Cheese Rolling Festival 2027: What It Is and How to Be There (Cooper's Hill Guide)

The Cheese Rolling Festival is an annual race in Gloucestershire, England, where people hurl themselves down a steep hill chasing a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese — and the next one is Monday 31 May 2027. It's chaotic, genuinely dangerous, completely free to watch, and one of the most gloriously strange days out in Britain.

This guide covers what actually happens, the centuries-old history, who won in 2026, the safety reality nobody sugar-coats, and exactly how to be on Cooper's Hill for the 2027 edition without scrambling for a hotel the night before.

If you're mapping out a wider British or European trip, our 2026 trip planning guide covers the fundamentals first.

What is the Cheese Rolling Festival?

The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is a race where competitors chase a 7–9 lb (3–4 kg) wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a 180-metre hill with a slope of around 50%. The cheese is released from the top, hits speeds near 70 mph, and the first person across the bottom line wins it. In practice, almost nobody catches the cheese — they tumble after it.

There are several races across the day: men's and women's downhill races, plus children's uphill races that are a little gentler. The hill is steep and uneven enough that most runners lose their footing within seconds and finish in a series of spectacular rolls and somersaults.

When is the 2027 Cheese Rolling and where is it?

The next Cheese Rolling is Monday 31 May 2027, on the UK's Spring Bank Holiday, at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire — between Gloucester and Cheltenham. The 2026 edition was held on 25 May; the event runs every year on the same bank-holiday Monday.

Races typically kick off around midday, but the hill fills up well before that. Cooper's Hill itself is a natural grass slope on common land, so there's no stadium and no assigned seating — spectators line the sides of the hill and the bottom field. Arrive in the morning if you want a good vantage point.

The wild history of Cooper's Hill cheese rolling

The cheese roll has been recorded since at least 1836 and may be 600 years old or more, making it one of Britain's oldest surviving folk traditions. Its exact origins are murky — theories range from pagan fertility rites to a way of maintaining grazing rights on the common.

For most of its history the race was held on Whit Monday. It moved to the Spring Bank Holiday in 1967, where it has stayed. The event has survived two world wars (rationing-era rolls used a wooden "cheese" with a token piece inside), official cancellations, and repeated safety warnings, only to keep coming back because the local community refuses to let it die.

Is the Cheese Rolling dangerous? Rules and safety

Yes — it's genuinely dangerous, it has no official organiser, and everyone who races does so entirely at their own risk. The hill's steepness and uneven surface mean bruises, sprains, and broken bones are common most years (there are no recorded deaths). Helmets and padding are advised but not required.

A few realities worth knowing before you go:

• No official body runs it. After years of safety concerns, the organised event was effectively stood down, and St John Ambulance stopped providing first-aid cover in 2012.
• You must be 18 or over to race. There's no sign-up — racers just gather at the top.
• Spectating is the safe move. Watching is free and thrilling; running is a real injury risk, so go in with eyes open.

This is the honest part most listicles skip: the Cheese Rolling is brilliant to witness, but it is not a managed, insured, marshalled sporting event. Treat it accordingly.

How to get there and where to stay

Brockworth sits between Gloucester and Cheltenham, so base yourself in either town and travel the short distance to Cooper's Hill on the day. Both have rail connections, and the nearest major airports are Bristol (BRS) and Birmingham (BHX) for visitors flying in.

Two things make or break the trip:

• Parking at the hill is very limited. Expect to park further out and walk in, or use a drop-off — and build in extra time, because bank-holiday crowds clog the lanes around Brockworth.
• Book accommodation early. Gloucester and Cheltenham rooms tighten around the bank holiday, and earlier booking means better rates. Camping options like Court Farm Campsite sit roughly 10 minutes away by car for a budget alternative.

Because it lands on a long weekend, most people pair the Cheese Rolling with a couple of days in the Cotswolds, Gloucester's docks and cathedral, or Cheltenham — which turns a one-hour spectacle into a proper short break.

How to plan your Cheese Rolling trip with Navoy

Because the Cheese Rolling is a bank-holiday weekend rather than a single event, the planning is really a short UK trip — and that's what Navoy is built to put together fast. Tell it your dates and that you're heading to Gloucestershire for the bank holiday, and it builds a day-by-day plan in minutes.

From there you can:

• Book your Gloucester or Cheltenham hotel and an airport transfer (from Bristol or Birmingham) on Navoy, with real-time pricing, instead of stitching it together across separate sites
• Add the Cotswolds, Gloucester, or Cheltenham around the festival day so the weekend isn't just one hour on a hillside
• Share the plan and let your group vote — useful when you're wrangling friends around a long-weekend trip

A couple of honest limits: Navoy books hotels and transfers, not the race itself (there's nothing to book — you just turn up). Flights can sit in your plan as selections, with full in-app flight booking still rolling out. And since UK bank-holiday rooms go fast, the earlier you lock your stay, the better.

Navoy is in public beta with a free tier (3 trips) and Pro at $12.99/month. To start mapping the bank-holiday weekend, plan your trip here.

FAQ: Cheese Rolling Festival 2027

When is the next cheese rolling festival?

The next Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling is Monday 31 May 2027, on the UK's Spring Bank Holiday. It runs every year on that bank-holiday Monday at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire. Races usually start around midday, but spectators arrive well before to claim a spot on the hill.

Can anyone take part in the cheese rolling?

You must be 18 or over to race, and there's no registration — competitors simply gather at the top of the hill on the day. Be aware there's no official organiser and you take part entirely at your own risk. The hill is steep and injuries are common, so most visitors choose to watch rather than run.

Is the cheese rolling free to watch?

Yes. Watching the Cheese Rolling is completely free and there's no ticket — Cooper's Hill is common land and spectators line the slope and the field at the bottom. The only costs are getting there, parking, and your stay, all of which are worth booking ahead because of bank-holiday crowds.

How dangerous is Cooper's Hill cheese rolling?

It's genuinely risky. The roughly 50% slope and uneven ground cause bruises, sprains, and sometimes broken bones most years, though there are no recorded deaths. With no official body running the event and no guaranteed first-aid cover, racers compete at their own risk. Spectating, by contrast, is safe and free.

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Sources

• Wikipedia — Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
• SoGlos — Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2027: everything you need to know
• Visit Cheltenham — Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling on Cooper's Hill
• National Today — Cheese Rolling Gloucester (31 May 2027)
• MemoryCherish — The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling: A Rollicking English Tradition
• Boundless Room — Chasing Cheese on Cooper's Hill: Everything You Need to Know

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