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

Music: 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

Derwent River Relay

Start Belper Hockey Club | Main Relay Race 12pm start Childrens fun run 11am start

Join Belper Harriers for their annual Derwent River Relay Team running event, which this year will highlight Belper 250. Hundreds of local runners in 4 person relay teams - various ages, running alongside the river Derwent and by the Belper Mills. It starts and finishes at Belper Hockey Club. See https://www.facebook.com/share/19HVbaZdno/

Contact Belper Harriers www.belperharriers.org  for more information.

Entry £38.00 per relay team, Childrens fun run Free

Music: Professor Elemental and BB LoneDog 

St Faiths Community Hall, Belper Lane End | 6.30 for 7pm 

To mark the 250th anniversary of the world heritage mill in Belper. We have a Victorian themed event in a wonderful bijou setting, with fantastic sound and lighting. Victorian Steampunk attire is suggested but not compulsory. 

Refreshments will be available.

This is a limited ticket event, so early purchase is advised. 

Tickets can be purchased at Steampunk records  

Entry £12.00 (£15 on the day if available)

Sunday July 12th

Bridge View Allotments Open Day

Bridge View Milford | 11am-3pm

Join the short history tours of the Bridge View allotments including two gardens on the east and west terrace. 

The allotments were purchased by the Strutts in 1832 from Mrs Martha Cock and were used by the mill workers of Hopping Hill and East and West Terrace as additional growing space mainly for growing potatoes and are still known locally as Tayter Pieces. The Strutts estate tried to sell the land in the 1960 ’s for a housing development but it came to nothing and the allotments became derelict. Since 1976 the steady reclaiming of the allotments began and now has 43 plots. In 2023 the plot holders formed the Bridge View Allotments Co-Op and are now in the final stages of being gifted the land from the Strutts estate which should be complete before the open day. The aim of Bridge view Allotments co-op is to use and maintain this historic site and protect it for future generations. 

https://milford-makeney.org/information-2/allotments/

Refreshments will be available, donations welcome.

Free Entry

Walk: Belper Pubs Past and Present  

The Talbot, Bridge Foot, Belper | 2pm-4pm

Step back in time to the Inns and Taverns of the Town to discover their historic past and entertaining stories.  

This easy to moderate one mile walk includes a mid-point stop at either Crich Brew Co Brewery Tap or The Railway, for an opportunity to purchase refreshments. Lasts approximately two hours.

Booking essential, booking fees may apply via www.belpernorthmill.org.uk. 

Adults £7.50, Under 16s free

Talk: 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 

Music: 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

Walk: Walking with the Georgians

Belper Market Place | 11am-12.30pm

A walk through what made Belper the town it is today, finding out about celebrations and feuds, family life and community spirit in the early 19th century.

Moderate walk – uneven street surfaces and steep climb towards the end.  

Booking essential, booking fees may apply via www.belpernorthmill.org.uk. 

Adults £7.50, Under 16s free

Walk: Belper at War walks 

Start point on booking | 10am and 2pm

People tend not to associate Belper with military history, so it usually comes as a surprise just how much the town actually has. This three-hour walk led by Adrian Brown, 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

ABBALICIOUS – ABBA Tribute Band 

St Peter's Church, Belper | Time TBC

Belper Fringe Concert for Belper 250 and Love Belper town Festival eve.

Booking via https://www.ticketsource.com

Tickets £15.00 plus booking fee

Pre Love Belper Town Festival celebrations – TBC

Pub celebrations in the town.

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