The end of the week is nigh, but there’s still time to make plans. Here are five suggestions for how to spend your weekend, from us to you
This Sunday is Children’s Day across 47 countries around the world. In fact, over 114 countries observe some form of Children’s Day annually.
There is no such national holiday here in the UK, however, so parents concerned about being obligated to give their child a second birthday this Sunday can breath a sigh of relief. Instead, why not spend your weekend visiting some of the events taking place across the region? Here are five recommendations from us:
Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks, Chipping Campden
Friday (evening) May 30
Chasing cheese down the near-vertical Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester and lumbering around Tetbury carrying a sack of wool was last week. However, if you’re still after a bit of Cotswoldian eccentricity, how about a spot of shin-kicking?
The Cotswold Olimpick Games began in the 1600s and is celebrated annually, frequently attracting thousands of visitors. Events include: sledgehammer throwing, tug of war, sword fighting, wrestling, wheelbarrow racing, spurning the barre - and the afforementioned shin kicking.
The Shin Kicking Contest is open to anyone, but those with timid tibias may want to steer clear. The participants each wear a long white coat and optional straw padding, place their hands on the shoulders of their opponents, and start kicking eachother in the shins until someone falls to the ground.
Alongside the usual eccentric sports there is a fairground, bungee jumping, morris dancing, live music and a firework display with torchlight parade. There is also a fancy-dress procession and competition on Saturday morning.
For more information, visit:
Wychwood Festival, Cheltenham
Friday May 30 – June 1
The annual Wychwood Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, hosting the usual wide range of musical performers alongside workshops, literature, art, comedy, cinema and more.
This year’s musical line-up includes: The Boomtown Rats, The Levellers, The Stranglers, Bad Manners, Craig Charles, Newton Faulkner, Wolf Alice, Thrill Collins, 10cc’s Graham Gouldman, Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra among many others.
There’s a Kids Literature Festival, Roald Dahl Museum and Justin Fletcher (Mr Tumble) to entertain the young ones.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.wychwoodfestival.com
Please DO Touch The Artwork Exhbition, Cheltenham
May 28 - June 7
Some sculptures are so tantalisingly tactile that, even under the surveilance of a gallery security guard and constrained by barriers explicitly stating ‘Do Not Handle The Artwork’, it can be hard to resist leaning over and touching them.
Visitors to the new exhibition at The Brewery in Cheltenham need not worry about being so reserved, as they are expressly encouraged to interact with the selection of artwork from eleven UK artists. The event includes artwork you can touch, explore, help create and even eat and is open to all ages.
Art Playground director, Christina Poulton, said: “We’re really excited to launch this exhibition. We asked artists for proposals and got such a positive response. The traditional view of visual art is that you walk round quietly, have to say the right things and never touch the artwork. There are so many artists out there creating exciting pieces of art where the whole point is that you do interact with them. We hope that this exhibition will be enjoyed by art lovers and children alike.”
The artists taking part are Judith Barker, Jon Clair, Catherine Frowd, Glynn Griffiths, Natasha Houseago, Rosie Jones, Catherine Jones, Debbie Lee, Melissa McGovern, Ella Phillips, Emma Reid and Jane Webb.
The exhibition is open 10am-4pm, May 23 - June 7, plus Thursday evening opening until 8pm.
Visitors can drop in for free, explore the exhibition and also vote for their favourite piece of art.
To find out more, visit: www.artplayground.org.uk
Asparafest, Evesham
Saturday May 31 - June 1
It seems strange that a humble vegetable should be the inspiration for a festival. Nevertheless, asparagus season is in full swing, and that brings with it the annual Asparafest!
There are two music stages, family crafts and workshops, falconry, aerial theatre, cookery kitchen with Felice Tocchini, TV gastronaut Stefan Gates, vintage vehicles, a fun fair, craft and food stalls as well as a real ale and cider festival.
There will also be appearances from the world famous Asparamancer (she predicts the future using asparagus), Gus and the Asparafairy, plus Asparagus Eating Competitions, recipe competitions and the crowning of the Asparagus King and Queen!
Perhaps asparagus was just the excuse Evesham needed for a good old fashioned knees up.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.asparafest.co.uk
Stratford Food Festival At The Races, Stratford-upon-Avon
Friday May 30 - June 1
The organisers of the annual Stratford Food Festival and Stratford Racecourse have put their heads together to create a new, redesigned event, which will launch this weekend, called the Stratford Food Festival At the Races.
A scaled down, compact and focused food event will take place on the back of an existing double race meeting weekend in the racecourses annual calendar. There will be over 70 exhibitors with varying artisan products, real ale & cider bar, live music and a butchery demo with The Lazy Cow.
Two evening race meetings will feature; The AGA Ladies Open Point to Point Championship Final and The AGA iTotal Control Championship Hunters Steeplechase, with all visitors getting the opportunity to explore the usual aromas and hustle and bustle provided by talented producers in the Food Festival area.
Races will take place over the Friday & Saturday evening, whilst Sunday will feature just the food festival.
For more information, visit:
