Gloucester’s around the world will celebrate their heritage on Sept. 6 for the fourth annual Gloucester Day celebration. The public is welcome to join others who are gathering at Abingdon Episcopal Church, White Marsh, at noon to hold a live conversation with leaders and residents of Gloucester in the United Kingdom and other Gloucester’s around the world.

​

In 2022, the Gloucester Collaboration hosted the inaugural “Global Gloucester Day” celebration on Sept. 3. “Gloucester Day,” an event traditionally celebrated in Gloucester, England, dates to the lifting of the Siege of Gloucester in 1643, when the city held out against Royalist forces during the First English Civil War. The annual event is now held on the first Saturday in September.

​

​The idea for the outreach came from an exciting exchange where approximately a dozen representatives from Gloucester, Virginia had the opportunity to meet with the HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester in 2018. The exchange eventually turned into a more formal movement, called the “Gloucester Collaboration.”

​

The mission of the Gloucester Collaboration is to form connections, collaborate on events, encourage travel exchanges and learn about other Gloucester communities.

​

Gloucester’s County Administrator Carol Steele has made it a passion to travel to the other Gloucester localities, bring greetings to their local leaders, provide gifts representing Gloucester, Va. and personally invite them to join the Collaboration. Over the past several years, she has taken her personal vacation time and resources for these trips and this summer completed her goal of visiting all the Gloucester’s in the U.S.  She started the excursions with a visit to Gloucester, England in 2022.  Since then, she traveled to six other namesakes in four different states which are all located on the east coast.  She hopes to make it someday to at least two of the other three international locations.

​

“Learning about the histories of the other communities, what is special and unique about them and what their citizens take pride in has been fascinating,” Steele said. “I look forward to Gloucester Day for the live interaction and festive time with people from around the world, some of which I’ve been fortunate to get to know.”  Steele encouraged residents in Gloucester, Va. to attend in-person at Abingdon Church at noon on Sept. 6 or tune in live to hear and see people from other Gloucester’s celebrating Gloucester Day.

In addition to honoring Gloucester Day, the collaborative effort has included sharing of videos, recipes and other parts of our heritage, speaking on how our governments operate, and encouraging travel between our sites both in the United States and internationally.

​

Gloucester, UK celebrates Gloucester Day to recognize their history and the community with a parade, entertainment, food and vendor booths and more. “Expanding the celebration internationally provides us all a chance to recognize the heritage of the first Gloucester and to reflect and appreciate all that we love about our own counties, cities and towns,” Steele said.