General events listings
JULY
18 – 9 August
Cambridge Summer Music Festival
Various venues, Cambridge
01223 357851
24-3 Aug
Llangollen Fringe Festival
Llangollen, Wales
01978 860600
AUGUST
1-2
Carnival Weekend
Various locations in Liverpool
0151 233 2008
1-3
Bristol Harbour Festival
The Harbourside, Bristol
0117 946 2205
1-23
Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Edinburgh Castle
0131 225 8616
1-31
Roman Baths by Torchlight
Roman Baths, Bath
01225 477785
2-9
National Eistedfodd of Wales
Various locations in Cardiff
029 2076 3777
2-9
International Music Festival
Alnwick, Northumberland
01665 510665
4-5
The Big Balloon Festival
Blackwood Showfields, Caerphilly, Wales
029 2088 0011
4-12
Festival and Carnival
Hastings Old Town, East Sussex
0845 274 1001
5-9
The Great British Beer Festival
Earls Court, London
01727 867201
6-7
Bakewell Show
The Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire
01629 812736
7-10
Discovery Channel International Balloon Fiesta
Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton
0117 953 5884
8-15
Broadstairs Folk Festival
Various locations, Broadstairs
01843 604080
8-31
Edinburgh International Festival
Various locations around Edinburgh, Scotland
0131 473 2000
9
Georgian Fair
Beamish Museum, Durham
0191 370 4000
9-10
Classic Car Weekend
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent
01622 765400
10
Rolls Royce Rally
Harewood House, Yorkshire
0113 218 1010
15-17
British Birdwatching Fair
Rutland Water, Oakland, Rutland
01572 771079
16
Toys, Trains, Boats & Planes Fair
Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre
Thirsk, North Yorkshire
07779 342782
16-17
Caribbean Festival
Alexandra Park, Greater Manchester
0161 226 3117
16-17
British Gladiolus and Gough Park Show
Chapel Manor Gardens, Enfield
0845 612 2122
17
Lakeland Country Fair
Torver Showfield, Coniston, Cumbria
01229 837680
17
Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale
Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire
01453 891223
22-31
Arundel Festival
Arundel Castle, West Sussex
01903 882173
23
Horse Ploughing Match and Country Crafts
Beamish, Durham
0191 370 4000
24-25
Cobtree Country Fayre
The Museum of Kent Life, Maidstone
01622 763936
24-25
Notting Hill Carnival
Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London
020 7234 5800
24-25
Classic Car Show
Knebworth House, Hertfordshire
01438 812661
24-25
Transport Extravaganza
Crich Tramway Museum, Matlock, Derbyshire
01773 854321
24-25
50 Years Celebration Plant Hunters’ Fair
The Dorothy Clive Garden, Willoughbridge,
Market Drayton, Shropshire
01630 647237
30-31
Bristol International Kite and Air Festival
Ashton Court, Bristol
0117 946 2205
SEPTEMBER
1-8
Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
0131 346 5000
4-7
Burghley Horse Trials
Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire
01780 752131
5-7
National Amateur Gardening Show
Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
01749 822213
6
Barton Fayre
Various locations, Gloucester
01452 307958
6
Maidstone Beer Festival
The Museum of Kent Life, Maidstone
01622 763936
6-7
The Victory Air Show
Foxlands Farm, Cosby, Leicestershire
07711 430472
6-7
Duxford 2008 Air Show
Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire
01223 835000
6-7
Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
01493 846340
6-7
Southport Air Show
Southport Beach, Merseyside
01704 395510
6-7
Soil Association Organic Food Festival
The harbourside, Bristol
01934 813407
7
Antique and Objet d’Art Fair
The Scotch Corner Hotel, Scotch Corner (Junction of A1/A66)
Richmond, North Yorkshire
07779 342782
7
Plant Hunters’ Fair
Ness Botanic Gardens, Neston, South Wirral
0151 353 0123
10
Farmers’ Market
Castle Howard, Yorkshire
01653 648444
12-21
Southampton Boat Show
Mayflower Park, Southampton
01784 473377
13-14
Essex County Show
Barleylands, Billericay, Essex
01268 290228
13-14
24 Hour Yacht Race
The Yacht Club, Southport, Merseyside
01704 541507
13-14
Beaulieu International Autojumble
Beaulieu, Hampshire
01590 612345
13-14
Mayor’s Thames Festival
Various locations in London
020 7983 4100
14
Battle of Britain Open Day
Kemble Airport, Cirenchester
01285 771177
18-21
Rhythm and Beer Festival
Darlington Arts Centre, County Durham
01325 486555
18-28
Riverfront Jazz
Various locations, Greenwich, London
020 8921 4456
19-21
Bristol Festival
Lloyds Amphitheatre, Bristol
0845 408 0474
19-28
The Jane Austen Festival
Various venues, Bath, Somerset
01225 443000
20-21
Alnwick Food Festival
Alnwick Market Place, Northumberland
07956 408215
20-21
Food Festival
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent
01622 765400
20-21
Romano-British Living History Day
West Stow Country Park, Suffolk
01284 728718
21
Salute to the ‘40s
Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent
01634 823800
21
Classic Car and Motorcycle Show
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
0870 060 2080
28-30
Folk Festival
Bedworth village, Warwickshire
024 7634 5568
OCTOBER
3-5
International Musical Fireworks Championships
Various locations, Southport, Merseyside
01704 533333h3.
3-6
Fest ‘n’ Furious Scottish Folk Music Festival
Various venues in Dundee
01382 432473
4-5
Ploughs to Propellers 1940s Weekend
Rougham Airfield, Bury St Edmunds
01359 270524
4-5
Boscastle Festival of Food, Arts and Crafts
Boscastle, Cornwall
01840 250010
6-12
‘SAMA’ South Asian Music, Arts and Culture Festival
Old Town Hall, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
0191 440 4124
8-12
Horse of the Year Show
The NEC, Birmingham
0800 358 0058
9-12
The Knitting & Stitching Show
Alexandra Palace, London
01473 320407
10-12
International Autumn Horse Trials
Weston Park, Shropshire
01952 852100
10-12
Grand Designs Live
The NEC, Birmingham
0800 358 0058
11
Fair in the Square
The Square, Shrewsbury
01743 281204
11-12
Battle of Hastings Re-enactment
Battle Abbey, East Sussex
0845 274 1101
11-12
Harvest Home Supper
Beamish – The North of England Open Air Museum, County Durham
0191 370 4026
12
Apple and Cider Sunday
The Museum of Kent Life, Maidstone
01622 763936
12
World Conker Championships
The Green, Ashton, Northamptonshire
01832 272735
17-25
Oxford Castle Ghost Fest 2008
Oxford Castle – Unlocked, Oxfordshire
0114 251 3232
18
Jewellery, Gems, Linen & Lace Fair
Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre
Thirsk, North Yorkshire
07779 342782
19
Air Power & Thunder 100 Day
Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, North Yorkshire
01904 608595
h3 25-26
Apple Festival
RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
01423 724680
26
The October Plenty
Various locations, South Bank, London
020 7635 8101
31
Annual Celtic Festival
Loch Tay, Scotland
01887 830583
NOVEMBER
1-2
End of Season Fireworks Spectacular
Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire
01253 478222
7-15
Bath Mozart Festival
Various venues, Bath
01225 429750
8
Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance
Royal Albert Hall, London
020 7589 8212
8
The Lord Mayor’s Show
Various locations, London
020 7437 4370
12-16
Country Living Christmas Fair
Business Design Centre, Islington, London
0844 848 0169
13-16
Crafts for Christmas
The NEC, Birmingham
0800 358 0058
14-16
Classic Motor Show
The NEC, Birmingham
0800 358 0058
14-23
Jazz Festival
Various locations, South Bank, London
020 7437 4370
15
Antique and Christmas Gift Fair
Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre
Thirsk, North Yorkshire
07779 342782
15-16
Cake International
The NEC, Birmingham
01425 277988
21-23
Living Crafts for Christmas
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
01993 811091
27-30
St Nicholas Fayre
Parliament Street, York
01904 550099
28-30
A Victorian Festival of Christmas
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Hampshire
023 9283 9766
29-30
Christmas at Althorp
Althorp, Northamptonshire
01604 772108
29-30
Birmingham International Tattoo
The NIA, Birmingham
0800 358 0058
29-7 Dec
Whyte and Mackay Boat Show
Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London
01590 679338
29-21 Dec
The Family Home at Christmas
Castle Howard, York
01653 648333
30
Festival of Light
The High Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
01684 855040
DECEMBER
6
Great Christmas Pudding Race
Covent Garden Piazza, London
020 7437 4370
16-21
International Horse Show
Olymipa, London
0870 143 2202
27-1 Jan
Henry VIII’s Christmas
Hampton Court Palace, Surrey
0844 482 7770
JANUARY 2009
9-18
London International Boat Show
ExCeL, London
0844 209 0333
27-31
Medieval Christmas
Tower of London
0844 482 7770
MARCH
1-15
York Literature Festival
Parliament Street, York
01904 554316
19-22
Stitch and Craft
Olympia II, London
020 8692 2299
APRIL
25-26
International Classic Motorcycle Show
Staffordshire County Showground, Staffordshire
01507 529300
MAY
26-31
Jousting Tournament
Leeds Castle, Kent
01622 767865
29-31
Clothes Show Live
ExCeL, London