abilities, so there is something here whether you are two or ninety-two.
Bits and Bots: Family Fun Day
When: Sat 20 June, 11am to 3pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Contact:ragm@rugby.gov.uk
Launch day for Gizmobots, with robot building, STEM activities and free face painting.
Art in Action: Line and Watercolour
When: Sat 20 June, 12pm to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 7+
Watch Sam Basnett capture a Rugby scene, then add watercolour with Gemma Whitford.
Art in Action: Puppetmaking
When: Fri 26 June, 12pm to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 7+
Watch Faye Spencer make a fool's marotte, then make your own paper puppet.
Art in Action: Spinning Art Yarns
When: Sat 27 June, 12pm to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 7+
See Chris Pegler spin art yarns and learn the basics of spinning yourself.
Art in Action: Stained Glass
When: Fri 3 July, 12pm to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 7+
Lisa Shenston demonstrates stained glass, then paint a 'fake' panel with Jenny Ball.
Art in Action: Silk Painting
When: Sat 4 July, 12pm to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 7+
Tamsen Flack paints a fantastical creature, then decorate a silk button with Aish Magesh.
Art in Action: Summer Showdown
When: Sat 4 July, 6pm to 9pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 12+
Cheer on six local painters and printmakers creating artwork live.
Art with Aish
When: Mon 22 June and Mon 29 June, 10.30am to 12.30pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
Ages: 18+
Friendly arts and crafts for all abilities, with free tea and coffee.
Art in Dunchurch
When: Various days, 20 to 28 June (times vary, generally 10.30am to 4.30pm)
Where: Inglenook, Dunchurch
Showcasing 19 local artists working in 2D and 3D.
Mini Explorers and Mini Makers
When: Tue 23 and Tue 30 June, Thu 25 June and Thu 2 July, 10am to 11am
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cost: £2.50 per child
Ages: 2 to 5
Book: ragm.co.uk/mini-explorers
Artist-led play and mark-making sessions for little ones.
Hands-on Artefacts
When: Tue 23 June, 3.15pm to 5.15pm
Where: Rugby Library, Little Elborow Street
Handle objects from the past alongside a creative activity.
Express Arts with Jess Hartshorn
When: Thu 25 June and Thu 2 July, 11.30am to 12.30pm
Where: Benn Partnership Centre, Railway Terrace
Open, inclusive art sessions, including pressed-flower designs with illustrator Jess Hartshorn.
Expressions: Art Sessions
When: Wed 24 June and Wed 1 July, 9am to 12pm
Where: Hill Street Community Centre
Inclusive sessions exploring Rugby through painting, collage, textiles and recycled crafts.
Expressions: Spoken Word
When: Thu 25 June and Thu 2 July, 1pm to 4pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Poetry, storytelling and performance celebrating the spirit and identity of Rugby.
Expressions: Music Sessions
When: Fri 26 June and Fri 3 July, 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Beat making, lyric writing and recording inspired by Rugby's stories and energy.
Life Drawing
When: Thu 25 June, 6pm to 7.30pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cost: £12.50 per adult
Ages: 18+
Book: ragm.co.uk/adultlearning
A nude-model session for beginners and professionals alike, materials not provided.
Summer Solstice Gathering, Jewellery Making and Buddha Bowls
When: Thu 25 June, 6pm to 8.30pm
Where: Izzy Loops Home Interiors, 20 Regent Street
Cost: £65 per person
Ages: 18+
Book: izzyloops.co.uk
A nurturing solstice evening of jewellery making, journalling and a Buddha bowl.
Good Times with Paint and Glaze
When: Thu 25 June, 1.30pm to 3pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Book: ragm.co.uk/good-times
A relaxed plate-decorating session for adults living with dementia and their carers.
Draw-A-Long at St Andrew's Church
When: Wed 24 June, 7pm to 8.30pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
Cost: £2
Ages: 18+
Book: standrewrugby.org.uk/events
A guided sketching session exploring the historic church, materials provided.
Accessible Art Activity: Creating Paper Flowers
When: Wed 24 June, 1pm to 3pm
Where: Hill Street Community Centre
A craft workshop making paper flowers inspired by the book Nutmeg.
Traditional Stool Making Workshop
When: Wed 24 June and Wed 1 July, 9.30am to 5pm (two-day course)
Where: Caldecott Park
Ages: 16+
Learn the age-old craft using traditional tools, locally felled ash and re-purposed elm.
DRM Care Package T-Shirt Printing Workshop
When: Sat 27 June, 11.30am to 3.30pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cost: £2.50
Ages: 14 to 21
Book: facebook.com/wearedrm
Explore emotional wellbeing through design and take home your own printed T-shirt.
Celebrating Rugby Pride: Badges and Screen Printed Tote Bags
When: Sat 27 June, 10.30am to 12pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cost: £5
Ages: 6+
Book: ragm.co.uk/adultlearning
Design your own badges and tote bags in celebration of Rugby Pride.
Wild Impressions
When: Sat 27 June, 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm
Where: The Scout Hut, The Kent
Ages: 12+
Book: via Eventbrite
A foraging walk followed by botanical Gelli printmaking, with foraged refreshments.
Love Rugby: Swiss Roll Creations
When: Sun 28 June, 10am and 2pm
Where: Sweet Art School, 3 St Matthews Street
Ages: 16+
A relaxed, hands-on swiss roll decorating class.
Lumen Printing: Wildlife Photography Without a Camera
When: Wed 1 July, 10am to 1pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Create a traditional photographic print using only what you find in the park.
Pull a Print: An Introduction to Letterpress
When: Fri 3, Sat 4 and Sun 5 July, 10am to 4pm
Where: Hand-inc, Coventry Road, Dunchurch
Ages: 12+
Explore vintage type and pull your own print on a working press.
Terrific T-Shirts
When: Sat 4 July, 11am to 3pm
Where: Benn Partnership Centre, Railway Terrace
Design a T-shirt or tote bag inspired by Rugby's diverse community, materials provided.
Colour, Cache and Class: Medieval Clothing
When: Sat 4 July, 11am to 12pm
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Cost: £5
Book: ragm.co.uk/adultlearning
An interactive tour with historian Chris Carr on what clothing said about status, with replica costumes.
Making Hands
When: Sun 5 July, 10am to 2pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Help create a temporary, immersive clay installation using natural colours and tools.
Exhibitions and Trails (throughout the festival)
Many of the festival's exhibitions and trails run for the full fortnight and well beyond, so there is no need to catch them on a particular day. Rugby Art Gallery and Museum is the natural starting point, with Mark Haig's found-object Gizmobots robots alongside local photography, Warwickshire Open Studios work and the centenary display 100 Years of Rugby Radio Station.
The town's other galleries join in, from the month-long Rugby Artists and Makers exhibition at Alexandra Arts to collectable pieces at the Lorimer Gallery and Joanna Bryan's work at St Andrew's Church. Two free trails turn the whole town into a gallery: the family Heart Trail hunting for 15 wooden hearts in Caldecott Park, and pavement chalk art appearing across the town centre. All of it is free to enjoy, and several displays carry through the summer for those who miss the festival fortnight itself.
Gizmobots: Found Object Robot Sculptures
When: 20 June to 12 September
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Robot sculptures by Mark Haig, made from found objects of varying age, colour and texture.
Rugby Artists and Makers Summer Exhibition
When: Throughout, 11am to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
A month-long celebration of local artists and makers.
Love Rugby Heart Trail
When: 20 June to 5 July, Tue to Sat 10am to 4pm, Sun 11am to 4pm
Where: Caldecott Park
A free family trail to find 15 colourful wooden hearts, trail sheets from Hattie's Café.
Rugby Artists and Makers Go Public
When: 20 June to 5 July, all day
Where: Town Centre
Pavement chalk art celebrating the festival, on show until it rains away.
Love Rugby Poetry Competition
When: 16 June to 20 September, all day
Where: The MOAT Gallery, Regent Place
Poems by local poets responding to 'What do you love about Rugby?'
Doug Hyde Artist Spotlight
When: 20 June to 5 July, Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Where: Lorimer Art Gallery, 29 Regent Street
Heartwarming, collectable works by the best-selling artist.
Celebrating the Good Times with Jess Hartshorn
When: 1 June to 6 July
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Creative work by local adults living with dementia and their carers.
Ciel Wang Exhibition
When: 2 June to 27 June
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Photography and video by the local visual artist.
The Percival Guildhouse: Annual Exhibition
When: 16 June to 27 June
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Students' work from the adult learning centre's courses.
Strike: An Art Exhibition
When: 22 June to 3 July, Mon to Fri 9.30am to 2pm
Where: St Andrew's Church, Church Street
Warwickshire Open Studios prize winner Joanna Bryan contemplates energy and time.
The Space Between: Warwickshire Open Studios
When: 30 June to 11 July
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Work by Alina Bondarchuk, Faye Spencer and the Jennings Brothers.
Art at the Alex Summer Art Show: 'Colourful'
When: 2 July to 18 July, Thu to Sat 11am to 4pm
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: 12+
The fourth annual Summer Art Show, themed 'Colourful'.
100 Years of Rugby Radio Station
When: Until 3 October
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
A treasure trove of items marking the station's centenary.
A History of Rugby in 50 Objects
When: Permanent
Where: Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
The borough's past, from a 200-million-year-old fossil to the town stocks.
Sport, Fitness & the Outdoors
The festival's sporting programme is built almost entirely on free taster sessions, with clubs across the town throwing open their doors so you can try something new with no commitment. The range is genuinely wide, taking in kayaking and paddleboarding at Draycote Water, fencing, tag rugby, triathlon coaching, Brazilian jiu jitsu and no fewer than four lawn bowls open days.
Caldecott Park hosts free community fitness and tennis coaching on Sundays, there are gentle Pilates classes for new mums, seniors and bad backs, and younger ones are well served by junior park runs and football skills sessions. It all builds towards the festival finale on Sunday 5 July, the Love Rugby 5km Fun Run through the town centre, now joined by a new Family 1km for younger legs.
Whatever your age or ability, the message is the same: come and have a go.
Love Rugby 5km Fun Run and Family 1km
When: Sun 5 July, Family 1km 9am, 5km 9.30am
Where: Whitehall Recreation Ground
Cost: Free, booking required
Book: therugbytown.co.uk/love-rugby-festival
The festival finale, running past the town's landmarks.
Bilton Ajax JFC Development Centre Trails
When: Sat 20 and Sat 27 June, Sat 4 July, 9.30am
Where: Bilton School, Lawford Lane
Ages: 5 to 11
Saturday-morning football skills in a supportive environment.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Open Day
When: Sat 20 June, 1pm to 2pm
Where: Unit 1, Barby Lane
Book: call 07701 386488
Build confidence, fitness and self-defence skills, beginners welcome.
Community Fitness
When: Sun 21 and Sun 28 June, Sun 5 July, 10am to 11am
Where: Caldecott Park
Inclusive outdoor exercise for all ages.
Community Tennis Coaching
When: Sun 21 and Sun 28 June, Sun 5 July, 11am to 1pm
Where: Caldecott Park tennis courts
Free coaching, with parents remaining in sight of their children.
Junior Park Run
When: Sundays, 9am
Where: GEC Recreational Ground, Hillmorton Road
Ages: 4 to 14
Book: parkrun.org.uk/gecrec-juniors
A free, weekly 2km run for children.
Caldecott Bowls Open Day
When: Sun 21 June, 10am to 4pm
Where: Park Walk, Lancaster Road
Learn to play with bowls and tuition provided, just bring flat-soled shoes.
Give Bowls a Go
When: Sun 28 June, 11am to 4pm
Where: Thornfield Outdoor Bowls Club, Bruce Williams Way
Ages: 10+
Lawn bowls for all ages, flat-soled shoes or trainers needed.
Grange Open Day
When: Sat 4 July, 10am to 4pm
Where: Grange Bowls and Tennis Club, Stanley Road
A community open day to get out and connect.
Learn to Bowl
When: Until 18 September, call to arrange
Where: Bilton Bowling Club, Bawnmore Road
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
Book: 07913 476791 or 07914 732530
Equipment, coaching and refreshments provided for a free taster.
Rugby Triathlon Club: Coached Track Taster
When: Mon 22 and Mon 29 June, 7pm to 8pm
Where: Queen's Diamond Jubilee Centre Track
Ages: 16+
Book: rugbytriathlon.org.uk/love-rugby-festival
Free coached track slots, come and TRI it out.
Rugby Triathlon Club: Coached Swim Taster
When: Tue 23 and Tue 30 June, 7pm to 8pm
Where: Rugby School Sports Centre, Horton Crescent
Ages: 16+
Book: rugbytriathlon.org.uk/love-rugby-festival
Free coached swim slots, must swim 25 to 50m breaststroke or front crawl.
Paddlesport: Rugby Canoe Club
When: Mon 22 and Mon 29 June, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Where: Draycote Water Sailing Club, Kites Hardwick
Ages: 12+
Try kayaks, canoes and paddleboards with Paddle UK-qualified coaches.
Pole Dance Fitness
When: Tue 23 and Tue 30 June (with Sophie), Fri 26 June and Fri 3 July (with Liam), various evening slots
Where: Rugby College, Technology Drive
Cost: Single class £14
Ages: 16+
Book: academyofpole.co.uk
A professional, friendly studio for giving pole fitness a go.
Pilates Classes (Mama, Chair, Ante and Postnatal, Healthy Back)
When: Mama Mon 22 June 1pm; Chair Tue 23 June 11.30am; Ante/Postnatal Tue 23 June 7.30pm; Healthy Back Sun 28 June 5pm
Where: Rogers Hall, Deerings Road (Chair Pilates at Long Lawford Methodist Church)
Book: bookwhen.com/afmodernpilates
A range of free, gentle Pilates classes for new mums, seniors and bad backs.
Rugby College Fest
When: Tue 23 June, 4pm to 8pm
Where: Rugby College, Technology Drive
Book: wcg.ac.uk/communitydays
Activity trails, robotics, crime-scene puzzles, displays, performances and food stalls.
Ryton Star Sevens Drop-in Sessions
When: 22 June to 2 July, 5pm to 7pm
Where: Ryton Recreation Ground, Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Football for all ages and abilities, including walking football and youth sessions.
Fencing Open Day
When: Sun 5 July, public tasters 10.30am to 12pm
Where: Houlton School Sports Hall, Signal Drive
Ages: 8+
Demonstrations and tasters with Rugby and Daventry Fencing Club.
Rugby at Old Laurentian RFC
When: Sun 5 July, 11am to 1pm
Where: Old Laurentian RFC, Lime Tree Avenue
Ages: Aimed at children
Try tag rugby with experienced coaches at Rugby's largest club.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Centre Open Day
When: Sun 5 July, 11am to 5pm
Where: Queen's Diamond Jubilee Centre, Bruce Williams Way
Book: bookings.better.org.uk
An open day of gym, fitness, swimming, badminton, soft play and climbing.
Heritage & Walking Tours
For a town with as much history as Rugby, the festival is a fine excuse to get to know it better. The volunteer Town Guides lead free walking tours from the Visitor Centre, including a general history tour on three Saturdays and a dedicated sporting heritage tour, while a brand-new tour heads out to explore Bilton. Rugby School opens its grounds and famous museum for guided tours, and at Satchmo's Corner the Stories We Carry workshop invites older residents to share and preserve their own memories of the town. Most of it is free, with only the school tour carrying a charge, and the walking tours need booking ahead, so it is worth reserving your place in advance.
Town Centre Walking Tour: General History
When: Sat 20 and Sat 27 June, Sat 4 July, 11am to 12.30pm
Where: Rugby Visitor Centre, Little Elborow Street
Ages: 12+
Book: therugbytown.co.uk/townguides or 01788 533217
Fascinating, often unknown facts about Rugby's heritage and landmarks, fully accessible.
Town Centre Walking Tour: Sporting Heritage
When: Wed 24 June, 11am to 12.30pm
Where: Rugby Visitor Centre, Little Elborow Street
Ages: 12+
Book: therugbytown.co.uk/townguides or 01788 533217
A walking tour exploring Rugby's rich sporting heritage.
Bilton Heritage Walking Tour
When: Sat 20 June, 2pm to 3.30pm
Where: St Mark's Church car park, Church Walk
Ages: 12+
Book: therugbytown.co.uk/townguides or 01788 533217
A brand-new heritage tour of Bilton, well-behaved pets welcome.
Rugby School Tour
When: Sat 20 June and Sat 4 July, 2pm
Where: Rugby School Shop, Barby Road
Cost: Adults £9.50, concessions £7.50, under-10s free
Ages: 5+
Book: rugbyschoolenterprises.com/tours
A tour of the school and its museum, full of old-world charm.
The Stories We Carry: Community Storytelling Workshop
When: Sat 20 June, 10am to 2pm
Where: Satchmo's Corner, 17 Church Street
Ages: 18+, aimed at 50 to 75
Book: forms.gle/tcouxGwchXZ769yx6
A storytelling workshop helping residents reconnect with their roots.
Family Fun Days & Community Gatherings
Perhaps more than anything else, this is where the festival's community spirit shines through. The two busiest Saturdays bookend the second week, with a Family Fun Day at the GEC and the moving Our Jay Festival Fun Day, raising funds for accessible defibrillators in memory of Jamie, on 27 June, then Love Rugby All In and a multicultural celebration on 4 July.
There is plenty for every generation, from drop-in chess and musical theatre workshops for children to the Hamilton Café for older residents, and a strong thread of doing good runs through it all, whether that is the Repair Café fixing broken household items for free or the waste-free Betts Café lunch. Most of these gatherings are free, and together they capture exactly what the festival sets out to do: bring the whole town together.
Family Fun Day
When: Sat 27 June, 11am to 3pm
Where: GEC Recreation Ground, Hillmorton Road
Games, food, entertainment, stalls and activities for all ages.
Our Jay Festival Fun Day
When: Sat 27 June, 1pm until late
Where: Newbold Rugby Club, 36 Parkfield Road
Cost: Adults £5, children £1, pay at the gate
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
A day of live music, stalls, inflatables, alpacas and more, raising funds for accessible defibrillators in memory of Jamie.
Love Rugby All In
When: Sat 4 July, 10am to 6pm
Where: Caldecott Park
Live music, food, drinks and free workshops for all the family.
New Directions Rugby Multicultural Celebrations
When: Sat 4 July, 11am to 2pm
Where: Merttens Field, Merttens Drive
Performances, art workshops and a 'cultural passport' celebrating identity.
Rugby Shed of Culture
When: Sun 21 June (Market Place) and Sat 4 July (Caldecott Park)
Where: as listed above
Share the stories of your streets and fill the shed with creativity.
Toybox Takeover Musical Theatre Workshops
When: Sat 4 July, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm
Where: Rugby Theatre, Henry Street
Ages: 5 to 11
Book: strong-roots-group.co.uk
High-energy sing, dance and act sessions, no experience needed, children dropped off.
The Hamilton Café and Activities
When: Wed 24 June and Wed 1 July, 10am to 3pm
Where: The Hoskyn Centre, 12 Bilton Road
Ages: Mainly over-60s, 16+ welcome
A safe place for older people to meet, with crafting, knitting and a chat.
Free Chess Fun
When: Sat 20 June, Mon 22 June, Sat 27 June and Mon 29 June (daytime and evening sessions)
Where: Alexandra Arts, 72 to 73 James Street
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
Free chess drop-ins for children, families and adults.
Repair Café Rugby
When: Sat 20 June and Sat 4 July, 10am to 1pm
Where: Rugby Eco Hub, 43 Clifton Road
Free repairs for vacuum cleaners, bikes, toys, clothing and more, café open too.
Betts Café: Shoppers Lunch
When: Sat 27 June, 12pm to 1.30pm
Where: Rugby Eco Hub, 43 Clifton Road
Ages: Under-16s accompanied
Book:info@rugbyecohub.org
Waste-free dining cooked from local ingredients or food destined for landfill.
Food & Drink
The festival saves a relaxed treat for its closing weekend. The Sausage and Cider Festival takes over the Seven Stars from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July, with a generous choice of real ciders and sausages straight from the BBQ, plus vegan and veggie options for those who want them.
Entry is free, children are welcome during the daytime, and there is live music on the Saturday evening, making it an easy, sociable way to round off the fortnight. It is a modest food and drink offering compared with the town's dedicated Food and Drink Festival in September, but a welcome one all the same.
Sausage and Cider Festival
When: Fri 3 to Sun 5 July, from 12pm (1pm Sunday)
Where: The Seven Stars, 40 Albert Square
Cost: Free entry
Ages: Children welcome in daytime until 7pm, under-16s accompanied
Real ciders and BBQ sausages with vegan and veggie options, plus live music on the Saturday.
Free and family-friendly
The heart of the festival is its free community offer, funded once again through Love Rugby grants of up to £2,000 for arts and community groups and up to £500 for sports clubs hosting taster sessions and open days. The result spans the full gamut of interests. On the sporting side, residents can try pilates, tennis, bowls, paddlesport, triathlon tasters, fencing and tag rugby for free; on the cultural side there are walking tours, art workshops, Bollywood dance, chess, salsa in the park, a ceilidh and a jazz open mic. The aim, as Cllr Maggie O'Rourke put it, is to give people "the opportunity to enjoy their current hobbies and interests, as well as try something new".
Families are particularly well served. The Bits and Bots family fun day launches the Gizmobots exhibition by artist Mark Haig at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, where children can build their own robots from recycled materials. There is also a Family Fun Day at the GEC Rec, the Our Jay Festival Fun Day at Newbold Rugby Club, raising funds for accessible defibrillators in memory of Jamie Rees-Issitt, and Love Rugby All In at Caldecott Park on 4 July. Add in town-wide touches such as the Heart Trail of 15 hidden wooden hearts, a poetry competition and pavement chalk art, and the fortnight closes as it did in 2025 with the fun run: the Love Rugby 5km on Sunday 5 July, now joined by a new Family 1km for children aged 11 and under.
Big Nights Out
If the community programme is the festival's soul, the ticketed entertainment is its showpiece. The standout is the Festival on the Close, the annual celebration of music, comedy and theatre staged in the grounds of Rugby School from 20 to 25 June, deliberately overlapping with the opening days of Love Rugby. Founded in 2017, it raises funds for the Rugby charity The Bradby Club, which supports young people in the town.
The 2026 line-up is strong. The headliners are award-winning comedian Sara Pascoe, performing for Manford's Comedy Club on Saturday 20 June, and beloved author and poet Michael Rosen, who opens the festival the same evening with NICE! Stories and Rhymes, a brand-new show marking his 80th birthday. The wider programme includes London Festival Opera, the all-female brass ensemble She's Got Brass, the dance-anthems act Juke Ibiza Orchestra, and Amy Winehouse tribute Absolute Amy. Tickets are sold via TicketSource, and Festival Director Tim Coker said: "Tickets are selling fast, and audiences are encouraged to book early."
Beyond Rugby School, the town's own venues join in, with Rugby Theatre staging the musical We Will Rock You from 20 to 27 June and the Benn Hall hosting a Guns N Jovi tribute. Throughout the fortnight the galleries and heritage venues also run a series of exhibitions, from Ciel Wang's photography to 100 Years of Rugby Radio Station and A History of Rugby in 50 Objects.
A Festival with Deep Roots
Although Love Rugby feels new, it stands on long foundations. The 2026 event is only the second festival, the inaugural one having run from 20 June to 6 July 2025, but the council has been explicit that it is a direct successor to the much older Rugby Festival of Culture. As Cllr Maggie O'Rourke explained at the 2025 launch, "The Love Rugby Festival picks up the baton from the Festival of Culture, which ran successfully in the town for many years." That earlier event was substantial in its own right: by 2019 it was in its ninth year, running across three weeks and incorporating the Festival on the Close, with national comedy and music names alongside local talent.
The first Love Rugby Festival, conceived by council leader Cllr Michael Moran, was built around the same idea as 2026: a celebration of arts, heritage and sport designed to instil pride in the borough, boost town centre footfall and bring its communities together. The 2025 programme featured exhibitions at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, a butterfly trail at Caldecott Park, triathlon tasters and a series of Pride events.
It appears to have been judged a success, though the evidence is modest. The council has not published an overall attendance figure; the one firm number is the closing 5K, which the Rugby Observer reported drew "more than 500 runners" through the town centre despite torrential rain. Separately, the council's December 2025 cabinet report credited "town centre events such as the Love Rugby Festival, outdoor cinema and the town centre beach" with helping lift footfall by ten per cent, though that figure bundles several events together and is the council's own assessment rather than an independently verified measure of the festival alone.
From Rugby First to the Council
The most significant change behind this year's festival is not on the programme at all, but in who runs the town's events. For two decades, much of Rugby's events calendar, from Bikefest to the Christmas lights switch-on, was delivered by Rugby First, the company that ran the town's Business Improvement District (BID). A BID is funded by a compulsory levy on town centre businesses, on top of their rates, to pay for services beyond what the council provides. Businesses first voted for one in Rugby in 2005, and Rugby First went on to run the CCTV control room, the red-uniformed Town Rangers, street cleaning, business support and a programme of events. That arrangement ended on 31 March 2026, and the council has stepped in.
A BID operates on a five-year cycle, with businesses voting each term on renewal. Rugby First's latest term was due to end on 31 March 2026, with a renewal ballot scheduled for early in the year. That ballot never happened. Following an internal review and external advice, the council concluded that Rugby First's renewal business plan was not compliant with the Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004 and so could not lawfully go to a vote. As Returning Officer Dan Green put it, "we cannot proceed to ballot."
The regulations governing BIDs are not optional, setting basic standards of governance, transparency and financial planning. For a long-established organisation with two decades of experience to submit a plan judged non-compliant is no trivial footnote: it threw the town's flagship events into doubt with only weeks to spare and left businesses uncertain about services they had been paying for. The council's joint statement was diplomatic, praising Rugby First's "valuable role in the life of the town centre" while noting that "a great deal of time has passed since it was established along with the expectations of BIDs having changed". That is a polite way of saying the organisation had not kept pace.
To its credit, the council moved quickly. It agreed to deliver additional services from 1 April for 12 months as an interim measure: CCTV continues uninterrupted, town centre spot-cleaning has been added, and four new Community Wardens have been brought in. Crucially, no event was lost. As Cllr Michael Moran said, "events that are the life and soul of Rugby, such as Bikefest, simply had to carry on... no event previously organised by the BID is lost in our proposal."
The verdict is that this forced transition has landed well. Rugby's events calendar is not merely surviving the handover but arguably thriving: the festival is bigger in its second year, the community grant pot has grown from up to £250 per event in 2025 to up to £2,000 in 2026, and events have been folded into a broader, year-round programme backed by the 2026 to 2027 budget. For a town used to its events being run at arm's length, having them delivered directly by the council, accountable to all residents rather than only to levy-paying businesses, looks like a step forward.
The Rest of Rugby's Summer
Love Rugby is the opening act in a busy season. Several linked events run through the summer and into the autumn, all now under the council's events umbrella.
These include the Outdoor Cinema at Caldecott Park from 24 to 26 July, an Arts Festival at Caldecott Park on 22 August, Theatre in the Park on 23 August with Quantum Theatre performing Beatrix Potter, the Playhem Town Takeover from 3 to 5 August for National Play Week, the Rugby Food and Drink Festival on 19 September, Bits and Bots summer holiday activities from 18 July to 1 September, and a Literary Festival from 23 to 25 October.
In other words, the fortnight in late June is the spearhead of a much longer celebration of the town.
Why this Matters for Local Rugby Businesses
There is a bigger story underneath the bunting. Town centres across the country are wrestling with how to stay relevant, and events that bring people in, footfall that local shops, cafes and independents depend on, are central to that. The fact that Rugby's events programme has not only survived a difficult institutional handover but grown is genuinely good news for everyone with a stake in the town, and for the independent businesses that make up so much of its character.
For local businesses, the Love Rugby Festival is also a practical opportunity. The festival is explicitly built on partnership with "local businesses and community groups", and the council's grant scheme means that a community-minded business can help put on an event, raise its profile and connect with new customers at the same time. A festival that draws families into town for a fortnight is exactly the kind of moment a small local enterprise can build around, whether that means hosting an activity, sponsoring a community group, or simply being visible and welcoming while the town is busy.
So whether you fancy a free salsa class in the park, a robot-building session with the children, a poetry competition entry, a comedy night with Sara Pascoe, or simply a wander through a town centre that feels alive, the Love Rugby Festival 2026 has something for you.
For the full programme and the latest details, see the festival guide at therugbytown.co.uk, follow @TheRugbyTown on Instagram and #LoveRugbyFestival, or contact the Rugby Visitor Centre on 01788 533 217.
Rugby has always been a town that punches above its weight, the birthplace of a global game and a place with a long tradition of supporting the arts. For a fortnight this summer, it gets to show that off again, and this time it is doing it on its own terms.
