Editing Swindon (section)

==Tourism and recreation==
===Events===
[[File:Swindon Mela, Town Gardens, Swindon (2) - geograph.org.uk - 508277.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Swindon Mela in the Town Gardens]]
Annual events in Swindon include:
* The [[Swindon Festival of Literature]], held over two weeks in May.
* The Swindon Mela, an all-day celebration of [[South India]]n arts and culture in the Town Gardens, which attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year.<ref name=":6">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090207104659/http://swindonmela.com/ Swindon Mela]}}.</ref>
* The Children's Fete, a town-wide event in celebration of Swindon's children, community, culture, and heritage, is usually held the first Saturday in July in the GWR Park on Faringdon Road, with 8,000 attending in 2016.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
* The [[Summer Breeze Festival UK|Summer Breeze Festival]] has been held annually in the town since 2007<ref>{{cite news |title=Family fun at Summer Breeze festival |url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/9119105.Family_fun_at_Summer_Breeze_festival/ |access-date=19 December 2012 |newspaper=Swindon Advertiser |date=3 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913235315/http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/9119105.Family_fun_at_Summer_Breeze_festival/ |archive-date=13 September 2017}}</ref> with headliners including [[Toploader]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Toploader to headline Swindon's Summer Breeze festival |url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/9004405.Toploader_to_headline_Swindon_s_Summer_Breeze_festival/ |access-date=19 December 2012 |newspaper=Swindon Advertiser |date=3 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913233303/http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/9004405.Toploader_to_headline_Swindon_s_Summer_Breeze_festival/ |archive-date=13 September 2017}}</ref> and [[KT Tunstall]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Catch the Breeze |url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/leisure/music/news/9813697.Catch_the_Breeze/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505120815/http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/leisure/music/news/9813697.Catch_the_Breeze/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |access-date=19 December 2012 |newspaper=Swindon Advertiser |date=12 July 2012}}</ref> The family-friendly music event is run by volunteers on a non-profit basis with any funds raised going to charity.
* An annual [[Gay Pride Parade]] called Swindon And Wiltshire Pride is held in the town. The parade has been held in the Town Gardens since 2007. Swedish DJ [[Basshunter]] performed in the 2012 celebrations, with around 8,000 people attending.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
* The Swindon [[Beer festival|Beer Festival]], Organised by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale ([[CAMRA]]), is held at the STEAM museum in October each year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Beer Festival - Swindon and North Wiltshire CAMRA |url=https://swindon.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=23556 |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=swindon.camra.org.uk}}</ref> There is also an Old Town Beer Festival held in Christ Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Town Beer Festival 2021 |url=https://oldtownbeerfestival.com/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=Old Town Beer Festival 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
*Swindon Open Studios, held over two weekends every September; local [[artist]]s open their studios to visitors or take part in group exhibitions around the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swindon Open Studios {{!}} Swindon {{!}} Community Art Event |url=https://www.swindonopenstudios.org/ |access-date=12 November 2021 |website=swindonopenstudios |language=en}}</ref> 
*The Swindon [[Half marathon|Half Marathon]] is held in September.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Swindon Half Marathon |url=https://www.newswindonhalf.co.uk/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=New Swindon Half Marathon |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Arts venues ===
* The Shoebox Theatre is a fringe theatre and producing house with a focus on contemporary performance and new work.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shoebox Theatre Swindon |url=https://www.shoeboxtheatre.org.uk/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=shoeboxtheatre |language=en}}</ref>
* Live music venues such as The High Street Club, The Kings Arms, The Castle, The Beehive, Level III, and The Victoria attract local acts as well as touring national acts; collectively they host an annual music festival, the Swindon Shuffle.<ref name="shuffle07">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2007/07/04/swindon_shuffle_2007_feature.shtml |title=Swindon Shuffle 2007 – A Retrospective |access-date=26 July 2007 |publisher=[[BBC Wiltshire]] |last=Craven |first=Richard |date=26 July 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427235128/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2007/07/04/swindon_shuffle_2007_feature.shtml |archive-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> The [[County Ground, Swindon|County Ground]] is used for some major events. MECA is a 2,000-capacity music venue in the former Mecca bingo hall.
* The [[Swindon Arts Centre|Arts Centre]] is a theatre in Old Town which seats 200 and has music, professional and amateur theatre, comedians, films, children's events, and one-man shows.
* The [[Wyvern Theatre]] has film, comedy, and music.
* In 2012, ''[[Swindon: The Opera]]'' was performed at the [[Museum of the Great Western Railway|STEAM Museum]] in Swindon by the Janice Thompson Performance Trust,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jtptrust.org |title=Janice Thompson Performance Trust |website=www.jtptrust.org |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215032653/http://www.jtptrust.org/ |archive-date=15 December 2013}}</ref> after a successful 2011 Jubilee People's Millions Lottery bid. It charted Swindon's history since 1952 until the present day. The musical was written by Matt Fox, with music by composer [[Betty Roe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jul/06/take-seats-swindon-the-opera/ |access-date=21 March 2024 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
* The [[Oasis Leisure Centre]] was used for events until its closure in 2020. Its name was claimed by some to be the inspiration for the name of the [[Oasis (band)|Manchester band]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Rhian |date=22 November 2020 |title=Leisure centre Oasis took their name from closes down |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/leisure-centre-oasis-took-name-from-closes-down-2822536 |access-date=30 September 2022 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Shopping===
[[File:swindon.shopping.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|[[Swindon Designer Outlet|McArthur Glen Designer Outlet]], a shopping complex built within the disused Swindon railway engine works]]
[[File:David murray john from wharf green.jpg|thumb|The David Murray John Tower near The Brunel Centre]]

*[[Swindon Designer Outlet]] (opened in 1997) is an indoor shopping mall for reduced-price goods, mainly clothing, on the site of the former railway works. The outlet is adjacent to the [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum|Steam Museum]] (opened in 2000) and the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] headquarters (since 2005). The mall has around 100 retailers and restaurants, and once held the record of biggest covered designer outlet centre in Europe.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Swindon Designer Outlet - Factory Outlet in Swindon, West Oxfordshire - Oxfordshire Cotswolds |url=https://www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/things-to-do/attractions/swindon-designer-outlet-p952461 |access-date=19 August 2020 |website=www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org}}</ref> It was enlarged in the mid-2010s.
*The Brunel Centre (opened in 1978) and The Parade (opened in 1967) are the two shopping complexes in the town centre, built along the line of the filled-in [[Wilts & Berks Canal]] (a canal milepost can still be seen). The Brunel Centre opened a food court called The Crossing in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SPECIAL REPORT: Crossing success for Brunel Centre |url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18245266.special-report-crossing-success-brunel-centre/ |access-date=19 August 2020 |website=Swindon Advertiser |date=19 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
*Greenbridge Retail and Leisure Park ([[Stratton St. Margaret]] (opened in 1964)), Orbital Shopping Park ([[Haydon Wick]] (opened in 2003)), and the [[West Swindon]] Shopping Centre / Shaw Ridge Leisure Park (opened in 1975) are the three major out-of-town facilities. There is also the Bridgemead Retail Park and Mannington Retail Park, both in West Swindon, in close proximity to each other.
*Regent Circus opened in October 2014 on the site of the former Swindon College building. As of October 2024, most units have now closed, leaving only [[Nando's]], Boom Battle Bar and a PrideHub shop selling [[LGBTQ]] paraphernalia that only trades on Saturdays.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ISG wins £50m Swindon retail and leisure scheme |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/isg-wins-50m-swindon-retail-and-leisure-scheme |access-date=29 October 2023 |website=www.theconstructionindex.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-02 |title=Closing date for Swindon cinema confirmed |url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/24623528.cineworld-makes-difficult-decision-close-swindon-cinema/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Swindon Advertiser |language=en}}</ref>
'''Former'''
* Swindon Tented Market, in the Town Centre close to the Brunel Centre, was built in 1994. It reopened in October 2009, having been closed for two years, but closed again for good in August 2017. Demolition date is still to be confirmed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wiltshire/8312009.stm |title=Tented market opens for business |date=17 October 2009 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='End of an era': Tented Market closes its doors |url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15503945.__39_End_of_an_era__39___Tented_Market_closes_its_doors/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527120822/http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15503945.__39_End_of_an_era__39___Tented_Market_closes_its_doors/ |archive-date=27 May 2018 |access-date=26 May 2018 |website=Swindon Advertiser |date=30 August 2017 |language=en}}</ref>

===Green spaces===
Public parks include [[Lydiard Country Park]], Shaw Forest Country Park, [[Goddard family#The Lawns estate in Swindon|The Lawns]], Stanton Park, [[Queens Park, Swindon|Queens Park]], GWR Park, [[Town Gardens, Swindon|Town Gardens]], Pembroke Gardens and [[Coate Water Country Park|Coate Water]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Swindon Borough |title=Parks and open spaces in Swindon |url=https://www.swindon.gov.uk/directory/24/parks_and_open_spaces_in_swindon |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=www.swindon.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> Fishing for the Moon is a small urban [[sensory garden]] created in 1990 by Thamesdown Borough Council and renovated by South Swindon Parish Council in 2021. Its central feature is an artwork by Michael Farrell.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Duncan & Mandy's Website |url=http://www.oodwooc.co.uk/web_places/swindon/ph_sw_moonfishing-1.htm |access-date=25 February 2022 |website=www.oodwooc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Fishing for the Moon' community garden gets a revamp |url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19416167.fishing-moon-community-garden-gets-revamp/ |access-date=25 February 2022 |website=Swindon Advertiser |date=3 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>