Before the temperatures take a plummet, and we say goodbye to the heatwave, freckles and festivals, make the most of those last summer rays and get yourself down to one of these fun-filled events.
Bedfordshire Walking Festival, 8-16 September
Pull on those walking boots and stretch your legs at this year’s ninth annual Bedfordshire Walking Festival. There’s opportunities for all ages and abilities with walks ranging from 30 minutes to three hours and events including ‘Trails & Tales’ for children, ‘Walks for Health’ and many more. Take a stroll around this glorious county, taking in the changing colours of the countryside and picking a berry or two along the way! For details about all events visit www.bedswalkfest.co.uk
Motorcycle show, 9 September, Long Shop Museum, Leiston
Get ready for a dazzling display of power as a huge array of bikes take centre stage at the Long Shop Museum. Among the polished chrome will be the David Silver Honda Collection and vintage models, plus all steam engines will be in operation! It’s free entry for those who arrive on motorcycle and add their own vehicle to the display. For everyone else, adults are priced £6.50, children from £3.50-£5, under 4s free. www.longshopmuseum.co.uk
Open Cambridge 2018, 14-15 September
This is your chance to see behind the doors and learn the tales of some of Cambridge’s most famous buildings. Part of the national Heritage Open Day scheme, Open Cambridge is a free, two-day celebration, run by the University of Cambridge, which features over 80 events from walks, talks, tours and exhibitions showcasing the rich historical and cultural diversity of Cambridge; its buildings, landscape, art, history and people from the perspective of both town and gown, old and new. The full programme of events can be viewed at www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk
Artworks 19th Exhibition, 15-30 September, Blackthorpe Barn, Bury St Edmunds
Whether you’re an artist, collector or just love admiring beautiful pieces take a trip to Artworks 19th annual exhibition where 30 artists and East Anglian members of the group will be displaying up to 10 new works each. There will be more than 300 pieces to view, plus a pop up shop hosting smaller artworks, paintings and cards, all of which will be for sale. www.artworksinfo.org.uk
Old Riverport Jazz & Blues Festival, 20-23 September, The Old Riverport, St Ives, Cambs
Don’t miss this hugely popular music festival, which this year is bigger than ever before, with 27 concerts, a jazz & blues masterclass, harmonica workshop and jam session over the four days. Best of all, it’s completely free! www.theoldriverportstives.co.uk
Plein Air Painting Competition, 21-22 September, Munnings Art Museum
Whether you’re a professional watercolourist or an enthusiastic dabbler in oils, The Munnings Art Museum is inviting artists of all persuasions to enter its second Plein Air Painting Competition, this September. Once again inspired by Sir Alfred’s celebrated riverscape paintings – as can still be seen in the ongoing exhibition, ‘Munnings and the River’ until 31 October, contestants will be asked to capture the ‘Spirit of the Stour’ and given five hours to complete their work. A prize of £250 awaits the overall winner, with a further £100 available for the best submission in the Amateur category. The exhibition opens to the public at 1pm on the Sunday, before the prize winners are announced an hour later. A selection of the pictures from the competition will exhibited for sale in the museum’s garden café until 28 October. To enter visit www.munningsmuseum.org.uk/events-and-workshops
Street Feast, 22 September, Market Square, Saffron Walden
A first for Saffron Walden, this month sees some of the region’s best food trucks and producers park up in the Market Square for an evening of tasty treats. Taking place 7.30pm-10.30pm, visitors will be able to tuck into fresh grub from the likes of Steak & Honour and Pizza Mondo and sample a fine selection of gin, wine and soft drinks. This is one not to be missed!
Woburn Abbey Honey Festival, 22 September
We’ve all seen this summer’s viral video of how to save the bees with a spoonful of sugar, but this festival provides a whole new insight into this fascinating insect and its produce. The Bedfordshire Beekeeper’s Association will be holding their annual Honey Show plus demonstrations and talks about beekeeping, honey and hive products. Visitors will be able to shop a range of stalls including local honey, candles, other beeswax related products and food items. Gardens entrance prices: Adults £8, Child (3-15) £5.25 (under 3’s free). www.woburnabbey.co.uk/honeyfestival
The Red Arrows display team showcase their flying skills in the sky above the Duxford Air Show.
Photographed 11th September, 2016.
Battle of Britain Air Show, 22-23 September, IWM Duxford
The Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show will bring the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) to a resounding finale with a celebration of 100 years of RAF history and a vision of its innovative future capability, both in the air and on the ground. In an exclusive display for Duxford visitors, the RAF will demonstrate its air-to-air refueling capabilities with the Voyager KC Mk.2 tanker taking to the skies alongside an immense Atlas A400M transport aircraft and two Eurofighter Typhoons. This is just one of the many amazing, skillful displays to take place throughout the day. Adult tickets cost £29.50.
Sorted! Festival, 25-27 September, at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden
To coincide with the opening of the Rising Path, which has been designed to offer a new perspective on the revitalised Systematic Beds, Sorted! will bring together a mix of great minds for a selection of fascinating talks and tours. Artists and art historians, botanic garden experts, scientists, historians, curators, horticulturalists, researchers and writers from Cambridge, Oxford, the RHS, the Natural History Museum and more will share their perspectives on how we sort and organise the natural world. Tickets from £35. For the festival line-up visit www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
