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