21+ SPECTACULAR THINGS TO DISCOVER THIS JULY
21+ SPECTACULAR THINGS TO DISCOVER THIS JULY
Make the most of the sun with fab outdoor activities, and get your cultural fix with the best of local theatre & music
Pictured: Mayhem Theatre
Summer fun
1 RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
2-7 July
Summer essential RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival returns this July with glorious gardens, fabulous florals, interesting horticultural talks, and family fun.
2 Fulham Palace Garden Tour
4 & 21 July
Take a stroll back in time and discover London’s second-oldest botanic garden with a guided tour.
Image credit: Linval Bartley
3 Joe Wicks Festival at Kew
Kew Gardens, 7 July
Experience the thrill of a brand new wellbeing festival with Joe Wicks, also known as The Body Coach, coming to Kew Gardens this summer.
4 Gatton Country Fair
Gatton Park, 7 July
Come along to the country fair. There will be animal displays including falconry, a dog show, live music, pony and tractor rides, country crafts, circus skills, and small children’s fairground rides. Plus a wide range of market stalls and food and drink.
5 BCA Barnes Fair
Barnes Common, 13 July
Enjoy live music, delicious food, and unique crafts from local vendors. This family-friendly event offers funfair rides including the much-loved steam powered Gallopers carousel, helter skelter and vintage swings.
6 Claremont Live!
Claremont Landscape Garden, 14, 20 & 21 July
Claremont Live! is back. On 14 July The Lord Chamberlain’s Men will be performing Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The following weekend will see musical entertainment from Ember Big Band on 20 July, then on 21 July Wild Arts Opera will be performing popular stage classics.
7 Ferns & Carnivorous Plants Show
RHS Garden Wisley, 20-21 July
Two Plant Societies, Fern and Carnivorous, are coming to RHS Garden Wisley for displays of tender, garden and aquatic ferns. Here’s your chance to explore the fascinating world of carnivorous plants from the UK and around the world.
7 Live jazz and festivities on the river
Merton Abbey Mills, 21 July
Enjoy music, arts, crafts and food and drink for all the family at Merton Abbey Mills’ Summer Series. 2pm-6pm – all welcome.
More fab things to do:
Art & Culture
1 Thomas Pausz: Haunted Ecologies
Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston, until 13 July
Haunted Ecologies intersects the research fields of media, ecology, and ‘hauntology’ to propose immersive installations echoing the transformations of local ecosystems surrounding Stanley Picker Gallery.
2 Guildford Arts Summer Exhibition
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, 3-18 July
Visit the Mill Studio to experience a diverse collection of contemporary art: from paintings, photography, sculpture, prints, ceramics to glass work by local and national artists.
3 Dressed to Rule: Tudor Fashion for the Young and Curious
Whitehall Historic House, Sutton, until 5 October
Looking at fabrics, sewing techniques and how different garments were worn, this exhibition uses fashion as a way to see what life was like during the Tudor period. Ideal for younger visitors, there’s also a dressing up area.
4 Hosting Henry VIII
West Horsley Place, 27-28 July
You can immerse yourself in the history of Henry VIII’s visit to the manor house of West Horsley Place. Enjoy a weekend of jousting, falconry, traditional Tudor dancing and family fun.
5 Jo Holdsworth: City and Coast
Neptune Wimbledon, until 7 July
A solo show of stunning city and coastal paintings by award-winning London artist Jo Holdsworth. Known for her paintings of elongated and reflected figures, Jo Holdsworth’s work has featured on book, album and magazine covers. See Jo’s gorgeous paintings hung all around the stylish Neptune Wimbledon store.
See what’s on at your local theatres:
Theatre
1 Comedy Doubles
New Wimbledon Theatre, 1-6 July
A week of Comedy Doubles, where the best of the UK’s comedy scene perform on a double bill. Don’t miss these great value for money Edinburgh previews.
2 96 Festival
Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, until 13 July
A glittering line-up of artists have set up camp at Omnibus Theatre for a spectacular celebration of queerness and theatre.
3 How to Catch a Star
Polka Theatre, Wimbledon, 3 July – 11 August
Once there was a boy who was always looking up. He dreamt of having a star as a friend. This is the story of his adventure. Based on the beloved book by award-winning Irish author Oliver Jeffers.
4 Accolade
Richmond Theatre, 9-13 July
This dark and chilling look at trial-by-media and the price of success examines the fine line between truth and lies, good and evil, and one man’s past, present, and future.
5 Treasure Island
OSO Arts Centre, Barnes, 10-11 July
Popular local company Shadow Road’s exciting and emotional new adaptation brings Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic to life in a 50-minute show.
6 Much Ado About Nothing
Cannizaro Park, 24-27 July
Mayhem Theatre returns for Shakespeare in the park, in the gorgeous surroundings of Cannizaro Park.
7 The Gruffalo, the Witch and the Warthog with Julia Donaldson
Rose Theatre, Kingston, 27-29 July
Britain’s most popular children’s author presents a show full of magic, music and excitement. Julia brings six of her stories to life with songs, puppetry, and of course an appearance by the Gruffalo himself.
Music
1 Die Fledermaus
St Paul’s Church, Clapham, 4-6 July
St Paul’s Opera’s boisterous new production sees Strauss’ operetta reimagined in a vintage movie studio, with references to Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and other familiar characters in a new script by award-winning writer/director Jonny Danciger.
2 The Mysterines
The Boileroom, Guildford, 6 July
Having shared stages with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood and The Amazons, The Mysterines have honed their craft on the road, earning a reputation for their explosive live performances.
3 New Moon – A Night of New Music
The Half Moon, Putney, 8 July
A night of brand new music… New Moon offers music fans the chance to see the best up-and-coming acts from the UK, Europe, and around the globe