Floating market, themed Sunday events, music festivals and more! What’s coming to Stone in 2023?

The events calendar for 2023 is set to include a floating market, monthly themed Sunday markets and commemoration of two local heroes.

The town council is also planning to mark the coronation of King Charles III in style in May, with a group currently working on arrangements for a celebration in the High Street on Sunday, the 7th of May – the day after the monarch is crowned.

Councillors discussed the town’s events calendar at a meeting on Tuesday, the 17th of January, where dates of a series of free events for families were revealed. Activities are set to include the return of classic cars to the town centre in September, a concert by Florence Brass Band in August and a battle re-enactment in April to celebrate St George’s Day, which falls the following day.

They also welcomed a series of monthly Sunday markets and activities planned by The Stone Traders Group and the organisers of the annual Stone food and drink festival to attract visitors to the town. The traders are also planning to continue their popular Stone Street Food events, and to stage a music festival during the August Bank Holiday.

The “Stone Sunday Series” is set to start with a garden-themed Spring Awakening Market in April, with stalls selling plants, ornaments, tools, pots and other goods. May will be Big Boys Toys, with June seeing a brand new cheese and wine festival. Other events during the year will include a family dance festival, sausages and cider festival and the popular return of the Christmas markets.

Canal-based traders are planning to travel to Stone to host a floating market during the Bank Holiday weekend of May 27-29. The Roving Canal Traders’ Association has earmarked a stretch of water off Stafford Road, near Westbridge Park and the leisure centre, as the venue.

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This year marks the 200th anniversary of the death of the Earl of St Vincent, Admiral John Jervis. He was born near Stone and went on to become a naval hero, helping to win the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797.
Following his death in March 1823, he was laid to rest in the Jervis Mausoleum in St Michael and St Wulfad’s churchyard. On the 12th of March, at 3pm, he will be commemorated in a special service at the church.

It is also the 80th anniversary of the death of one of the town’s most decorated heroes of the Second World War this year. Flight Lieutenant R N Stubbs was just 22 when he died in a flying accident while instructing a new crew in the techniques of evading German fighters, but during his short career, he completed over 60 operational missions as a bomber pilot. On the 26th of February, Christ Church will host a commemoration service in his honour, with a display of historical items and a small reception afterwards for official guests. The town council has awarded a £500 grant to Stone’s RAF branch to support the event.

We’ve collated the events that have been provisionally released and compiled them below, these events are in addition to the regular Stone Farmers’ Markets, town High Street market and the monthly Craft and Collectable Market:

We will of course publish more details of each of the events as the details are confirmed and released.