EVENTS

Gloucester Quays Food Festival, July 22 to 24

Two of the UK’s favourite TV chefs Gino D’Acampo and James Martin will be cooking live on stage in the Aga Rangemaster Cookery Theatre on Saturday and Sunday respectively, and have promised to give visitors a culinary treat. The festival celebrates food and drink from around the UK, as well as showcasing home-grown Gloucestershire and Cotswolds delicacies.

Visit Gloucesterquays foodfestival.co.uk.

South Wales Shire Horse Show The biggest and best Shire horse experience in Wales, with fairground, bouncy castle and crafts and including a miniature horse and pony show.

Bailey Park, Abergavenny, July 30.

National Trust: Berrington Hall Hereford and Leominster Kite Festival Showcasing some of the best sport and single line kites for kite enthusiasts and the public to come along and watch, or bring your own kite to join in. Free event, but normal admission charges apply.

Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17. Details at nationaltrust. org.uk.

Dragons, damsels and lake dipping Bring along the family and join in the hunt for all those ‘ugly bugs’ in the parkland and the lake.

Mondays, August 1, 8, 15 and 22, 1pm to 3pm.

Teddy bears’ picnic Bring along your favourite teddy and enjoy a picnic in our grounds. Afterwards come and try some teddy activities and competitions.

August 9, 2pm to 4pm. Free event but normal admission charges apply.

Mermaids and pirates

Come along dressed as a mermaid or pirate and get free entry. Pirate stories and songs as well as lots of activities to keep the children occupied, from making hats and jewellery boxes to enjoying a pirate trail.

August 16, 2pm to 4pm.

National Trust: Brockhampton Estate Children’s outdoor trails Enjoy the long summer holidays with something fun to do everyday. Daily, from July 16 to September 4 Hereford and Worcester Animal Rescue Annual Dog Show: Sunday, July 17. All dogs welcome, 14 classes (£1 per class). Stalls selling crafts, cakes, books jewellery. Barbecue and refreshments. Free entry to Estate and dog show.

Details from Karen Harper on 01885 488099 or email karen.harper@national trust.org.uk.

Mini Beast Hunt Join the rangers and hunt for mini beasts in the woodland. Fun for all ages. August 4, 1pm to 3pm Moat dipping: Discover what lives in the moat surrounding Lower Brockhampton.

August 5 and August 13, 1pm to 3pm.

Moat dipping and Mini Beasts combined: August 17, 1pm to 3pm, child £3.

National Trust: Croft Castle Bat walk

Wander the world of bats. Use bat detectors to locate and then learn to identify species and habitat. Guided walk alongside our rangers.

July 23 and September 17, 8.30pm

The Tudors Are Coming

Demonstrating life during Tudor times with cookery, clothes, music, skills, crafts and more. July 24, 10am.

Children’s outdoor trails

35 dates between August 1 and September 4. Details at nationaltrust.org.uk.

Ugly bug safaris

Look under logs, stones and learn about habitat, species and how you can help conserve the wildlife in your garden.

Five dates between August 3 and 31.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men with another hilarious Shakespeare production. August 3, 7pm

Canterbury Tales

The Pantaloons present a funny and light-hearted production for the whole family.

August 17, 7pm

Hampton Court Castle Sealed Knot

The Sealed Knot perform re-enactments based around battles, skirmishes and sieges of the English Civil War.

July 30 and 31.

Sense and Sensibility

Chapterhouse Theatre Company presents an evening of Regency wonderment, as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood make their first forays into the excitingly decadent world of 18th century society.

July 28. 7.30pm.

Snow White

Enchanting outdoor theatre. Everyone is invited to come along to watch in fancy dress and join in with the fairytale parade during the interval.

August 25. 6.30pm

Jousting weekend

Hampton Court revisits its mediaeval roots with knights jousting and more, spread over two exciting days of fun.

August 28 and 29.Details of all events at hamptoncourt.org.uk or call 01568 797777.

Eastnor Castle

Simon the Snail

Follow Simon’s fun nature trail around the grounds, listen and watch for lakeside life, tree rubbings, bug den building and bird bingo.

From Sunday until July 21, 11am to 4.30pm.

Fantastic Mr Fox

Family open air theatre with Illyria (back by popular demand) on the Valley Lawn.

July 24, 3pm. Pre-booking essential on 01531 633160.

Wild Play: – Playing with the Elements

Discover the power of mud and wind, play with fire, create and fly your own kites, then get wet and find the curious creatures of the castle stream. Great fun with the Wild Play Rangers.

July 24-28.

Magical tales and stories

With local storyteller Cat Wetherill, in the fairytale setting of the Eastnor woodland.

July 31 to August 4

All the Fun of the Circus

Join local circus entertainer and try your hand at juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, tightrope walking, plate spinning and many other circus tricks.

August 7 to August 11.

Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance

Open-air theatre with Illyria on the Lower Terrace overlooking the lake at.

Sunday, August 14 to Thursday,August 18 7.30pm. Pre-booking essential on 01531 633160

Wild Play: Back to Nature

Come and discover our exciting play settlement in the woodland, build dens, hunt for bugs, learn about trees, and go wild in the woods.

Monday, August 22 to Thursday, August 25

Tropical Animal Experience Interactive fun show with exotic animals from Tropical Inc who’ll bring skunks, snakes, spiders, meer cats and many other mini beasts that you can touch and hold.

Sunday, August 28 to Monday, August 29

Wacky Races and Teddy Bears’ Picnic Sports day comes to Eastnor!

Come and take part in the egg and spoon, sack or three-legged race - fun for all the family and prizes to be won. Bring along your teddies and a picnic for a bear’s tale down in the woods!

Saturday, July 23, 12 noon to 4pm

Ludlow Assembly Rooms’ Youth Festival

Another fun-packed day at the Wheeler Road skate park, featuring a multitude of free entertainment for young people and families, There’ll be stunning dance with a football theme, skateboard competitions, face painting, non-stop music and much, much more. Look out for the Youth Festival leaflet.

July 23