FESTIVALS

There are a few more days to catch Welywyn Festival which wraps up on 3 July, with a family fun day, open gardens and kings and queens fancy dress parade still to come. While Hitchin Festival is back this year with a programme of culture and entertainment throughout July. There’ll be everything from musical theatre and orchestral performances to screenings, art and gardening clubs, a cider and cheese festival, street food fair, art shows and, Jazz and vintage events.

On 16 July the awesome spectacle of arts and acrobatics, Imagine Watford returns to the town centre, with tonnes of interactive open-air performances in the town centre, plus a giant marble run and a 7-metre-high dance show! It’s all free, too.

On the hunt for a new job? There are worse ways to do it than at a recruitment festival, where you can wander around the stalls networking in the sunshine with a Pimm’s in hand! Recfest is coming to Knebworth House on 7 July. Plus the annual Festival of Culture organised by St Albans’ bookshop, Books on the Hill is back with author talks and workshops, storytelling, quizzes and trails from 2-10 July.

And if you wanna be ahead of the curve on the up and coming new acts to know about, check out the huge lineup for this year’s BedFringe Festival from 21-31 July. As well as some familiar names on the circuit you’ll discover tonnes of new acts in comedy, music, theatre and kids’ entertainment.

For more fab festival action this month, check out our awesome summer FESTIVALS GUIDE HERE.

FOOD AND DRINK

If you like dining al fresco but prefer the idea of someone else doing the cooking book your seat at Supper Under the Oak at Home Farm in Elstree on 28 July. You’ll get a delicious 3-course meal prepared by Chef Jean-Luc Sainlo (he’s worked with culinary elite, Gordan Ramsay and Jean-Christophe Novelli!) to enjoy under the stars with views of fields as far as the eye can see. BYOB and chill around the campfire afterwards.

The Great British Food Festival returns to Knebworth on 16-17th with the usual smorgasbord of dining and artisan delights, street food stalls, top chefs, live music and more. Enter here to be in with a chance of winning tickets befotre 4 July.

And head to the Hertford Castle Beer and World Food Festival on 10 July for an array of cuisines from Mexican and Spanish to BBQ and Thai, plus local and national beers and ales (don’t worry if beer’s not your bag, there’s a gin and Prosecco bar too!)

MUSIC

There are some big names coming to our counties this month, peeps, so get those tickets booked asap. Hatfield House is playing host to the one and only Michael Bublé on 23rd and 80s legends Tears for Fears (supported by Alison Moyet) on 24th, while Mod man Paul Weller is playing Bedford Park on 30th.

Home Farm Live’s Communion Presents continues this month with Ry X (4-5th), Rae Morris (6th) and Watford-based trio, The Staves (13th) playing in an intimate woodland setting. Tickets include a two course feast. And brand new, highly acclaimed folk duo, That’s All Folk, will be calling at The Place Bedford on 7th, for their Summer Holiday Tour.

Mambo Ibiza in the Park will be upping the tempo on 29th with some dance floor fillers and club classics from the white isle. While the Bedford Park Proms will bring the pomp and ceremony on 31st for it’s 25th anniversary, with a fireworks finale. And for more rousing songs and Great British show tunes, Neil Sands’ Happy and Glorious comes to Grove Theatre in Dunstable on 26th.

Be prepared to be blown away by the talent of the classical musicians of the future as some of the best string, brass, woodwind, percussion and keyboard players under 18 perform their hearts out in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Finals, which are coming to Saffron Hall from 6-10 July. And finally Woburn Jazz bring their beats to Shuttleworth house on 8th for Music on the Lawn.

COMEDY

The big one to get your laughing gear to this month is St Albans Comedy Garden. The five-day festival-style event from 27-31 July has a seriously impressive line-up of stand-ups including Dylan Moran, Sara Pascoe, Frankie Boyle, Kerry Godliman and Reginald Hunter, plus there’ll be street food and cocktail stalls.

It’s all happening in St Albans this month – you can catch Jimmy Carr being Terribly Funny (it’s the name of his show, by the way) on 4th and Tim Vine is Plastic Elvis on 6th, both at the Alban Arena. And Jo Caulfield, Sarah Keyworth, Martin Westgate and Nelson Gombakomba are at the Sandpit Theatre for St Albans Comedy Club on 15th.

And, I know we’ve mentioned it above, but there are so many fab comedians coming to BedFringe (21-31 July), many of which are previewing their new shows ahead of Ediburgh. Don’t miss Sophie Duker, Olaf Falafel, Groan Ups, Pete Firman, Simon Brodkin and loads more.

DANCE

Body Electric brings an exhilarating mix of dance, from ballet to hip-hop by full-time performing arts students (pipped to be the dance stars of the future!), to the Gordon Craig Theatre on 9 July. While a similar fusion of styles, including street, jazz and contemporary will be performed for the fantastically named Emoji Fest at the Abbey Theatre in St Albans on 17th.

And you can get your own hips swinging at the Big Jiveswing Festival in Watford on 31st. There’ll be internationally acclaimed musicians, bands and dancers, live cabarets, dance classes for adults and kids, plus vintage stalls and photo booth, as well as food and drink trucks.

KIDS AND FAMILY FUN

At Radwell Meadows, along the Letchworth Garden City Greenway there’s den building for little adventurers on 2-3rd with Standalone Farm. And at Wildfest at St Albans’ Verulamium Park on 2nd, there’ll be pond dipping, scavenger hunts, butterfly walks and nature crafts. Also on 2nd for National Meadows Day, there’s Meadows Bingo at Dunstable Downs.

Join the Great Big Nature Game at the Ashridge Estate from 25 July – 31 August with Time Trial Tuesdays where participants can race against the clock to complete challenges. There’s also the chance to pitch up for the Big Camp at Ashridge on 23 July, and experience the estate by night.

The Ultimate Animal Challenge is coming to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo from 23 July – 4 Sept, where you can compete against friends and family in the animal-inspired skills tests. And Paradise Wildlife Park’s Summer Evenings in Paradise are back on Fridays and Saturdays (24 June – 23 July), where you can see the animals after hours, to the sounds of African drumming and live music. Plus there’ll be wildlife stilt walking, face painting and a Pimm’s truck for the parents!

Theatre-wise, Peter Pan and his lost boys are coming to Grove Theatre, Dunstable, from 7-9th, and the original Donaldson hit, The Gruffalo also comes to Grove Theatre from 17-18 Jul, and The Radlett Centre (25-27 Jul). While Zog and The Flying Doctors fly in to Watford Palace Theatre from 27-28 July.

For older kids, Pop Princesses are back with the tunes of Little Mix, Taylor Swift and more on 29 July at the Radlett Centre. Mini fashionistas (age 7+) will love Fashion Spies at the Hat Factory Arts Centre on 7 July – described as a Devil-Wears-Prada-meets-Spy-Kids-choose-your-own-adventure-comedy! For kids obsessed with all things gruesome, Horrible Histories’ Terry Deary brings his Twisted Tales to The Roman Theatre of Verulamium (outdoors) on 30 July, which should keep them quiet for a bit!

Little ones up to 6 are invited to Taleshakers Birthday Party at the Hat Factory Arts in Luton on 23rd for storytelling, dance and games, and there’s a Percy the Park Keeper Treasure Hunt at St Albans Museum and Gallery on 11th for 2-4 year olds. Plus don’t miss the annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic in the grounds of Hertford Castle on 24th with a bear hunt inside the castle, teddy parade, magic shows and bouncy castle. Talking of teddy bears… have you ever seen one fly? You will if you head to Shuttleworth for the Teddy Bear Fly-In on 10 July and don’t forget your picnic!

If you’ve got a budding bookworm on your hands, the Booktastic events at The Place Bedford (9-10th) will be right up their street, with authors from storytime favourites reading from their books including Supertato and Punk Rocker Poodle. Plus there’ll be The Big Booktastic Poetry Picnic on 10th, with games, tunes and poetry from poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko.

For a fun family day out head to St Albans’ Victoria Fields on 10th for Larks in the Parks. There’ll be inflatables, live music, crafts, rides and a bubbleologist. And if you’re craving the sand beneath your feet, Watford’s Big Beach is bringing the seaside to the city from 25 July – 7 Aug.

Want more ideas for keeping the kids busy over the Summer Holidays? Check out our guide here.

THEATRE

While not the cheeriest subject, Good Grief is coming to Abbey Theatre on 20 July, as part of St Albans’ The Art of Grieving season. Based on a dying man’s wish, physical comedy co Ugly Bucket created a performance about his death, with high energy movement, techno tracks and clowns. Sounds bonkers but beautiful.

Also at Abbey Theatre is, ahem, Cock (1-3 and 5-9 July), which delves into a gay man’s struggle with his sexuality when he discover’s he’s attracted to woman while on a break from his boyfriend.

Over in Bedford another LGBT drama, with a side of comedy. In PurSUEt (The Place Bedford, 14 July) is based on the writer’s real-life obsession with, and pur-sue-t (geddit?) of TV’s Sue Perkins, resulting in a trip to her therapist. It’s been described as Fleabag meets Miranda so we’re already sold.

Plus there’s a performance based on the life and works of the world’s most enigmatic conjurer. Houdini: A Magician among the Spirits also comes to The Place Bedford on 15 July.

And while the indoor theatre season is quieter over the summer months there’s a whole raft of outdoor performances going on. Click here for our guide to the BEST LOCAL ALFRESCO THEATRE to book this summer.

EXHIBITIONS

There’s still a chance to catch the North Hertfordshire Museum’s tribute to our monarch The Platinum Jubilee: A Royal Display. The exhibition of Royal memorabilia and paintings is on until 31 July.

Fancy checking out some local art? Head to Childwickbury Arts Fair in the beautiful grounds of the Childwickbury estate near St.Albans from 1-3 July where you can see over 60 artists and craftspeople doing their thing, and buy their work.

And you can pick up some more affordable orginials at the annual Stotfold Art Group Summer Exhibition at Stotfold Mill on 23-24th. Plus the Herts Textile Arts Group are exhibiting a collection of works on the theme What Lies Beneath at Southern Maltings from 5-16 July, where you can buy the pieces and have a go yourself at the artist-led workshops.

Columbian Fine Art Grad Stef Morales will be exhibiting her colourful Frida Kahlo-inspired canvases at the Old Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead from 7-11th. And the University of Herts Arts is showcasing the work of Hertfordshire artist Graham Boyd, who has been creating his colourful abstracts for five decades. Volatile Creatures runs from 21 July – 10 Sept.

SHOPPING

From 14 July, Bicester Village’s Extraordinary Sale cranks up a gear to up to 70% off the original retail price. PLUS the Summer Evenings programme has started with live music, cocktail happy hours and is open until 10pm every other Thursday (14 Jul – 25 Aug). AND there’s also an exclusive Smiley pop up from 14 July to the end of September, with 100% of proceeds going to The Bicester Collection’s DO GOOD charity partners.

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS

St Albans Museum + Gallery explores the city’s unexpected and fascinating nautical history (despite it being 40 miles from the nearest coastline!). St Albans on Sea is on until 6 Nov.

The Lace Trees at Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton are a stunning sight created by the local community where volunteers crocheted pieces together to represent our connection to each other. The sculptures are on display until 11 Sept. And you’ve got until 2 Oct to see Body & Soul at The Higgins Bedford – an exploration of the feminine form over the past two centuries, with pieces from the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection.

Henry Moore: The Sixties highlights a pivotal decade in the artist’s career, when he really shot to fame. It’s on at the Henry Moore Studios and Gardens in Perry Green until 30 October.