What To Book Around The UK This June
HEAD TO THE BEACH HERE: Seaside: Photographed – Turner Contemporary, Margate
This major new exhibition in Margate examines the relationship between photographers, photography and the British seaside from the 1850s to the present. Here, images of hotel life, the beach, the holiday camp, dressing up and dressing down, wild waves and coastlines all combine to create a rich picture of the British seaside. As well as featuring the work of eminent photographers including Paul Nash, Martin Parr and Ingrid Pollard, the curators have included unknown work depicting anarchy at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, the 1990s rave scene in Brighton, Butlins in the 1970s and the raucous goings-on of a women’s day out to the coast in the 1950s. If you’re heading down for a day trip, this is well worth a visit.
Rendezvous, Margate, Kent, CT9 1HG; until 25th May
Visit TurnerContemporary.org
CELEBRATE THE SUMMER OF ‘69 HERE: Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight Festival takes place annually in Newport and was originally a counterculture event held from 1968 to 1970. Today, the event continues to pull in the big names: George Ezra, Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds and Fat Boy Slim are all headlining this year’s edition, as well as Lily Allen, Sigrid and Sam Fender. Harking back to its early days, this year’s festival theme will celebrate 50 years since the ‘Summer of 69’, when Bob Dylan, The Who, Elton John, John Lennon and Keith Richards all played and attended. Time to dig out those flares.
Newport, Isle of Wight; 13th-16th June
Visit IsleOfWightFestival.com
GET OUTSIDE HERE: Henry Moore at Houghton Hall, Norfolk
Houghton Hall in Norfolk has just launched a major new exhibition in time for summer – Henry Moore at Houghton Hall: Nature And Inspiration – the first significant show of the artist’s work in East Anglia. Taking place on a wide scale, the exhibition includes several monumental outdoor pieces in the grounds of the house, as well as a selection of smaller works, models and etchings, which will be shown in the ground floor gallery spaces. There will also be sculptural interventions in the State Rooms, particularly in The Stone Hall. Highlights include many of Moore’s most celebrated works such as ‘Large Reclining Figure’ (1984), ‘The Arch’ (1963-69) and ‘Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae’ (1968-69).
Perry Green, Much Hadham, Norfolk, SG10 6EE; until 29th September
Visit HoughtonHall.com
BE A VIP HERE: Hampton Court Palace Festival, Surrey
Henry VIII’s former home makes a splendid backdrop for the palace’s annual series of concerts. Ahead of the performance, guests are welcome to arrive early to explore the state apartments and roam the grounds with a drink and a picnic. VIP upgrades include a three-course dinner and champagne reception in the palace, before everyone takes to the courtyard for the likes of Lionel Richie, Paloma Faith, Tom Jones, Gary Barlow, The Beach Boys, Joe Bonamassa and Jools Holland.
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey KT8 9AU; 5th-20th June
Visit HamptonCourtPalaceFestival.com
EAT WELL HERE: The Daylesford Summer Festival, Cotswolds
Daylesford’s Summer Festival has become a yearly highlight in the Cotswolds. This year the one-day event’s theme is ‘Summer of Love’: expect classic Daylesford activities with a touch of ‘60s carefree colour and fun. Now in its tenth year, the Daylesford Summer Festival sees the organic farm come to life with stalls, workshops, debates, crafts, dog show, singing, dancing and, of course, an array of delicious food. There will also be cookery school demos with Alexandra Dudley and Antonina Parker, block printing with Molly Mahon and a ‘flowers in your hair’ workshop with Willow Crossley.
Daylesford near Kingham, Gloucestershire, GL56 0YG; 8th June
Visit Daylesford.com
MAKE LIKE THE QUEEN HERE: Royal Ascot, Surrey
The Queen’s favourite event, Royal Ascot is also the highlight of the racing calendar. But it’s not all about the horses. While it’s a great excuse for everyone to dress up in their finery, the five-day event’s food and drink packages offer guests the chance to dine at some of the UK’s best establishments in pop-up form. This year sees HIDE’s Ollie Dabbous to make his Royal Ascot debut in The Balmoral, Raymond Blanc OBE returns to play pivotal role, Simon Rogan of L’Enclume returns to the Royal Enclosure Gardens for a second year, Phil Howard of Elystan Street headlines ON 5, French pâtissier Eric Lanlard makes his afternoon tea debut, and James Tanner of The Kentish Hare returns to the Queen Anne Enclosure for a third year. Returning for a second year is the more informal Village Enclosure – hats for ladies are still a must, but instead of formal fine-dining, expect champagne, lobster rolls and live music until 9pm.
Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX; 18th-22nd June
Visit Ascot.co.uk
HANG WITH TOM KERRIDGE HERE: Pub In The Park, Various locations
Tom Kerridge’s annual food festival is back on the road this month – with double the amount of dates. Each of the eight weekends will play host to Tom’s two Michelin-starred pubs, The Hand & Flowers and The Coach, plus a selection of other top UK restaurants and Michelin-starred chefs, who will be serving their most popular dishes across the weekend. Every event will celebrate the very best food the country has to offer, combined with great live music, chef demonstrations, top quality shopping and family-friendly festivities. Music across the festivals will include Kaiser Chiefs, Gabrielle, Basement Jaxx, Jake Bugg and David Grey.
Knutsford (7th-9th June) Bath (21st-23rd June), Warwick (5th-7th July) Tunbridge Wells (12th-14th July), Chiswick (6th-9th September) and St Albans (13th-15th September).
Visit PubInTheParkUK.com
SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE HERE: Life Kitchen, Sunderland
Life Kitchen founder Ryan Riley has opened the UK's first cancer cookery school, Life Kitchen at The Lodge. The food writer and stylist founded Life Kitchen in memory of his mother Krista, who struggled with loss of taste and appetite during chemotherapy treatment before her death in 2014. Offering free cooking classes for people living with cancer, Ryan has hosted multiple pop-up cooking masterclasses at locations across the UK, including River Cottage. Now the award-winning non-profit organisation has a home in the North East. Opened by Nigella Lawson, the bricks and mortar site will transform local lives through food therapy and will provide a welcoming, fun escape from a time that can be incredibly difficult and unpredictable for cancer patients. The school will host frequent cooking classes for both the community and people further afield and will double up as an outreach space for locals.
Mowbray Park, Sunderland, SR1 1QB
Visit @LifeKitchen
FEEL ITALIAN HERE: Aperol Spritz Big Birthday Social, Manchester
This year Aperol turns 100 and to celebrate the team is throwing a four-day-long birthday party. The ‘Aperol Spritz Big Birthday Social’ in Manchester will embrace the Italian alfresco life – guests can head down to enjoy Aperol Spritzes on The Oast House’s Aperol 100 Piazza and dance the night away to live DJs. Visitors can also take a spontaneous spin on the revolving Aperol carousel bar, where they’ll learn how to make a perfectly crafted spritz with one of Aperol’s Italian brand ambassadors.
The Oast House, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3AY; 19th-23rd June
Visit Facebook.com
CATCH A FILM HERE: Picturehouse Outdoor Cinema, Brighton
This summer Brighton cinemas Duke of York’s and Dukes at Komedia are heading outdoors to the grand setting of the gardens of Preston Manor. Guests are invited to arrive from 7pm to enjoy the last of the evening sun with a drink from our pop-up bar and something from the BBQ, plus entertainment in the form of garden games and a film quiz. Each night, the film will start around 9pm – as soon as it gets dark. The event will kick off with Jurassic Park on 13th June, followed by The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Greatest Showman and Withnail & I. Don’t forget your blankets, cushions or small picnic chairs.
Preston Manor, Brighton, BN1 6SD; 13th-16th June
Visit Spotlight.Picturehouses.com
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.