Romance under the stars in a classic country setting - Burghley Film Festival

Burghley Film Festival

Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze have proved superstar soaraways in Stamford – with movie tickets for Top Gun and Dirty Dancing a sell-out at this summer’s Burghley Film Festival.

But while the Saturday night double bill might now be sold-out, there is still a chance to have a date under the stars with Audrey Hepburn or Ryan Gosling… with England’s greatest Elizabethan house providing the romantic backdrop.

One of the country’s most beautiful cinema locations is back this summer as the picturesque South Gardens at Lincolnshire’s Burghley House is transformed into a magical open-air venue.

Five nights and four days of fabulous films (30 July to 3 August 2014) offer the chance to watch everything from the acclaimed ‘War Horse’ to Monty Python comedy ‘The Holy Grail’.

But on the opening Great Romantics night (Wednesday, 30th July) where better to have ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, starring screen legend Audrey Hepburn and Hollywood leading man George Peppard, than in the classic setting of an English summer garden?

If that’s not enough, the second screening is ‘The Notebook’ with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. One of the ‘weepiest films in Hollywood’, it offers a chance to relive that sizzling onscreen romance – and banish recent behind the scenes talk of off-screen rows!

Even better, early bird tickets are still available, saving £2 on the gate price. Until 29 July, tickets are £10, while on the gate tickets cost £12. Child tickets are £4, in advance or on the day.

To go along with the fabulous films, Burghley will also be offering fabulous food.

During all screenings, the Great British Barbecue will have summer outdoor favourites, with all the meat sourced from local producers, while summer nights would not be complete without jugs of Pimms. Also on sale will be cold beer, wine and cocktails.

For full details of all the movies, and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.

Be a movie star at England’s greatest Elizabethan house - Burghley

Burghley Film Festival

Unleash your inner Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Garner or Tom Cruise and dress for the part to win a private tour of England’s greatest Elizabethan house – and watch smash-hit movie blockbusters in a spectacular outdoor setting.

One of the country’s most beautiful cinema locations is back this summer as the picturesque South Gardens at Lincolnshire’s Burghley House is transformed into a magical open-air venue.

Five nights and four days of fabulous films (30 July to 3 August 2014) offer the chance to watch everything from the acclaimed ‘War Horse’ to Monty Python comedy ‘The Holy Grail’.

Burghley Film Festival might launch with The Great Romantics (Wednesday, 30th July) - a chance to share a night under the stars with Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ or Ryan Gosling in ‘The Notebook’ - but for a chance at your own starring role, Retro Revival Night (Saturday 2nd August) must surely have top billing.

Come in costume for ‘Dirty Dancing’ or ‘Top Gun’ and you could win your very own private tour of Burghley plus a special afternoon tea for two in the Orangery Restaurant.

So, if you ever fancied being ‘Maverick’ or ‘Iceman’ from ‘Top Gun’ or keen to have the ‘The Time of My Life’ as ‘Baby’ from ‘Dirty Dancing’, then Retro Revival Night is the one for you!

Even better, early bird tickets are still available, saving £2 on the gate price. Until 29 July, tickets are £10, while on the gate tickets from 30th July cost £12. Child tickets are £4, in advance or on the day.

Double bill presentations will offer family-focussed shows during the day, including ‘Despicable Me 2’, while evening screenings also feature ‘Bourne Identity’ and ‘Argo’.

To go along with the fabulous films, Burghley will also be offering fabulous food. During all screenings, the Great British Barbecue will have all the summer outdoor favourites, with all the meat sourced from local producers.

Summer nights would not be complete without jugs of Pimms, and also on sale will be cold beer, wine and cocktails, while to keep the children happy, snacks, popcorn, ice-cream and new home-made fruit juice slushies are sure to prove popular.

Make a weekend of it and stay over to enjoy the Film Festival as well make the most of everything else the House and Gardens has to offer. The William Cecil (www.thewilliamcecil.co.uk), situated at the original entrance gates to Burghley, is only a 30-minute stroll through the parkland from the House and the Festival. The Bull and Swan (www.thebullandswan.co.uk), just down the road in Stamford, offers a more relaxed atmosphere and great pub food too.

Gates open for the daytime sessions at 10.30am and remain open until 4.30pm with daytime film tickets giving access to both screenings during the day. Gates for the evening session open at 5.30pm and tickets for the evening session give access to both evening screenings. Limited numbers of tickets are available for each session. The House and Gardens will also be open every day during the Festival and can be visited on a normal admission ticket.

For full details of all the movies, and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.

The full Film Festival line-up: 
Wednesday, 30th July – The Great Romantics: 6.00pm Breakfast at Tiffany’s (PG); The Notebook (12A). Thursday, 31st July – 11.30am Monsters University (U); 2.15pm Despicable Me 2 (U). Python Night: 6.30pm Monty Python and The Holy Grail (12); 8.15pm Monty Python’s Life of Brian (15).  Friday 1st August – Action and Espionage: 11.30am Incredibles (U); 2.15pm Johnny English (PG); 6.30pm Bourne Identity (12); 8.40pm Argo (15). Saturday 2nd August – 11.30am Epic (U); 2.15pm Stardust (PG); Retro Revival Night: 6.30pm Dirty Dancing (12); 8.40pm Top Gun (PG). Sunday 3rd August – ‘Great’ Britain: 11.30am The Little Mermaid (U); 2.15pm Bedknobs and Broomsticks (U); 7.00pm War Horse (PG).

Burghley House is open until Sunday 2 November 2014, daily (except Fridays) from 11am to 5pm (last admission 4.30pm). Admission: House and The Gardens of Surprise - adults £13; children (3–15 years) £6.50; seniors/students £11.80; family (2 adults & 3 children) £35.

Celebrate Father's Day at the Custom and Hot Rod Festival

Custom Bikes at Beaulieu

Custom Car

1961 Allard Dragster

There is less than two weeks to go until Father’s Day, so if you are still looking for an exciting way to celebrate with Dad, why not treat him to a fantastic family day out at Beaulieu’s Custom & Hot Rod Festival on Sunday 15 June. This popular event, in association with Victory Wheelers, the South Coast’s leading Custom, American and Hot Rod club, features colourful displays with hundreds of custom cars and motorcycles, live music and entertainment, as well as all the features of the Beaulieu attraction.

Anyone owning a Hot Rod, Custom or Classic American car or motorcycle can drive to Beaulieu and display their vehicle alongside hundreds of others in the beautiful grounds of the National Motor Museum.

Take advantage of the advance discount rates for both visitor and participant tickets, available until 5pm on Saturday 14 June at www.beaulieushop.co.uk

Back by popular demand, rockabilly band, Ace Trio, will be returning to the Festival to entertain visitors with live sets on the Beaulieu Arena throughout the afternoon and the much-loved Mariachi Band will be serenading visitors as they stroll around the parkland. Singing duo, The Diamonds, will also be belting out swing and rock’n’roll numbers in various pop-up locations.

Admire some of the quirky and unusual artwork that can only be found on the colourful custom scene, enjoy free rides on the fairground dodgems* and browse trade stands selling clothing, Americana memorabilia, merchandise and accessories.

In another exciting feature, the Ratcatcher Resurrection slingshot dragster and the National Motor Museum’s 1961 Allard Chrysler dragster will be on display at the Festival and will be firing up twice during the day to demonstrate their engine power. The Allard, Europe’s first dragster, was the focus of a five year restoration project by the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG). In celebration of the project’s completion, ACAG officially handed back the dragster to the museum at last year’s Festival.

Visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite vehicle in the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Willydog Hotdogs, with the winner receiving a special trophy in an afternoon prize-giving ceremony. Prizes will also be awarded in four other categories – Best Custom, Best American, Best Hot Rod and Best Bike – and Victory Wheelers will be presenting their ‘Big Al’ award to one of their members.

Beaulieu is also offering Festival-goers the chance to win a prize in a special Custom & Hot Rod Festival photography competition. To enter, email your favourite photograph from the Festival to photo@beaulieu.co.uk by the 17 June. A shortlist of photos will then be added to the Beaulieu Facebook page and the owner of the photo with the most ‘likes’ by midday on 25 June will win a family ticket to the Beaulieu Fireworks event on 1 November 2014. For full terms and conditions, visit www.beaulieu.co.uk/photo-competition

Admission to the Festival includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which features the National Motor Museum with two new displays for 2014 – For Britain & For The Hell Of It and The Motorcycle Story, the updated World of Top Gear exhibition, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House, grounds and gardens, plus unlimited rides on the high-level monorail and open-topped veteran London bus.

The show opens to the public on Sunday from 10am, with entry at 8am for those participating in the event with custom vehicles.

All-inclusive advance event admission tickets (for both visitors and participants) are available to buy at an advance discount rate until 5pm on 14 June, online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk or on Ticket Hotline 01590 612888.

On the day ticket prices for participants with Custom vehicles are £10 per adult and £5 per child**. On the day ticket prices for visitors are priced at normal on the day Beaulieu attraction admission rates.

Whether you are bringing a custom car or not, you are welcome to join Beaulieu for the whole weekend, to enjoy camping on the Friday and Saturday nights, live music and entertainment. Those with custom cars can also enjoy the Saturday Cruise Out. Weekend tickets can be booked at an advance discount rate online by submitting a booking form, available to download from www.beaulieucustomfestival.co.uk, by the 12 June.

For more information about the Custom and Hot Rod Festival, visit www.beaulieucustomfestival.co.uk or join the conversation with @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter using #customfestival

Spring Flower Festival Celebrates Chatsworth’s Love of Art

Visitors to Chatsworth can expect a flower-filled journey through the Chatsworth art collection during May as celebrated floral expert Jonathan Moseley transforms the house with more than 10,000 spring blooms.

The Florabundance flower festival runs from Friday, 9 May to Tuesday, 13 May with rooms throughout the house decorated by Jonathan Moseley, currently to be seen on TV starring in the BBC’s ‘The Big Allotment Challenge’. Taking ‘flowers in art’ as its theme Florabundance will reflect Chatsworth’s art collection, which boasts an array of paintings and sculptures from ancient Egypt up until the present day.

Visitors will start in The Painted Hall where four Dutch-master wall paintings will be re-created on marble tables in the centre of the room using delphiniums, peonies, tulips and tropical flowers including ginger lilies.

The riot of colours and floral scents is spread throughout the house: the Sculpture Gallery will be dressed entirely with red roses; the State Drawing Room, currently hosting a wartime exhibition, will be dressed in white flowers including amaryllus and white daisies suspended from silver birch trees; whilst in the Chapel, Damien Hirst’s sculpture ‘Saint Bartholomew, Exquisite Pain’ will be re-created in black anthuriums, calla lilies and blood-red amaranthus.

The Florabundance festival is included with a house and garden entry ticket but for visitors who are looking to get more hands-on, Jonathan Moseley will also be holding demonstrations and workshops in which he will share tips and advice about growing and arranging flowers at home.

Floral demonstrations: Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May – Jonathan Moseley will reflect on how historical pictorial evidence gives us clues about flowers used in ceremonies and rituals from the art of the Ancient Egyptians, Greek and Romans. He will recreate the floral visions of masters including Van Gogh and Monet.

Floral workshop, flowers in art: Monday 12th May - Jonathan Moseley will guide you as you create two floral designs, one inspired by a classic Monet canvas and another by the famous Dutch flower paintings. He will teach several floral design techniques including textured floral embroidery to create a living floral canvas and contemporary techniques to construct a modern table design.

For more information and online booking, visit www.chatsworth.org

Jonathan Moseley works as a freelance floral designer, based in Derbyshire. The world of flowers is a passion for him and he employs his love of nature and his garden as a focus for many of his designs. His humorous and friendly approach make him one of the UK’s most popular demonstrators and he can currently be seen as one of the stars of the BBC’s show  ‘The Big Allotment Challenge’.

Pack a picnic and tuck in to the popcorn… or treat yourself to a luxury foodie feast with fizz at Burghley’s summer film festival

Four days of fabulous films from Bond to children’s favourites will transform England’s greatest Elizabethan house into one of this summer’s best outdoor cinema settings.

But along with a film feast featuring 15 movies over four days and nights in August, Lincolnshire’s Burghley House aims to provide a food feast too, including luxury picnics - and the tasting of the final menu has just been completed!

Each day during the Festival at Burghley - on the edge of the Georgian stone town of Stamford - there will be two family films, while for a night at the movies an evening ticket will cover two additional films more geared to adult audiences.

Of course, visitors are welcome to bring their own picnics to enjoy in the spectacular outdoor setting, but during all film showings Burghley’s great British barbecue will offer perfect summer BBQ food, with all of the meat sourced from local producers, while in the evenings there will also be delicious Ottolenghi style salads as well as a host of other options available.

For an extra special movie treat, those who really want to celebrate in style - and let someone else do the work - can pre-order a special three course Burghley picnic for two.

It’s a chance to settle back to watch your chosen movie on the big screen while you tuck in to a three course feast that starts with a tantalising trailer including marinated lucques olives, organic crudités, pitta chips and bruschetta fingers with fresh tomato and basil salsa.

Followed by the main presentation of lemon marinated English goat’s cheese with chargrilled artichoke hearts, poached salmon with ribbons of cucumber and shaved fennel tossed with a lemon dressing and a superfood salad with crispy greens and pea shoots.

And the end credits of delicious homemade chocolate brownie and strawberries with Rodda’s clotted cream, all washed down with a chilled bottle of sparkling wine.

The Film Festival Luxury Picnic (serving two) costs £80 and must be booked online.

Burghley’s Great British BBQ will also be selling hot food during all performances as well as snacks, popcorn, ice-cream and homemade fruit juice slushies to keep the children happy, while no summer evening would be complete without Pimms as well as cold beer, wine and cocktails.

The big screen will be set up against the backdrop of the magnificent Elizabethan house overlooking the beautiful South Gardens, Capability Brown lake and the sweeping parkland beyond for the Film Festival, 1-4 August 2013.

Movies include A Night of Royal Entertainment (Thursday 1st August) featuring The Duchess and The King’s Speech; Bond Night Fever (Friday 2nd August) with Casino Royale and Skyfall; Sing-a-long-a-Sensation (Saturday 3rd August) showing Grease and Rocky Horror Picture Show; and Les Mis Under The Stars (Sunday 4th August) starring Les Miserables.

Daytime showings range from Disney blockbusters Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 to all time favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and smash-hit Shrek.
Early-bird buyers can still take advantage of specially priced tickets available online now from Burghley’s website - saving £4 per ticket before 30th June and £2 per ticket before 31 July, compared to the on-the-day price.

Tickets are priced at £6 for adults until 30th June; £8 until 31st July and £10 on the gates. Child tickets are priced at £4. For full details of opening times and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk

The House is open from Saturday 16th March to Sunday 3rd November 2013 daily (except Fridays) from 11am to 5pm (last admission 4.30pm). Admission: House and The Gardens of Surprise - adults £12.70; children (3–15 years) £6.50; seniors/students £11.50; family (2 adults & 2 children) £34.

Chatsworth Takes Inspiration from Plant Hunters of Old for the Florabundance Festival 14 to 18 June

The exotic plants introduced to Chatsworth by the intrepid plant hunters of the 19th century are the inspiration for this year's Florabundance festival. Now familiar blooms, they were the height of fashion when brought into the Chatsworth garden by Joseph Paxton and the 6th Duke of Devonshire.

Each room will be decorated with a different variety of flower from Paxton's list for the first ever summer Florabundance festival from 14 to 18 June. More than 20,000 individual blooms - including 500 stems of lilies, 1,000 roses and 500 alliums - will transform the house and garden with a wealth of summer flowers.

The 6th Duke developed an intense interest in horticulture after he met Joseph Paxton (1803 - 1865), a young gardener working in the Horticultural Society's gardens at Chiswick. He appointed Paxton to be head gardener at Chatsworth in 1826 and together they changed the garden radically, introducing exotic species and giant rockeries.

Florabundance will see traditional mid-summer blooms fused with tropical flowers to echo the naturalistic style of planting introduced by the Bachelor Duke and Joseph Paxton to the Chatsworth garden.

Led by renowned floral designer Jonathan Moseley, a team of 35 people will install the designs over a two day period after days spent preparing the containers, putting together the constructions and treating and conditioning the flowers.

Jonathan gives a glimpse of what the visitor can expect when they enter the house. "The Painted Hall will display a large open arch cascading with fabulous flowers and foliage featuring stunning summer roses inviting visitors to enter the voyage of Florabundance.

"From the formality of the Painted Hall to an enclosed bath in one of the bedroom suites bursting with frothy gypsophilia, the designs will illustrate a combination of both contemporary and traditional floristry."

Chatsworth will also host a series of demonstrations and workshops led by Jonathan Moseley in the beautiful 19th century theatre. Participants will learn how to create breathtaking designs and come away with lots of contemporary and classic design ideas for displaying flowers creatively at home. The floral demonstrations take place on 15 and 16 June and the floral workshops are on 17 and 18 June.

Florabundance is free upon admission to the house and garden. For more information and ticketing options, visit www.chatsworth.org

Launch of the 2012 North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival

The 2012 North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, one of the region’s premier local produce events, will be officially launched on Easter Saturday (7th April) in the stunning setting of Creake Abbey, just south of Burnham Market on the North Norfolk Coast.

Now in its third year, the Festival itself will take place on Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd September at Holkham Hall, by kind permission of Viscount & Viscountess Coke. This flagship “foodie” event forms part of the county-wide Norfolk Food and Drink Festival which takes place throughout September. With an impressive 8.500 visitors last year, an increase of 68% on its first year, the organisers are seeking 65 stall holders to gather at Holkham Hall for the two day food and drink celebration.

 

The range of produce is expected to include real ales, fish, meat, honey, chilli products, cakes, fruit, ice cream, cheese, fresh juices and much more. Visitors will also benefit from all of the things to see and do at Holkham Hall. Entry to the Festival is free but a car park charge applies. In a new move for 2012 the festival will offer a food-court area providing everyone with outstanding local food and drink for consumption on site. Children’s activities are also planned.
During the festival weekend the hugely popular Cookery Theatre in its trade-mark octagonal tent in the Courtyard at Holkham Hall will see demonstrations by celebrity chefs, organised and hosted by local food supremo Mary Kemp.

The Easter Saturday launch event will also be the launch-pad for the Festival’s popular Local Food Challenge which has been designed to give chefs, below head chef status, the opportunity to show off their skills and knowledge of local produce and ingredients, the seasons, the producers and the tastes and recipes inspired by their surroundings. It also allows local restaurants and their chefs to promote themselves widely.

The ingredients for the Challenge will be chosen by the chefs on the day, from the 45+ producers at the Creake Abbey Farmers’ Market. Each chef will be given £40 to spend with a shopping basket. Store cupboard ingredients will be provided; four pre-prepared items may be used in each heat.

The mobile cookery theatre will be back at the Creake Abbey Farmers Market and will host the Local Food Challenge heats in May, June, and July with the semi-finals in August. The Final will take place in the Courtyard at Holkham Hall on 2nd September. A panel of distinguished “foodie” judges will make the delicious but difficult decisions regarding who goes through to the next round and, ultimately, who wins.

For the launch on 7th April at the Creake Abbey Farmers’ Market, Mary Kemp has asked Chris Coubrough, TV chef and owner of the Flying Kiwis Inns, and Vanessa Scott, of the multi award-winning Strattons Hotel in Swaffham, to demonstrate their culinary talents using seasonal food.
Once again the organisers are delighted to announce Kettles Foods as lead sponsor. Chairman, Teddy Maufe said “we are delighted to be working in partnership again with this nationally recognised and respected local company”.

Dominic Lowe, Kettle Foods MD says "As a major employer in Norfolk and a supporter of the local produce and agricultural community, we are proud to be sponsoring the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival once again this year. We are passionate about helping to support our local community and enjoy the opportunity of sharing our great tasting KETTLE® Chips with Norfolk consumers. We look forward to another great festival."

The North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival is organised by a Festival Committee on behalf of the North Norfolk Business Forum and is supported by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which is funded by Defra and the EU. The project is being delivered through the East of England Development Agency.

Festival sponsors
Headline sponsor: Kettle Foods, Venue sponsor: Holkham Hall, Drinks sponsor: The Real Ale Shop. Other sponsors include Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, Crisp Maltings, The Flying Kiwi Inns, British Sugar, Handelsbanken, Morton’s Event Hire, NFU Mutual, Mary Kemp Cookery Days and Creake Abbey

The mobile cookery theatre
Provided by www.cookerylive.com from Norwich

North Norfolk Business Forum
NNBF is a business-led body formed to support and promote the region’s range of mainly small to medium sized enterprises. Its aim is to provide a business voice to lobby and influence at local regional and national levels on issues that affect the success and prosperity of both employers and employees.

Norfolk Food and Drink Festival
The North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival forms part of the county-wide Eastern Daily Press Adnams Norfolk Food and Drink Festival in association with Norfolk County Council. Taking place throughout September, it is the largest event of its kind in the UK.

www.norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk