Researched and written 9 October 2026. Sources are listed at the end.
The Godiva Festival
Named after the city's most famous former resident, the Godiva Festival began as a one-day event in 1997 and became a three-day music festival in the War Memorial Park the next year. Run by Coventry City Council as a non-profit event, it has a Main Field for the big stages and a Family Field with a funfair and a petting farm. It has been ticketed since 2019, when its capacity was 40,000.
The festival moves with the calendar. It ran from 4 to 6 July in 2025. In 2026 the council held a new event, Godiva in the City, on 4 and 5 July with headliners at Millennium Place. Check the council's festival site before booking dates.
Football, rugby and ice hockey
Coventry City, the Sky Blues, won promotion to the Premier League in the 2025 to 2026 season after 25 years away and play at the Coventry Building Society Arena, which seats 32,609. Coventry Rugby play in the second tier of English rugby at the Nick Newbold Stadium. The Coventry Blaze ice hockey team play at the Skydome.
Theatre and concerts
The Belgrade Theatre runs a year-round programme, Warwick Arts Centre has theatre, music and film on the university campus and the arena hosts large concerts. Remember that Coventry Arena station closes for an hour before and after big events, so plan your journey home.
Booking around an event
Big weekends fill up early, so check the dates in the booking box as soon as you know you are coming. The minimum stay depends on the dates. Humber Hub sleeps 10, which suits a group coming for a match or a festival weekend.
Sources: Wikipedia: Godiva Festival; godivafestival.com; Wikipedia: Coventry; Wikipedia: Coventry Building Society Arena; Wikipedia: Coventry R.F.C.; Wikipedia: Coventry Skydome; Wikipedia: Coventry Arena railway station. Distances by road from each house, worked out on OpenStreetMap.
