Find out what's on in Hertfordshire in May 2011...
Music & dance
1st The Searchers, Radlett Centre
2nd Hertford Voices singing day, St Nicholas Church, Great Munden, 10am-5pm. 01992 589730
4th The award-winning Ballet Black, Watford Palace Theatre
5th The Blues Band, Harpenden Public Halls
6th Emerge: Immerse, Trestle Arts Base
6th Wihan Quartet in Concert, Benslow Music Trust, Hitchin. 01462 459446
6th The Charlton Chasers, Hertford Theatre
6th Forces Sweethearts, Radlett Centre
6th-10th Thought Dance: Emerge, Trestle Arts Base
7th Cinderella, Vienna Festival Ballet, Radlett Centre
7th Emerge: Platform, Trestle Arts Base
8th Edith Piaf – celebration of a legend, Broxbourne Civic Hall
8th De Havilland Philharmonic, The Weston Auditorium, Hatfield
8th Singers at the Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City. 01707 872125
12th Larry Garnner and the Norman Beaker Band, Hertford Theatre
14th All that Jazz, All Saints Church, Hockerill. 01277 362 440
14th Hertford Symphony Orchestra, Hertford Theatre
15th Pack Up Your Troubles, Broxbourne Civic Hall
18th Free performance of new dance and music compositions as part of the Mayfest season at The Weston Auditorium, University of Herts, Hatfield.
20th Concert by students of the Purcell School, 7pm, Aldenham Road, Bushey
21st Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Alban Arena
21st Westenders Goes Ballroom, Radlett Centre
21st World Music Evening, with Randolph Matthews and Byron Johnston, Letchworth Arts Centre
24th Hamilton Loomis, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
25th Jools Holland in Concert, Alban Arena
26th Jazz singer Clare Teal, Radlett Centre
26th Five Soldiers, Hertford Theatre
27th Die Fledermaus operetta, Hertford Theatre
27th U3 Unsigned Bands Night, Broxbourne Civic Hall
28th Tring Chamber Music, Harps, Bells and Mirrors, The Church of St John the Baptist, Aldbury. 01442 822732
28th Snake Davis, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
28th The Rat Pack, Hertford Theatre
29th Jazz Night, Letchworth Arts Centre
31st Doric Quartet in Concert, Benslow Music Trust, Hitchin. 01462 459446
Theatre
1st Barnstormers Comedy Club, Hertford Theatre
3rd An Evening with Neil Morrissey, Alban Arena
4th-7th Singin’ in the Rain, Broxbourne Theatre Company, Broxbourne Civic Theatre
5th Sweeny Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Hertford Theatre
6th I, Elizabeth, a Dyad Production, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
7th Jesterlarf Comedy Club, Gordon Craig Theatre
7th Ha Ha Holmes! The Beast of the Blistervilles, Rhodes, Bishop’s Stortford
10th Ghosts, London Classic Theatre, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
10th Private Peaceful, Harpenden Public Halls
10th-14th St Albans Operatic Society presents Hot Mikado, Alban Arena
10th-14th Calamity Jane, Harrow Light Opera Company, Watersmeet Theatre
10th-14th Radlett Light Operatic Society: Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore, Radlett Centre
10th-14th Rickmansworth Players: Stepping Out, the Pump House, Watford. 0844 7451944
12th-14th Knebworth Amateur Theatrical Society presents three one-act plays, Knebworth Village Hall. 01438 814166
13th Comedy, Clare Summerskill: Well That Explains It, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
13th Fern Hill – tales from Dylan Thomas, Hertford Theatre
13th-21st Rock ‘N’ Roll by Tom Stoppard, Abbey Theatre, St Albans
14th Comedy Night, Letchworth Arts Centre
14th Simon Evans – Comedy Night, Gordon Craig Theatre
14th Sometimes I Laugh Like My Sister, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
15th That’ll Be the Day, Alban Arena
16th-21st A Dangerous Corner by JB Priestley, Queen Mother Theatre
18th Dom Joly: Welcome to Wherever I Am, Alban Arena
19th Comedy Night, Broxbourne Civic Hall
19th-22nd Land of Liberty, a community play, Rickmansworth Aquadrome. 01923 776611
20th Patrick Monahan: 2011 British Tour, Old Town Hall, Hemel
27th Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, Harpenden Public Halls
Walks & nature
From 1st Barnet and Monken Hadley historical and ghost walks. 0208 4406805
3rd Evening walk: The Woods in Springtime, Ashridge Estate. 01442 851227
7th Discover Ashridge Walk, Ashridge Estate. 01442 851227
8th Rotary Walk: Rotary Clubs of Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City. 01582 832679
10th Gentle Stroll, Ashridge Estate. 01442 851227
21st Lost Railways of Hemel Hempstead and the Nickey Line: three or five-mile guided walk. 01442 257030
28th High Street Trail, walking tour from Watford Museum. 01923 232297
28th Birdlife in Spring, early morning bird walk on the Ashridge Estate
Children & family
1st-2nd Family fun day with children’s May pole, Morris dancers, Hog roast and beer tent. Hanbury Manor, Ware. 01920 885011
1st-2nd The Wizard of Oz, Alban Arena
4th-5th Peppa Pig’s Party, Radlett Centre
6th-7th How the Koala Learnt To Hug, Harpenden Public Halls
7th Chris & Pui Roadshow 2011, with CBeebies presenters, Alban Arena
15th Disney Classics Afternoon Tea, Hanbury Manor, Ware. 01920 885011
18th-21st The Jungle Book, Watford Palace Theatre
22nd Not So Grimm Fairy Tales! The Weston Auditorium, Hatfield
28th May Madness, scarecrow competition, fun and face painting, King George Recreation Ground, Bushey. 020 8207 7568
From 31st Half-term activity days, Cuffley Camp Outdoor Centre
From 31st Doctor Who activities, Hertford Museum
Art & exhibitions
Until June 26th Little and Large, Bushey Museum and Art Gallery
Until June 26th Chance Glass by Bryen Wood, Bushey Museum and Art Gallery
Until June 26th Bushey Then and Now 2, from the Greville Collection, Bushey Museum and Art Gallery
Until September 3rd Mud, Sweat and Beer – Everyday Life in Tudor Times, Hertford Museum
Until December, Painting of the Fortnight, a changing display of works, Watford Museum
Until 28th Exhibition by artist Graham Boyd, Space2, Watford Museum
Until 22nd Moore at Hatfield, Hatfield House
Until May 7th Bishop’s Stortford Art Society Exhibition, Rhodes. 01279 659179
Until 2nd Kimpton Art Show, Parish Church, www.kimptonartshow.co.uk
3rd-27th Hollis Dixon exhibition, Letchworth Arts Centre
3rd-27th Seven in Focus, images from seven Hertfordshire photographers, Letchworth Arts Centre
5th-27th States of Destruction by Ben Bird, Apthorp Gallery, Radlett Centre
Gardens
Until 2nd The Hertfordshire Garden Show, Knebworth House
1st and 29th May Bank Holiday open weekends, Benington Lordship gardens
15th Isabel Hospice Teas in Gardens, The Manor House, Bayford from 2 to 5pm. 01279 755320
15th Charity Spring Opening and Plant Fair, Benington Lordship gardens
22nd Open Garden, tea and stalls for Isabel Hospice Great Munden House, Great Munden, 2 to 5pm
29th Preston Gardens Open Day, Preston, near Hitchin
29th Teas in gardens for Isabel Hospice, Jenningsbury, Hertford Heath from 2.30 to 5pm. 01279 755320
From 31st Potty About Plants, Ashridge Estate
Special events
Until 1st Stortford Music Festival, St Mary’s Field, Windhill
Until 2nd Hoddesdon May Fair and Heritage Weekend. 01992 785555
Until 2nd Kimpton May Festival www.kimptonmayfest.co.uk
1st and 2nd VE Day Celebrations, Royal Gunpowder Mills
2nd Watford 10k Charity Fun Run, Cassiobury Park, Watford www.watford10k.org.uk
2nd May Day Celebrations, British Schools Museum, Hitchin
5th-8th Festival of Living Crafts, Hatfield House 10am to 5pm
7th Hertfordshire Fire Museum Open Day, Watford Fire Station,1 to 4pm. 01923 232297
7th Barkway Village Market. 01763 849073
7th-8th Stotfold Mill Steam and Country Show, Stotfold Watermill and Nature Reserve. 01462 734541
8th Isabel Hospice Sunday Cycle Ride, Woolmer Green Village Hall. 01707 382500
8th Open afternoon at Hertford Castle from noon to 4pm
8th Annual National Trust Plant Fair, Ashridge Estate
13th Ghost and Bat Tour, Knebworth House
14th Museums at Night, special opening with live music and a bar from 5 to 9pm, Watford Museum
14th-22nd Rickmansworth Week www.rickmansworthsociety.org
15th Help the Heroes fun day noon to 3pm, Rose Gardens, Bushey. 0208 2077568
21st-22nd Rickmansworth Festival www.rwt.org.uk
21st-29th Ashwell Music Festival www.ashwellmusicfestival.org.uk
22nd Isabel Hospice sponsored circular cycle ride from Bishop’s Stortford. 01707 382500
22nd The Hospice of St Francis Ashridge Garden Party, Ashridge Business School, Berkhamsted. 01442 869555
28th-29th 2011 Hertfordshire County Show, The Showground, Redbourn www.hertsshow.com
30th Watford Celebration, annual community event www.watfordcelebration.org
30th Mini and VW Car Show, Knebworth House
30th Pop-up Art Market, Hatfield House
30th Big O Broad Oak 10k Road Race and Children’s Fun Run, Hatfield Broad Oak. 01279 718267
General interest
2nd Hertford Voices workshop day, St Nicholas Church, Great Munden. 01992 304606
7th Shillington Lower School PTA Table Top Sale, Shillington Village Hall, 10am to 1pm. 07778 427762
7th Art and Craft Market, High Street Methodist Church Hall, Harpenden
10th Coffee Morning for Isabel Hospice, Markwell Pavilion, Bishop’s Stortford. 01279 755320
10th Business Growth Show, Noke Thistle Hotel, St Albans, 9am to 3pm
12th The History of Sun Printers, talk by Brian Reynolds, Watford Museum. 01923 232297
13th Isabel Hospice Spring Golf Day, Brickendon Grange Golf Club. 01707 382547
14th Venice Through the Senses of Others, music appreciation talk, Benslow Music Trust
17th Watford and West Herts Chamber of Commerce Golf Day, Aldenham Golf Club. 01923 335348
18th Snooker Legends Jimmy White and Ronnie O’Sullivan live, Radlett Centre
19th Radlett Art Society Lecture, Mary Acton: Learning to Look at Modern Art, Radlett Centre
28th Tring Artisan, Arts and Crafts Market, Victoria Hall, Tring
29th Charity Fashion Show and barbecue for The Dominique Conte Foundation for Deaf Children, 10.30am-5pm, Paradise Wildlife Park, Broxbourne. 07505 094655
Farmers’ markets
6th Barnet: Spires Shopping Centre, 8.30am to 3pm
7th Hatfield: White Lion Square, 9am to 2.30pm
8th St Albans: Market Place, 10am to 4pm
13th Hexton: St Faith’s Church, 1pm to 4pm
14th Hertford: Market Place, 8.30am to 1pm
14th Tring: The Market, Brook Street, 9am to noon
15th Wheathampstead: East Lane Car Park, 10am to 1pm
20th Barnet: Spires Shopping Centre, 8.30am to 3pm
28th Hatfield Heath: Village Hall, 9.30am to 12.30pm
28th Tring: The Market, Brook Street, 9am to noon
Useful contacts
Abbey Theatre, St Albans 01727 857861; Alban Arena, St Albans 01727 844488; Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted 01441 851227; Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City 01707 357117; British Schools Museum, Hitchin 01462 420144; Broxbourne Civic Hall 01992 441946; Court Theatre, Pendley, Tring 01442 823130; First Garden City Heritage Museum 01462 482710; Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage 01438 363200; Harpenden Public Halls 01582 767525; Hatfield House 01707 287010; Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery 01462 434476; Knebworth House and Gardens 01438 812661; Letchworth Arts Centre 01462 670788; Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans 01727 844222; Market Theatre, Hitchin 01462 433553; Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead 01442 228091; Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin 01462 434875; Radlett Centre 01923 859291; Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop's Stortford 01279 651746; Sandpit Theatre, St Albans 01727 370067; Shenley Park 01923 852629; St Albans Cathedral 01727 860780; Trestle Arts Base, St Albans 01727 850950; Watford Palace Theatre 01923 225671; Watersmeet Theatre 01923 711063
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