Saturday July 4th 

Walk – The 'Roots' of Labour Organising in the 19th Century

Start from Belper Market Place | 10.30am

A walk through the town with Roger Tanner to explore how workers organised to improve working conditions and living standards through the 19th century, in friendly societies, trade unions and political movements, recognising the significant part played by the efforts of Belper people in this story; of men, women and children in cotton mills, as well as nailers and foundry workers, framework knitters, coal miners and other trades. No need to book – just turn up.

Free entry, donations welcome

July 6th-Sep 13th

Belper 250 Exhibition

No.28, Market Place

An exhibition reflecting 250 years of history in Belper, the World’s First Cotton Mill Town. Drop in during public events to see the displays.

Free entry

Friday July 10th

Acoustic Concert – Dale Rowle and Friends

St Faiths Community Centre, Belper lane End | 7pm -9pm 

Acoustic Concerts featuring Dale Rowles and friends. 

With Professional Sound and Light. Helping to Commemorate 250 years of the Belper Mills. Sponsored By Steampunkrecords. All profits go to the upkeep of the hall.

Entry – Donation on the door

Saturday July 11th

Preserving Belper’s Industrial Heritage

No.28, Market Place | 9am-1pm

A project coordinated by Belper Historical Society (BHS), engaging with communities in and around Belper who may have family artefacts from Belper factories. Volunteer BHS ‘curators’ will help to collect, organise and preserve factory-related photographs, documents and artefacts, creating virtual scrapbooks. 

Once catalogued and digitised, original materials will be offered to the Derbyshire Record Office for long term storage. 

Free entry

Sunday July 12th

Belper in the Frame: the First World War

No.28, Market Place | 6pm

Fourth in a series of six talks by Adrian Farmer, looking at the past 250 years in Belper through historic images. This session concentrates on images from the time of the Great War, 1914-1919.

Booking essential. Refreshments available for a donation. To book, email belpertalks.walks@gmail.com with your name and number of places required.

Entry £5 per person

July 18th-31st 

Woollen Woods – Celebrations!

St Peter's Churchyard, Church Lane

For Belper 250, this annual event has taken the theme of celebration, so the trees in the churchyard will be dressed with birthday cakes, candles, heritage themes and heritage information. This is a free event, just turn up. The churchyard is a community garden and interesting graveyard with space for reflection and picnics. It is open 24 hours per day with some artificial light in the evening. Disabled toilets are available in church when the building is open to the public. Disabled parking with flat access is available from the Church Lane/ Chesterfield Road end. Nearby fee-paying public car parks are at Shortlands, Green Lane and Field Lane. There is also the Coppice Car Park, off the Market Place. 

Free entry

Saturday July 18th 

Midsummer Music

Belper Unitarian Chapel. Field Row | 2pm

Belper Recorder Players present a programme of 18th Century music in this beautiful and appropriate setting. This will include traditional folk tunes, plus pieces by Purcell, Mozart, Scarlatti and more. The Amber Valley West Gallery Quire will also perform 18th Century hymns in four-part harmony accompanied by musicians. Includes a refreshments interval. No booking required, just turn up.

Free entry, donations welcome to chapel funds

Talk: What are the Strutt links to the Pentrich Revolution

Belper Spiritualist Church, New Road | 6pm

A talk by the Pentrich and South Wingfield Revolution Group. The Strutts supported the rebels, declining jury service and pushing for pardons. Joseph Douglas Strutt wrote to his cousin Edward about the executions: ‘People are flocking into Derby… good God, are these things to be suffered much longer in our once free and happy land.’ There's much more... No booking required, just turn up. 

Entry by donation

Sunday July 19th

Belper at War walks 

10am and 2pm, with Adrian Brown

This three-hour walk around the town tells the story of Belper's military history, from the 1700s and the steps taken by the Strutts to protect the mills, to the 20th Century and one of the biggest secrets of the Second World War.

Booking via https://derbysheritagewalks.com/belper_at_war.htm, payment via a PayPal (with other options too). Prices £3 per person, family rates £5 for 1 adult and up to 4 children, and £8 for 2 adults and up to 4 children.
 

Friday July 24th 

Welcome Meal Project

No.28 Market Place, Belper | 12-2pm

The Welcome Meal Project is a monthly community meal run by volunteers and offers pay-what-you-can for soup, bread and a pudding is supported by Transition Belper 

No need to book – Pay what you can

Saturday July 25th

Music: Les Thomas

The Queens Head, Chesterfield Road Belper | 7pm

Melbourne (Austraila) based singer-songwriter and storyteller who brings together folk tradition, social conscience and poetic depth.

Places can be reserved via mjones572@hotmail.co.uk

Entry £10, £8 unwaged

Pre Love Belper Town Festival celebrations – TBC

Pub celebrations and concert in St Peters Church.

Sunday July 26th

300th Anniversary of Jedediah Strutt – Commemorative Service

Belper Unitarian Chapel, Field Row | 11am

Join Belper Unitarians as they honour the 300th anniversary of Jedediah Strutt, founder of the historic chapel building. This special service will commemorate his remarkable legacy – from pioneering social action to shaping the community and industry that still echo through Belper today. Open to all, of any faith or none, it offers a chance to reflect on our shared heritage and the enduring spirit of innovation and community. One hour service followed by refreshments.

Free, donations welcome

Love Belper Town Festival 

A celebration of Belper and its 250 years of growth, organised by Love Belper. The inaugural Love Belper Town Festival is a free, one-day festival and will be a town takeover of music, dance, theatre, crafts, food, and pop-up heritage museums

Entertainment summary: Music and theatre, radio DJ, street entertainment, dance troops, busker stops, Town Crier, historical talks.

https://www.lovebelpercic.co.uk