COMEDIANS, columnists, historians and novelists will be descending on Cheltenham over the next 12.

The Cheltenham Literature Festival kicks off today, Friday and household names such as Caitlin Moran, Damien Lewis and Brian Blessed are just some of the stars to grace the tents in the town this year.

Unfortunately tickets to the big names are very hard to come by but it is always worth checking it out just for the experience even if you haven’t got tickets for anything.

To see if there are still tickets available click here

If you can’t make it to Cheltenham this weekend and want to stay a little closer to home then here are five things to do in Stroud this weekend

1. If you’re interested in finding out more about your Avening ancestors then head to Avening Memorial Hall between 10am and 4pm tomorrow, Saturday, for a family history day.

2. Shortwood United take on Bashley at their home ground Meadowbank on Saturday. Kick-off at 3pm.

3. Stroud Farmers’ Market takes place between 9am and 2pm at Cornhill

4. Bestselling author Adele Parks, in conversation with James Long, at The Convent in South Woodchester at 8pm on Sunday.

5. Romeo and Juliet, a Dramarama production, at the Lansdown Hall at 3pm on Sunday.