Bank Holiday – Events & Activities for August 2017
A Boy Wizard’s Birthday in Northumberland
Celebrate 20 years of wonderful wizardry at the place Potter first learned to fly.
Alnwick Castle really does know how to throw a party; you can take a tour of filming locations from the first two films, learn how to fly your very own broomstick and find even more magic-themed experiences during ‘Wizard Week’.
Two outdoor screenings of Potter films follow, so practice your good-weather spells!
The Epic Tale of England in Durham
Putting Potter in the shade, Kynren’s ‘epic tale of England’ tells 2,000 years of history, myth and legend in 90 mind-blowing minutes.
How do they do it? Well, having a cast of 1,500 humans, dozens of horses, 29 scenes and a Creative Director who has worked on 13 Olympic opening ceremonies must help.
With a large, living lake-side set featuring Auckland Castle, spectacular lighting, sound, pyrotechnics plus an emotive score, this is an amazing English history lesson like no other.
Celebrate with Pride in Manchester
http://festival.manchesterpride.com/
Manchester’s annual LGBT celebration covers the city in colour this August Bank Holiday weekend.
4 days of music begins on Friday with several stages around the Gay Village offering DJs, live music, cabaret and more. Then, on the Sunday, the carnival begins!
This year’s theme is ‘Graduation’, and the thousands of participants aim to make it the biggest and best celebration yet.
Cardiff’s City Beach
The spectacular Bay Beach brings summer to the city with sand, rides, activities and entertainment.
Cardiff’s Roald Dahl Plass is the setting for this seaside spectacular, with plenty of traditional trappings (sand, stalls & deckchairs) and enough outlandish attractions (bungee trampolines, zorbing) to delight Mr. Dahl himself.
If that’s not enough to make you forget you’re holidaying in central Cardiff, there’s also a Tropical Bay Bar making exotic concoctions.
Flaming Giraffe, anyone?
The Sounds of Summer
The sun may be setting on summer but that doesn’t mean the party’s over.
Far from. August bank holiday weekend offers some of the biggest, best and most bizarre acts offering all sorts of musical entertainment for your ears.
Day tickets are still available for many of the biggest, including Leeds and Reading (Eminem, Muse and Kasabian), Alex James and Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival in the Cotswolds (De La Soul, Olly Murs, Madness) and Blackpool’s first-ever Livewire Festival (Will Smith, The Jacksons, The Hit Factory Live).
And with a cottage near-by you don’t need to sleep in a tent!
Weird and Wonderful Activities
Whether it’s Lancashire’s World Gravy Wrestling Championships putting you off your chips, the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells or Bourton-on-the-Water’s wet approach to ‘the beautiful game’, there’s no shortage of the weird and the wonderful to keep you entertained this bank holiday.
Beside the Seaside
You don’t need an event to visit Britain’s beaches, but our Beach Bingo activity sheet can certainly make it more fun. Print or download yours and try to get the highest score on the shore!
