SUMMER FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN HERTFORDSHIRE
There’s plenty of ways to party this year with so many fantastic summer festival and events in Hertfordshire. With many events having been cancelled over the past couple of years there is now even more incentive to make this summer one to remember.
The amazing summer festivals and events that will be taking place throughout the county are yet more reasons to visit Hertfordshire this summer.
Standon Calling
Taking place from 21 to 24 July, Standon Calling is an independent boutique music and arts festival boasting some big-name acts including Anne-Marie, Madness, Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx and Grandmaster Flash.
The festival takes place in the grounds of Standon Lordship, near to the beautiful village of Standon in East Hertfordshire.
As well as great music acts, there will be comedy. In the Kids Area there is dance, theatre, circus, music, arts, crafts, sensory play and fire camp storytelling and kids entertainment featuring Horrible Histories, How To Train Your Dinosaur and the infamous Dick & Dom DJ Battle.
Standon Calling is one of very few festivals where you can bring your dog, there is a full ‘Pooch Programme’ with dog grooming and tutorial, dog training and behaviour talks, a dog show finale and more.
Make the festival experience even more special by staying in one of the pre-erected Yurts or Bell Tents, plus you can also have private hire of a hot tub (hour long sessions) which includes use of luxury showers, changing rooms and toilets plus dedicated Pamper Station with hairdryers, hair straighteners & mirrors.
Three-day tickets currently cost £179 for adults, £169 for teens (13-15), £30 for kids (4-12) and infants are free. Day tickets are £79, £65 and £27, infants are £5.
Campo Sancho
Now running for the sixth year, Campo Sancho is a small family friendly dance festival set in a beautiful semi woodland location close to the village of Walkern in East Hertfordshire. Running over three days, from 29 to 31 July, this intimate festival consists of lively DJ sets, massage, yoga, tai chi classes, plus talks, demonstrations and comedy at the Campo Village Hall.
For younger festival goers there’s vintage Panic Circus, Craft workshops, drumming sessions, Teen clubhouse, plus bushcraft courses and a kids’ disco for the littlest Campo campers.
This is a great choice for those past club kids that now have kids of their own but still want to experience the party scene but in a laid back and safe environment. Having been a couple of times I’d recommend this for groups of friends so you can take turns babysitting!
This year’s artists include Dicky Trisco, Dave Lee ZR, Heidi Lawden, Trevor Fung, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy, Bushwacka! plus many more.
For those that aren’t comfortable campers, Karma Canvas can provide fully equipped luxury bell tents (for an additional cost).
Three-day festival tickets cost £139 per adult, £20 for 0–5-year-olds, and £55 for 6–17-year-olds, excluding booking fees.
Summer Evenings at Paradise Wildlife Park
Paradise Wildlife Park, a family-run wildlife park and charity located in Broxbourne, has been voted Hertfordshire’s No.1 Outdoor Attraction by Trip Advisor. It is home to over 800 animals including Amur tigers, white lions, snow leopards, as well as penguins, red pandas, anacondas, sloths, lemurs, meerkats, camels, zebras, tapirs, and many more.
From 6.30pm to 9.30pm every Friday and Saturday from 24th June to 23rd July, Paradise Wildlife Park will be holding their Summer Evening events, a unique after-hours experience where you can watch the animals settle down for the day whilst enjoying live music, entertainers including African drummers, walking hedges, wildlife stilt walkers and face painting.
As well as enjoying the park’s animals, you can visit the World of Dinosaurs, one of the UK’s biggest and most spectacular animatronic dinosaur attractions, where you can witness over 30 life-size moving and roaring Dinosaurs.
Tickets need to be pre-booked and cost £12 per member ticket and £15 for general admission. Under 2’s go free.
Everyman Cinema at The Grove
Everyman Cinema brings a delightful outdoors cinema experience to The Grove hotel in Chandlers Cross, showing a range of popular movies in their beautiful Walled Garden.
Films include Withnail and I, Notting Hill, Greece, The Greatest Showman, Bohemian Rapsody and Stand By Me to name just a few and the events take place on various dates (both week days and weekends) between 15 July and 4 September.
Viewings will be free for hotel guests, or visitors can pay for a meal and movie package which include buffet dinner at The Glasshouse or 3 course set menu from The Stables and Verde Kitchen, as well as a ticket to your chosen film. Prices from £69 per adult and £39 per child.
Cassiobury Farm Summer Openings
Cassiobury Farm is a real hidden gem, tucked away in the nature reserve within Cassiobury Park, it’s a mini adventure just to find it. Spread over 15 acres the farm encompasses a rare breeds farm and exotic animal and bird collection which is only open to the public on a limited number of dates in the year.
The rare breeds farm has Hungarian Steppe Cows, Soay Sheep, Gloucester Old Spot Pigs, Pygmy Goats, Trekking Llamas & Alpacas, Reindeer, Miniature Horses & Donkeys, Turkeys, Pheasants and so much more. The exotics collection features Dingo’s, Zebra, Madagascan Fossa, Galapagos Tortoise, Lemurs, Tamarin Monkeys, Binturong, Flamingos, Meerkats, Marmosets, Red Kangaroos & Wallabys, Crested Cranes, Pelicans, Macaws, Raccoon Dogs, Civets, Genets, Squirrel Monkeys, Capybara, and more
This summer there are four open days- Sunday 24th July 2022, Sunday 7th August 2022, Saturday 27th August 2022 and Sunday 28th August 2022. The events are really great, as well as seeing the animals, there are lots of additional things to do for the kids including a bouncy castle, face painting, fishing, crazy golf, mini-tractor rides, pedalos and animal encounters. There are also several food trucks and a farm shop selling a range of local goodies (the savoury biscuits are insanely good!).
Don’t miss out, book tickets in advance. Tickets cost £15 per adult and £12 for kids aged between 2 and 16.
Hatfield House Battle Proms
The Battle Proms Concerts are the longest running picnic proms series in the UK, taking place in four venues across the summer, on 16th July the event comes to Hatfield House.
This quintessentially British ‘party in the park’ features a two hour orchestral programme complete with the ‘last night of the proms’ finale favourites to sing, or sway, along to, plus some jaw dropping entertainment including fireworks, a Spitfire fly pass, cannons and cavalry!
You can bring your own picnic, or pre-order to pick up on the day, you can also hire chairs, tables and pre-erected gazebos.
This would make a great night out for a special occasion, or perhaps a treat for mum and dad.
Tickets cost from £47 per adult and £21 per child 9 (aged 5 to 15).
Ibiza Orchestra Experience, Hemel Hempstead
I only found out about this because I got a leaflet on it through my door and thank goodness I did as it looks amazing and I can’t wait to go. Taking place in Gadebridge Park on 2nd July, there will be a huge 26-piece live orchestra, vocalists and world class DJs playing Ibiza classics and greatest hits.
Time to pull the clubbing clobber from the back of the closet (try saying that after a few cocktails!), this one is definitely for a group of you. There are lots of hotels and B&Bs in and around Hemel so make a weekend of it.
Tickets cost 44.50 + £4.95 booking fee.
Pub In The Park, St Albans
Chef Tom Kerridge’s popular Pub In The Park event returns to St Albans in September, running over three days (9-11 September), hosted by Si King from The Hairy Bikers & Simon Rimmer.
The award-winning pubs and restaurants of some of the UK’s finest chefs will feature in ‘pop-ups’ around the park. These include The Mariners, The Bull & Last, Made in Oldstead, The Churchill Arms, The Hand and Flowers, Atul Kochhar Restaurants and Cue Point all serving tasting dishes for you to get stuck into, whilst enjoying music from top acts including Sophy Ellis- Bexter, Gok Wan (he’s a DJ now didn’t you know!), Kaiser Chiefs and Beverley Knight.
Kid’s entertainers the Flying Seagul Project will be putting on an array of activities so the little ones won’t be bored.
Tickets are £52.95 per adult and £37.98 for kids (age 6-15)
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