A round-up of events in and around the county in May
Throughout May
Buxton Folk in May
Live music from talented folk musicians, including national artists and local performers. Events include music sessions and guided walk. Visit www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
1st May Astonbury Music Festival
All Saints’ Church, Aston on Trent, 7pm. Tel: 01332 799948
1st-4th May Charity Flower Festival
Organised by the Rotary Club of Burton upon Trent at Pirelli Football Stadium, Burton
1st-10th May
Derby Film Festival
Screenings, talks and seminars and cinema events. See www.derbyfilmfestival.co.uk
2nd-30th May
Belper Arts Festival
Performances, workshops, talks and exhibitions centred around theatre, literature, art, music, dance, film and photography, www.belperartsfestival.org
2nd May
Piva May
‘Measure for Measure’ – music from Shakespeare’s time, All Saints’ Church, Leek, 7.30pm. Tel: 01538 386867
2nd-4th May
Calke Abbey Craft Show
Fine crafts, demonstrations and children’s entertainment, Calke Abbey (National Trust), Ticknall, nr Derby. Tel: 01332 863822
2nd-4th
Great British Food Festival
A ‘foodie’ day out for the whole family, Hardwick Hall, Doe Lea, Chesterfield. Tel: 01925 450640
3rd May
Bluebell Walk at Rosliston
Rosliston Forestry Centre, Swadlincote, 11am. Tel: 01283 563483
3rd-4th May
Bolsover Knights Tournament
The ultimate medieval contest, Bolsover Castle, English Heritage. Tel: 01246 822844
3rd-4th May
Leawood Pumphouse Operating Days
See the 150-year-old engine in motion, Cromford Canal, nr High Peak Junction, 12pm-5pm. Tel: 01629 823204
3rd-4th, 24th-25th May
Middleton Top Engine House Operating Days
View the engine built by the Butterley Company in 1829 to raise and lower wagons on the Middleton Incline, Middleton by Wirksworth. Tel: 01629 823204
3rd-5th May
Bakewell Showground Spectacular
Family entertainment, fun fair, live music and stalls, Bakewell Showground. See www.spectacularweekend.com
8th-17th
Derbyshire Literature Festival
Over 40 events with established writers and up-and-coming authors. Visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/festival
9th May
Dalesmen Male Voice Choir
With the Dalesmen Singers, St Peter’s Church, Belper, 7.30pm. Tel: 01332 841580
9th May
Derby Bach Choir
Come and Sing Haydn’s Nelson Mass, registration 1.30pm, St George’s Church, Ticknall. Tel: 01332 344842
9th May
Derbyshire Singers
Ashbourne Methodist Church, 7.30pm. Tel: 01335 342859
9th-17th
Chesterfield Area Walking Festival
Take a gentle stroll or family ramble, or challenge yourself on a countryside trek. Most walks are free and all are led by a fully-trained guide. Visit chesterfieldwalkingfestival.co.uk
10th May
A Garden Fantasy
Derby Academy of Classical Dance, Abbotsholme School Theatre, Rocester, Uttoxeter, 8pm. Tel: 01543 263304
13th May
Seven Ages
Masks, puppetry, storytelling and improvisation feature in this semi-improvised comedy from Kepow Theatre Company, Crich Glebe Field Centre. Tel: 01773 853260
14th-16th May
Barrow Hill Rail Ale Festival
Train rides, live music and over 200 real ales at Barrowhill Roundhouse, Chesterfield. Tel: 01246 472450
15th-17th May
Chatsworth International Horse Trials
World-class eventing and an exciting programme of arena events. Chatsworth, Bakewell
16th-17th May
Arts in Willington
Arts Trail, workshops and community events. See www.willingtonartsfestival.co.uk
16th-17th
Derbyshire Food & Drink Fair
Cookery theatre with Frances Quinn – winner of BBC One’s Great British Bake Off 2013 – plus demonstrations, local brewers, live music, children’s play area, craft marquee and local produce, Kedleston Hall, nr Derby. Tel: 01332 830444
17th May
Swadlincote Festival of Transport
A celebration of classic vehicles in Swadlincote Town Centre. Tel: 01283 222848
16th May
Beatus
St Peter’s Church, Yoxall, 7.30pm. Tel: 01283 813377
16th May
Derby Concert Orchestra
Rossini, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius, St Mary’s Church, Wirksworth, 7.30pm. Tel: 01332 763594
16th May
Voices City of Derby Girls Choir
20th anniversary concert with ChorAlchemy, Derby City Singers and Sequenza, Derby Cathedral, 7.30pm. Tickets from Foulds, Iron Gate, Derby and The Voicebox, Derby
23rd May
Belper Singers
Choral classics at Holy Trinity Church, Brackenfield, 1.30pm. Tel: 0115 9302590
23rd-25th
Whitsun at Haddon Hall
Join the Tudor Group at Haddon Hall, Bakewell. Tel: 01629 81285
23rd-24th
Bearded Theory Festival
Award-winning creative and performing arts festival held at Catton Hall. Over 100 bands include New Model Army and James. Visit beardedtheory.co.uk
30th May-7th June
Flower Festival
‘2015 – A Year of Anniversaries’, Holy Trinity Church, Ashford-in-the-Water
THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS
BUXTON OPERA HOUSE (BOX OFFICE: 0845 127 2190)
29th April-3rd May
Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience
The chance to eat at ‘the funniest restaurant in town’
14th-16th May
English Touring Opera
La Boheme and The Wild Man of the West Indies
19th-23rd May
The History Boys
Alan Bennett’s excellent play about a group of bright, funny and unruly sixth-formers
26th-30th May
Calamity Jane
A new production of the hit musical starring Jodie Prenger
POMEGRANATE THEATRE, CHESTERFIELD (BOX OFFICE: 01246 345222)
1st May
Blake
Brit Award-winning harmonisers
12th May
Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts
This thrilling mystery leaves the audience constantly guessing
16th May
Morecambe and Wise Rebooted
Live version of a classic ‘Eric and Ernie’ television show
WINDING WHEEL, CHESTERFIELD (BOX OFFICE: 01246 345222)
15th May
Russell Watson
The international singing star performs with Tideswell Male Voice Choir
26th May
Joan Armatrading
Singer-songwriter, guitarist and three-time Grammy Award nominee
DERBY THEATRE (BOX OFFICE: 01332 593939)
5th-9th May
Horrible Histories
Groovy Greeks and Incredible Invaders – two great new shows for children over five
21st-23rd May
The Music Man
Performed by Derby Gilbert & Sullivan Company
26th May
Reduced Shakespeare Company
‘The Complete History of Comedy (Abridged)’
GUILDHALL THEATRE DERBY (BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800)
5th May
Vamos Theatre: Nursing Lives
Wartime tale of bravery and love, from the UK’s leading full mask theatre company
6th May
Andy Parsons
‘Live and Unleashed – But Naturally Cautious’
NOTTINGHAM ROYAL CENTRE (BOX OFFICE: 0115 989 5555)
1st
Jimmy Carr
‘Funny Business’
7th
Dara O Briain
‘Crowd Tickler’
13th-16th
The Importance of Being Earnest
David Suchet stars as Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde’s much-loved masterpiece
21st-23rd
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Programmes by British greats Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan and Alexander Whitley
22nd
Lulu
Celebrating her 50th year as a world-renowned recording artist
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE (BOX OFFICE: 0115 941 9419)
2nd May
The Musicians of Bremen
Enchanting for children and adults alike, with fabulous puppets and an innovative set
10th May
Stewart Francis
‘Pun Gent’
14th May
BalletBoyz: theTALENT
An evening of excitement and grace by an all-male cast, under the direction of former Royal Ballet dancers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt
16th May
Ministry of Science Live
Educational, anarchic and explosive science show
22nd May-6th June
A Skull in Connemara
Martin McDonagh’s black comedy
SHEFFIELD THEATRES (BOX OFFICE: 0114 249 6000)
5th-23rd
The Full Monty
Hilarious and heartfelt adaptation starring Gary Lucy, Andrew Dunn and Rupert Hill
14th May-6th June
Pride and Prejudice
Starring Harry Potter’s Isabella Laughland as Elizabeth Bennet and James Northcote as Mr Darcy
DERBYSHIRE CLUBS, SOCIETIES & TALKS
Allestree Flower Group
19th ‘Tis a Gift’ Evergreen Hall, Cornhill, Allestree, 7.30pm
Ashbourne Antiques & Collectables Society
5th ‘Japanned Papier Maché & Tinware’, St Oswald’s Church Hall, Ashbourne, 7.30pm
Ashbourne Heritage Society
12th ‘Georgian Eccentrics and Georgian Magic’, St Oswald’s Church Hall, Ashbourne, 7.30pm
Ashbourne Embroiderers’ Guild
18th Fabric Manipulation with Ruth Singer, St John’s Church Hall, Ashbourne, 7.30pm
Brampton Living History Group
18th ‘The Poor Law in action in Mugginton’ by John Barnett, Church Parish Centre, Chatsworth Rd, Brampton, 7.30pm
Chesterfield Embroiderers’ Guild
7th Practical workshop, Saints Parish Centre, St Mary’s Gate, Chesterfield, 7pm
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society
26th ‘The Uttoxeter Canal’ by Steve Wood, The Wilmot Arms, Borrowash, Derby, 8pm
Derbyshire Embroiderers’ Guild
9th Morning workshop 10.30am-12.30pm and ‘Cat and Mouse’ talk 2pm-4pm, St Mary’s Church Hall, Darley Lane, Derby, 2pm
Derby Poetry Society
8th A celebration of Alan Anthony, Friends Meeting House, St Helen’s St, Derby, 7.30pm
Matlock Antiques & Collectables Society
8th AGM and ‘Introduction to Art Deco’, Imperial Rooms, Matlock, 7.30pm
Sawley & District Historical Society
25th ‘The Tradescants – England’s 17th century master gardeners’ by Patsie Jarman, Sawley Church Hall, Old Sawley, 7.45pm
Ticknall Preservation & Historical Society
29th ‘The Great War: Shattered Illusions’ with Danny Wells, Ticknall Village Hall, 7.30pm
DERBYSHIRE WELL DRESSINGS IN MAY
4th-9th Newborough, Burton (blessing on 4th, 10.30am)
9th-14th Waingroves (blessing on 9th, 11am)
14th-20th Tissington (blessing on 14th, 9am)
16th-18th Etwall (blessing on 16th, 9am)
16th-21st Swanwick (blessing on 16th, 12pm)
23rd-29th Middleton by Youlgrave (blessing on 24th, 6.30pm)
23rd-27th Wirksworth (blessing on 23rd, 11am)
23rd-1st Jun Monyash (blessing on 23rd, 2pm)
