From waterfront celebrations to a good weekend to be called Norman and classic cars to a tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice, there’s plenty to enjoy this weekend.
Ipswich Waterfront, 10am-10pm, August 6-7
There’s plenty happening quayside this weekend.
There will be chef demonstrations, live music, street entertainment, circus skills workshops and science experiments plus a food, handmade craft and conventional market.
Visitors can also enjoy the Ipswich Haven Marina weekend bonanza with craft stalls, boat jumble, face-painting, pirate fancy dress, treasure hunt, crabbing competition, best dressed boat, Lavenham Falconry and more.
The celebration ends with a fireworks display from 9pm on the Sunday, best viewed from the Cult Café end of the Waterfront near Orwell Quay.
Meet the Normans, Framlingham Castle, 11am-5pm, August 6-7
Called Norman? You’re in luck. Anybody whose first or last name is Norman get free entry to the castle this weekend to celebrate an event marking the 950th anniversary of the Norman Conquest.
Visitors can expect hands-on, interactive experiences as they travel back to 1066. Roam Norman encampments, meet the warriors and their horses and hear thrilling tales about their battles with the Saxons. Awesome weaponry will also be on display, as will the Normans’ battle skills as they fight on horseback and on foot.
“We’re looking forward to meeting lots of Normans over the course of the weekend at Framlingham Castle. 1066: Year of the Normans is one of the most important periods in the history of England and visitors to will be able to step back in time and experience it first-hand,” says Debbie Houldsworth, events manager at English Heritage.
“It promises to be a fantastic event with lots of things to see and activities to keep the whole family entertained.”
The Festival of Classic and Sports Cars, Helmingham Hall, Stowmarket, 10am-5pm, August 7
Held in association with the Suffolk Vehicle Enthusiast’s Club (SVEC), this year’s event will showcase more than 800 cars representing the last 100 years of motoring history.
It will also raise money for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions.
The list of cars expected this year is impressive, including marques such as Alvis, Bristol, Jensen, Lagonda and Gordon Keeble.
From mass produced models to custom built vehicles, the finest cars will be on show. A number of these will parade down the main drive in concourse throughout the day.
The garden will also be open, with lots of activities for children. There will be mini Land Rovers for them to drive, fairground stalls, birds of prey demonstrations and other events in the main entertainment ring.
There will also be more than 40 craft and trade stalls, folk singers The Broadside Boys, The Suffolk Phoenix Brass Band and Itchy Feet will provide musical entertainment and the Chocks Away dance troupe will be showing off their jive, swing and lindy hop skills.
The festival is a highlight in the Helmingham Hall calendar of events, attracting more than 7,000 visitors in 2015, raising £5,500 for The Treehouse hospice in Ipswich.
Lord Tollemache, owner of Helmingham Hall, says: “The money raised helps with the everyday running costs of the hospice, as well as days out for the children and their families. We are grateful to everyone who supports the event and for their generosity.”
Get In! City Camps, Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre, Dovedale Sports Centre, Chelmsford Sports and Athletics Centre, South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre, Chelmsford Museums and Hylands Estate, various dates and times.
Need help keeping the kids entertained over the holidays? There’s never a dull moment in Chelmsford.
The city camps are aimed at children aged four-12, offering a range of supervised activities between 9am and 5pm until September 2.
Activities include swimming, ice skating, cooking, dance, circus skills, rock school, inflatable play, go karting, orienteering, kayaking and horse riding to name a few.
Sports-mad kids aged three and up can try athletics, perfect with the Olympics under way; cricket, cycling, football, horse riding, ice-skating, parkour, swimming and table tennis. There are also sessions for children aged one-16 interested in drama and arts and crafts and play in the park sessions for three-11 year olds.
Alice’s Adventures, Wyken Hall, Stanton, August 7; Green Hill Woolpit, August 13; Pakenham Water Mill, Pakenham, August 14 and mallwood Farmhouse, Smallwood Green, near Bradfield St George, August 20
Woolpit Drama Club’s 2016 summer production combines vignettes and characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass.
It’s an open air promenade performance, staged in some of Suffolk’s most beautiful gardens in Suffolk so don’t forget to pack your picnic.
Take a stroll with Alice and meet her strange and curious friends The White Rabbit, The Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter and many others.
Visit www.woolpitdrama.co.uk for more information.
Summer Show, The West Cliff Theatre, Clacton, 7pm, August 6; 2pm and 6pm, August 9; 6pm, August 10; 2pm and 6pm, August 16; 6pm, August 17; 2pm and 6pm, August 23; 6pm, August 24 and 2pm and 7pm, August 27
The theatre has played host to an annual summer show since 1894, making it the longest running summer season in the UK. Expect all the glitz and glamour of a British revue show including comedy, singing, dancing, dancers and more.
Flint Festival, Grime’s Graves, near Thetford, 10am-6pm, August 6
You can explore the grounds before heading deep into the prehistoric flint mine. Flint knapper Will Lord will share stories from prehistoric days as he demonstrates why flint was so important and what it was used for. Guided tours will also be on offer throughout the festival
“We’re very excited. It promises to be a great day for everyone with lots of things to see and do,” says Marie Spampanato, site manager.
You can also learn more about neolithic mining in the introductory exhibition and families can use an explorer kit to help interpret clues about the site.
Grime’s Graves is the only neolithic flint mine in Britain which is open to visitors. It is thought to have been dug more than 5,000 years ago during the later neolithic and early Bronze Ages.
Grime’s Graves’ flint was prized for its distinctive colour – fine quality, jet-black flint floorstone – and easily knapped qualities. The area is also a site of special scientific interest and is the habitat of a variety of rare and distinctive plants and animals.
Follow @WhatsonWayne on Twitter and check out our Event guide in the paper every Friday for more ideas.
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