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Looking south from Worcester Beacon

Events in and around Malvern

Also See

The Malvern Arts 'Google Calendar' (opens in new window and wide view works best, or try RSS feed) is on low maintenance service at present.

New or Noteworthy

A festival of live music in Worcester is planned for August 22nd, 23rd and 24th 2008. See Not Just Sauce site.

Colwall is to put on a festival, July 10th to 20th 2008. Details awaited.

The Fold Green Fest 26th July 2008 with Satish Kumar.

A 'ten years on' festival in June, celebrating the refurbishment of the Malvern Theatres, has an emphasis on classic English shows and music, with a number of Elgar performances.

A summer sanctuary by Birmingham Bach Choir in Great Malvern Priory, 7th June. "A sublime programme of sacred and secular music by some of the twentieth century's great composers". Elgar as well as Holst, Britten, Vaughan Williams, Bax, Finzi, and organ music.

Shakespeare at the Commandery The Taming of the Shrew, 10th to 21st June 2008.

Upcoming Events

Gordon Giltrap at Colwall Village, Friday 2nd May, as fundraiser for WestFest. Tickets £12 (£5 under 18s), from The Stock Exchange in Malvern’s Church Street and The Great Malvern Deli.

ART for Amnesty Amnesty International Malvern Hills group and Malvern Quakers free exhibition & sale - prints paintings cards ceramics photographs craft jewellery books sculpture. 10am - 5pm daily, 2pm - 5pm Sundays; Saturday 17th May to Saturday 31st May at Friends Meeting House, 1 Orchard Rd, Malvern.

The 2008 monthly series of lunchtime organ recitals on Great Malvern Priory's recently restored 3,000-pipe, four-manual instrument kicks off on 22nd March. Further dates are 26th April, 26th May, 17th June (ticketed evening performance), 25th July, 25th August, 18th October, 15th November. See Malvern Priory Organ website.

Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen Show at The Market House, Ledbury, 10am to 4.30pm. Easter show, then 15th to 31st August and 21st November to 14th December.

Malvern

Malvern Walking Festival dates etc. are on Walking Malvern page.

Autumn in Malvern Festival, during October. Music, talks, exhibitions and more.

Elgar Festival, started in 2004, is aiming to happen every 2 years, May/June. Not 2008, as there was 150th birthday event in 2007.

Malvern May Day celebration is usually held on the Saturday before/closest to1st May, organised by Malvern Fringe Arts. 2008: 3rd May.

The springs/well dressing takes place over the same weekend as May Day event - see Spa info on Malvern Hills page for more background.

Fringe Festival (which can be connected with Elgar Festival) usually late May/early June. In 2008: a series of events throughout May beginning with May Day, including lectures, comedy night, cabaret night. From Saturday 24th, a week of events for half-term - kids puppet theatre workshops and performances, street theatre, craft fair, gigs etc. (all dependent on funding). The Elgar hill climb cycle challenge will take place up Church Street, as in previous years, but on a Sunday - 25th . All organised by Malvern Fringe Arts.

WestFest West Malvern's August Bank Holiday all-dayer. 2008: 25th.

Music sessions

Music at The Lamb, West Malvern. Various (local) bands on Saturday nights; Sunday Live Trad/Swing Jazz alternate weeks; Jam at the Lamb informal sessions on Thursdays. Phone 01684 577847.

Music at The Wyche Inn on Wednesdays from 8pm (started spring 07).

West Malvern Music Session at West Malvern Social Club, 145 West Malvern Road, every Sunday, 9 to 11pm. Acoustic music of all kinds and standards.

We'll add more regular bashes if someone supplies the details. Thanks.

Immediate area

Spring Garden ShowThree Counties Showground Just south of Malvern. Specific gardening, dogs, ponies, antiques, cars and such shows, plus the usual countryside types. Spring Gardening Show, in May (2008: 8th to 11th) is the first in the RHS calendar. Malvern Autumn Show (Garden and Country, 2008: 27th/28th Sept) rounds off the season. New for 2008: CountryTastic, indoor event day for kids up to 14, 27th March.

Flea fairs and antique fairs put on at the showground by B2B Events.

There are some new leaflets on walks and cycle rides from Three Counties Showground. Please ask the Showground for these, to encourage them to do more on 'sustainable tourism'. The showground also contains the National Collection of Perry Pear Trees.


Three Choirs Festival August classical music bash, orchestral as well as choral, with maybe a bit of jazz. The oldest musical festival in Europe (noted as a 'yearly Musical Assembly' in 1719). Rotates between Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester. 2008: Worcester, 2nd to 9th August. Email: info@3choirs.org. There may also be a festival fringe - e.g. in Hereford in 2006.

Marlbank Inn beer and music festival, 2008: 20th to 22nd June. Real ale and ciders, near Welland.

Welland Steam and Country Rally, Woodside Farm, Welland. 2008: 25th to 27th July. Phone 01531 890417 or 890762. Organised by Ross-on-Wye Steam Engine Society.

Chickenstock is a small-scale local music festival at one edge of Malvern. 2007: 16th/17th June.

Quality B&B and self-catering

West

Gregg's PitBig Apple Weekend. 2008: 11th/12th October. Celebrating the apple harvest and all things apple. Loads of events, around Much Marcle area and wider. See Big Apple or Westons Cider site for more info. There's usually a bike ride on the Sunday along the Ledbury Cider Trail route - check Bike Rides page.

Blossom time with The Big Apple, Usually first weekend in May (2008: Sunday/Monday 4th/5th May). Cider tasting at Putley Village Hall.

Bosbury Cider and Blossom Festival 2008: 10th May. In and around the Parish Hall, 11am to 5pm.

Daffodil Weekend at Kempley - guided walks, teas etc. 2008: 15th and 16th March. (Also see Cycling events for Ross-on-Wye Daffodil Rides.)

Daffodil Weekend at Dymock no longer? They refer to the neighbouring Kempley event instead.

Big Chill Festival is at Eastnor Castle Deer Park (just south of Malvern Hills). 2008: 1st to 3rd August. Chill out music and more.

There are other events at Eastnor Castle. New event, 2008: 4th/5th May (Bank Holiday): Herefordshire Adventure & Activity Festival - 'University of the Great Outdoors' - Grass sledging, Orienteering, Canoeing and kayaking, Zip line (aerial runway) and more. See brochure on Visit Herefordshire.

24-hour Mountain Bike Race in Eastnor Castle's Deer Park (apparently the "biggest 24 hour race in the world", according to Bike Radar). 2008: 20th to 22nd June, with a 'sportive' (onroad) 100km on the Sunday going west around classic MalvernTrail routes. More details at Mountain Mayhem (Information Line 01298 687331 / 687332). Note that the website accessibility is poor.

Ledbury English Festival around St Georges Day. 2008: 19th to 27th April. Email: ledburyenglishfestival@btopenworld.com, phone 01531 632963.

Dymock Poets

Ledbury Poetry Festival June/July. 2008: 4th to 13th July.

Marcle Steam Rally, Rye Meadows, Much Marcle. Includes steam ploughing. 2007: 21st/22nd July. Phone 01531 660464. Organised by Herefordshire Traction Engine and Vintage Co.

Borderlines Film Festival brings the best of international cinema to Herefordshire. Mid to late March. 2008: 28th March to 13th April. At The Courtyard and venues in Ledbury, Ross, Gorsley and elsewhere in the county. Phone 01432 344039.

Herefordshire Festival of Walking June. 2008: 14th to 22nd.

Herefordshire Art Week, September. 2008: 13th to 21st. Likely to Include various galleries in Ledbury plus Blue Ginger near Cradley. (For galleries in Malvern, see our Interests page.)

Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival. 2008: 25th to 26th October. Hereford Race Course.

North

Bromyard Folk Festival mid-September. 2008: 12th to 14th.

Bromyard International Town Criers Festival - we had previously heard that this ended in 2005, but now read that 2008 has been cancelled and there may be an event in 2009! Try Knighton instead, on Welsh borders.

Bromyard Gala 2008: 5th/6th July. Includes Steam Rally and Gardening at the Gala.

Tenbury Wells Holly and Mistletoe Auctions, Tuesdays before Christmas (2007: 27th Nov, 4th and 11th Dec). Phone 01584 810555. Also Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Festival, 2007 starts 22nd November, runs to 4th December (main events in 2nd week).

Tenbury Wells Applefest 2008: 18th October. Phone 01584 810136.

Worcester Beer & Cider Festival mid August. 2008: 14th to 16th.

Worcester Festival, August. 2008: 2nd to 25th.

East

Pershore Plum Fayre. August Bank Holiday, 2007: 27th August. Plus Farmers Market. Town Centre, 10am to 3pm. Contact Pershore Visitor Centre, 01386 556591. There may be more info on Wychavon Tourism web pages.

Upton Riverside Folk Festival May Bank Holiday (2008: 2nd to 5th May).

Upton-upon-Severn Jazz Festival late June (2008: 27th to 29th). Email: info@uptonjazz.co.uk

Upton Blues Festival July (2008: 18th to 20th). In various pubs, free! Email: info@uptonbluesfestival.org.uk

Upton Water Festival. August Bank holiday weekend. 2008: 23rd to 25th August. Phone 01684 594552.

Asparagus Festival events at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, east of Evesham, late May/early June. 2008: 24th to 26th May.

Evesham Vintage Easter Gathering (2008: 22nd to 24th March) and Evesham Steam rally (2008: 8th to 10th August), both organised by Shakepeare's Rally Promotions.

South

Gorsley Festival "a rural rendezvous for spiritual refreshment" including flower displays in the local church. 2008: 21st to 25th August.

Newent Onion Fayre 2007: 8th Sept, from 10am. Tourist info: 01531 822468.

Ross on Wye International Festival is no more (last one August. 2004). There is however, Ross Live!, early August. 2007: 4th to 14th.

Ross-on-Wye Cider Festival at Broome Farm. August/September. 2008: 29th to 31st Aug. Due to popularity, book in advance, and/or check out website for other possible summer weekend events at Broome Farm.

Further afield

Bewdley Festival October. 2008: 10th to 18th.

Cheltenham Festivals Jazz (April/May), Science (June), Classical music (July), Literature (October). Folk festival (February).

Wychwood Festival World, Roots and Contemporary music with camping at Cheltenham racecourse, 2008: 30th May to 1st June.

Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival Late July.

Clun Green Man Festival, May. 2008: 3td to 5th.

Coleford Music Festival. Late May. Not running in 2008.

Gloucester International Rhythm & Blues Festival. Late July.

Hay-on-Wye Festival of Literature 2008: 22nd May to 1st June. Also December weekend event.

Beer on the Wye A Hereford Camra event, featuring local cider and perry too. 2008: 4th to 6th July. Riverside Marquee at Hereford Rowing Club, Hereford, HR4 0BE, with camping available 'next door'.

Festival of Flowers at Hereford Cathedral, 6th to 8th September 2007.

Hereford Photography Festival - Exposure. Most of October. 2008: 'Part Two' is 17th May to 14th June.

Herefordshire Food Festival. 2008: 25th and 26th October, at Hereford Race Course.

Herefordshire Contemporary Crafts Fair. 2007: 16th to 18th November.

Wye Valley Music Festival runs some events in Hereford, St Briavels (near Forest of Dean), Much Marcle (Hellens) in September (from 2006). The connected Chamber Music Festival in January (2008: 11th to 20th January) has been going since 2000. St Briavels Music Society calendar may be worth checking out, too.

Leominster Apple Fair 2007: 20th October. Lion Ballroom, Broad Street, Leominster. See Marcher Apple Network.

Wyastone Summer Series (June/July). The home of Nimbus Records, the concert hall hosts classical and other music. We understand that it is a fantastic setting near the Wye. Near Monmouth.

Ludlow

Festival Shakespeare in the castle and more. Three weeks, June/July. 2008: 21st June to 6th July.
Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival, 2008: 12th to 14th September. There's a connected foodie walk - Magnalonga in August (no veggie options though).
Craft Events Website covers Ludlow Castle Craft Festival, Medieval Christmas Fayre (2007: 24th and 25th November).
Ludlow Assembly Rooms arts and community centre.

Craft courses

The members of Creative Breaks runs a range of art and craft courses year round, in various parts of Herefordshire. Those with their own web site include:

Also see the online version of the Herefordshire Crafts Guide. A number of green woodworking/pole-lathe turning course near Ledbury are listed on The Bodgers web site.

Wildwood Crafts in West Malvern runs courses in woodland crafts.

Paul Priestley (Filbert Splosh art experiences) runs Painting and Drawing courses in Storridge, and elsewhere in Herefordshire.

Regional Venues

Malvern Theatres. Films, concerts, dance etc. as well as plays box office 01684 892277.

English Symphony Orchestra has a range of concerts in Malvern, including at the Priory.

Huntingdon Hall Folk and other music in the centre of Worcester.

Ledbury Market Theatre. Less of a 'professional' venue than the others here, but in a good way!

The Courtyard Theatre Centre for the arts in Hereford. Folk and other music, dance, theatre...

Number 8 Community Arts Centre, Pershore.

Evesham Arts Centre.

Three Counties Showground See above listing.

Further Info

Worcester Live Covering events at the Swan Theatre and Huntingdon Hall plus all the events organised and run by Worcester Live.

malvern-net Has events listing on the front page, various scenic pics, links to hosted sites (local musicians/artists and some businesses). Direct link to Malvern Fringe pages.

Events page on Malvern Hills DC (local council site - tourism). Worcestershire Tourism Events search.

Green Futures Festivals for information on environmentally friendly events around the country.

artsworcs has a good links page of artists and art organisations in Worcestershire.

Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks - professional live performances and cinema in rural Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Broadsheep What's On Listings magazine for Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Mid Wales.

Musicians

Some local groups and musos:

Flatworld "Rich compelling melodies and tight driving rhythm, Flatworld play an eclectic mix of music from Eastern Europe and France."

Harpsong (Jonathan Penley) music is based on celtic roots, playing celtic harp, piano accordion, guitar, reed organ and penny whistle.

Nonimus "Trio of colourful costumed minstrels with period instruments and baskets full of English and European music from the 12th to 17th centuries."

The Pewke Band for anyone who wants faithful revivals of Rock and Blues from the late sixties to the mid seventies.

Fippleflute Recorder making with Tim Cranmore.

Splatt Folk Rock / Celtic / Acoustic.

Massey/Fletcher "Fancy Pickin' & Lonesome Hollerin'".

The Grove is a small venue in a large house in Great Malvern featuring acoustic music every now and then.

Your event

If your event isn't listed here, .

Please note that we are usually unable to provide further info on items listed above - see the web site links or other contact details given.