What’s on this week
Mon 4 – Sun 10 Sept
Festival of Food & Wine, Ascot Racecourse, Thurs 7 – Sun 10 Sept
Great British Bake Off is back, but if the C4 newbie is leaving you feeling a bit meh, ditch the gogglebox and head to Ascot Racecourse for a Festival of Food & Wine. Last year’s GBBO winner Candice Brown and chef Raymond Blanc will be in the mix alongside 100 food producers and a full day of flat racing. Tickets from £18 in advance.
Florally George, Arlington Arts Newbury, Thurs 7 Sept
The harp, but not as you know it, Floralyn George is a 21-year-old singer/songwriter, harpist and model. Hear tracks from her Debut EP When Light Falls Asleep at a special concert in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. A heady mix of Floralyn’s dynamic voice with the enchanting tone of her harp playing pop-rock, electro, dance and ambient.
DUST, Corn Exchange Newbury, Thurs 7 Sept
Roll up, roll up! Enter the black and white circus of upside-downs and inside-outs, where time freezes and friendships unfold. Blending circus skills, puppetry, movement and mime, Elusive Circus invites you to enter their fantasy world. A monochromatic scene awaits; one of lost horizons and tall, towering stories.
Grand opening, The Lexicon Bracknell, Thurs 7 Sept
On your marks, get set… shop! The super-swish multi-million pound shopping mecca that is The Lexicon opening this week. We’re excited to see the new Fenwicks with its denim and shoe studios plus it will stock Charlotte Tilbury – a beauty brand loved by Muddy. Others to look out for? A massive H&M, Kiki plus Gourmet Burger Kitchen,
Reading on Thames Festival, Sat 9 – Sun 17 Sept
Enter our very own water world at the first ever Reading on Thames Festival – an arts and culture fest using Reading’s rivers as a backdrop. Expect theatre, opera, writing, debate and exhibitions inspired by the local H2O. For the full programme of events go to website and get involved.
Goring & Streatley Food and Drink Festival, Sat Sept 9
Grab your roomiest trews and make your way to the Goring and Streatley for its annual food and drink festival – a fun, interactive and indulgent day out for all the family. Aside from the vast array of tasty samples, there will also be chef demos (including L’Ortolan’s Tom Clarke), competitions and boat rides.
Jon Culshaw Great British Take Off, Corn Exchange Newbury, Sat 9 Sept
Comedian and impressionist Jon Culshaw is coming to Newbury for the first time following his sell-out tour. Unscripted, unrehearsed, spontaneous comedy as politicians, sports personalities and celebrities are all up for a roasting. You help choose which characters appear and what direction the show takes. What could go wrong?
Greenham: 100 years of War & Peace, Greenham Common, Fri 8 – Sat 9 Sept
Mention Greenham Common and you immediately think of the historic 19-year women’s peace protest against nuclear weapons. But there’s more. To celebrate 20 years of the Greenham Common Trust, this theatrical performance reflect’s Greenham during WW2, the arrival of the Ugandan Asian refugees, and the Cold War.
Playground Victories, Broad Street Reading, Sat 9 – Sun 10 Sept
If you’re out shopping in Reading, you’re in for a treat. Street theatre in the form of a huge playground waits to be conquered. Performers climb, crawl, swing and storm over it playing children, adults, teenagers, drunken students, single mums and even wildlife. Playground Victories is free, simply turn up outside M&S at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm.
BOOK NOW FOR…
Cliveden Literary Festival, Sat 14 – Sun 15 Oct
The River Café’s Ruth Rogers, novelists Robert Harris and Ian McEwan, and historian Lady Antonia Fraser are among the speakers at Cliveden’s refined gathering. The 5 star country house hotel has held literary salons since the 17th century, inspiring writers from Pope to Swift to Tennyson, so you’ll certainly be in rarefied company. And be sure to have a snoop around the exquisite grounds while you’re there.
