Blenheim Palace Jousting Tournament – May Bank Holiday

Enjoy an exciting historical jousting tournament at Blenheim Palace from 3rd – 5th May. Recreating the glorious jousting matches of Britain’s 13th Century, knights will take to their noble steeds in a daring display of bravery, bravado and skill. 

Jousting Tournament

The spectacular battle is taking place on May bank holiday weekend situated on the South Lawn and featuring the noble ‘Knights of Royal England’. Gutsy, fearless and bold, the knights engage in a courageous jousting knockout. Each jousting tournament will be staged twice daily over the weekend starting at 12-noon and 3pm. Families can pick their colours and cheer on their chosen knights all hoping for victory.

As well as the gallant knights and their mighty steeds battling for glory the weekend will be packed with historic action and family friendly entertainment.

Watch a thrilling falconry display and see the birds of prey in action. As well as falcons, families will also have a chance to meet a Harris Hawk, Eagle Owl and American Kestrel with two shows daily starting at 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Jousting Tournament

Furthermore families can get stuck in and have a go at archery on Blenheim Palace’s South Lawn as well as exploring the extensive grounds and parkland and taking a ride on the miniature train to the Pleasure Gardens. Once there families can enjoy the permanent features like the Marlborough Maze, Adventure Play Area and Butterfly House.

For smaller children there will be two rather exciting Dragon Puppet Shows. Watch Alefreck the Brave, a dragon who wants to be a knight in shining armour, and The Smallest Dragon who has a special mission to rescue the Princess. There will also be an Interactive Show where children get to be the puppeteers, putting on their very own joust with 35 puppets and Yumi the 12ft long dragon.

After working up quite the appetite watching the battles and displays families can enjoy food, refreshments and tournament treats on the South Lawn or in The Oxford Pantry and explore the gift shop.

For an unforgettable day out, there is no better destination than Blenheim Palace as the thrilling battle takes place, perfect for entertaining all of the family.

www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events

Musical May Bank Holiday Weekend at Chatsworth

Music lovers are in for a treat over the bank holiday weekend (25-27 May) as Chatsworth’s house and garden are filled with the sounds of Mozart and Mahler, Beethoven and Bach, performed by the musical maestro’s of tomorrow.

Students from the University of Sheffield Department of Music will be entertaining visitors to Chatsworth, including final-year students getting in some last-minute practice with only a week to go before they have to perform live as part of the final examinations for their Bachelor of Music Degree.

Up to 30 students from across the world (including Doncaster and Sheffield) will be going through their paces at locations around the house and garden, performing 45 minute sets throughout the afternoons (12noon – 5pm) either solo or in groups. The students will play mainly Classical music but also some Jazz and tunes from popular Musicals while the students studying World Music will play some perhaps less well-known Chinese works.

“We have some top talent amongst the students so I’m sure people will enjoy what they hear,” says University of Sheffield Concerts Director Stewart Campbell. “There will be something for everyone, representing the broad and diverse programme our students study. It’s an excellent opportunity for the musicians to perform in the beautiful surroundings of Chatsworth and I hope our students’ music-making enhances visitors’ experience of the house and gardens over the bank holiday weekend.”

Chatsworth House, Garden, Farmyard and Adventure Playground (www.chatsworth.org), are open every day during the bank holiday weekend and school half-term (27-31 May) including:

• Treasure Island, 31 May: Bring the family for a merry romp to the sunny Caribbean with Cambridge Touring Theatre's swashbuckling musical adaptation. Suitable for all ages, the performance is outdoors, ideal for a picnic on the grass with the whole family.

• Three major art exhibitions: William Turnbull large-scale sculptures, drawings and paintings; Emma Tennant watercolours; Rembrandt landscape drawings.

Water Spectacular a Revelation for May Bank Holiday

Revelation at Chatsworth

Chatsworth is turning up the taps this May bank holiday (4-6 May) for a water spectacular celebrating the return to the garden of Angela Conner’s iconic ‘Revelation’ bronze flower sculpture, gravity-fed from the lakes above the estate.

Made from stainless steel, resin & gold dust, the 5m high and 6.5m wide sculpture has been returned to the Jack Pond following extensive restoration work. Its outer ‘petals’ open and close due to the changing weight of water to reveal the golden globe within, each cycle taking around eight minutes.

Revelation is just one of Chatsworth’s famous gravity-fed water features and during the bank holiday water spectacular the waterworks around the garden will be playing at intervals throughout the day as well as featuring in free garden tours starting at 11.30am and running hourly till until 4.30pm.
Throughout the three days of the bank holiday weekend the Emperor Fountain will be taken up to double its normal height - at around 200ft it sends its plume flying across the Canal Pond; water will come pouring put out of the mouths of stone fish after running over the roof of the Cascade House; hidden water jets coming out the floor of the Cascade House and in the glade around the Willow Tree fountain may surprise the unsuspecting visitor - younger family members are unlikely to be able to resist the opportunity to get a good soaking. The garden tours include a five minute talk at each water feature given by one of Chatsworth’s knowledgeable guides.

As well as the water spectacular, bank holiday weekend at Chatsworth will include:

• Dixieland roving jazz duo performing daily at the house entrance and in the garden.

• Patrick Cooke and his barrel organ performing daily at the farmyard.
  
• Brough shires – operating horse and dray rides along the broad walk on Sunday & Monday only.
  
• Three major art exhibitions - William Turnbull large-scale sculptures, drawings and paintings; Emma Tennant watercolours; Rembrandt landscape drawings.
  
  

Water has always played an important role in the garden at Chatsworth with the famous Cascade, Canal Pond and Willow Tree Fountain dating back to the days of the 1st Duke in the 1680s.

The Emperor Fountain was created in 1843 at the instigation of the 6th Duke who asked his renowned head gardener Sir Joseph Paxton to create a new record-breaking gravity-fed fountain in anticipation of a visit from Czar Nicholas, the Emperor of Russia, who never visited but nonetheless lent his name to the fountain. The Emperor Fountain is powered by a 16in (40cm) iron pipe direct from the Emperor Lake 400ft (122m) above.

The water spectacular is dependent on sufficient water being in the system to feed the additional activity. The lakes which supply the gravity-fed waterworks hold approximately 150 million litres and can be seen from the Stand Wood walks.

Supercar Showdown Set To Stun Bank Holiday Monday 27Th August 2012

McLaren F1 at Beaulieu

On Bank Holiday Monday 27th August some of the world’s most powerful supercars will be roaring into action for a high octane Supercar Showdown in the grounds of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. Not to be missed, this thrilling event provides visitors with a rare opportunity to hear the spine-tingling roars created by some of the most prestigious supercars as they are put through their paces.

Following on from the great success of last year’s Supercar Start-Up, this year the event is set to be even bigger and better, under the new name Supercar Showdown. Almost 75 supercars have already signed up to attend the event, with more awaiting confirmation, indicating a much larger display of vehicles than in previous years.

Ferrari and Ford in the Beaulieu Arena

Among the impressive line-up poised to wow visitors are a Jaguar XJ220, Ferrari F40, F50 and 360 Spider, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS, Ultima GTR Can-Am, Lightning GT Carbon and Aston Martin GT2.

Beaulieu will also be welcoming some heavyweights of the supercar world, including Porsche of Bournemouth, Ariel, Rolls-Royce, Meridien Motors and the Westover Group, who will be displaying a selection of their beautiful models in the grounds. In addition a number of car clubs will be in attendance, including Wessex Car Club and the Porsche 997 Register.

Supercar Lifestyle will also be present at this year’s event, bringing along with them an Ascari KZ1 GT3 race car. This exclusive club offers members a unique and diverse way to drive a selection of the world’s best-loved and most sought-after supercars – visit their stand on the day for more information.

In the afternoon a selection of supercars will be powering up to take part in a Demonstration Run through the Beaulieu parkland. Watch as these exquisite supercars open up their engines at full throttle, giving a tantalising glimpse of what their powerful engines are really capable of – a must-see for petrol-heads.

Throughout the day in the Beaulieu Arena, visitors will be able to get up close to these monsters of the motoring world, and events commentator Kevin Harris will be talking to the owners about their vehicles. A People’s Choice Award will be given for the best supercar in attendance, as voted for by Beaulieu’s visitors, with the winner receiving a special edition 60th Anniversary Beaulieu Trophy. Every visitor who casts a vote will be entered into a separate draw to win a ride in the passenger seat of the lead car, travelling through the grounds in the Supercar Cavalcade.

If you wish to visit this fantastic, action-packed event, then all you need to do is purchase general Beaulieu attraction admission tickets. These tickets give you entry to the event and entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which includes the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.

Do not miss the National Motor Museum’s exciting one-year-only BOND IN MOTION exhibition, which showcases 50 original vehicles from the James Bond films. Check out the sleek and elegant Aston Martin DBS from Quantum Of Solace, plus see the latest additions to the exhibition – two Honda CRF250R motorcycles used in the opening sequence of the newest Bond film, Skyfall, due to be released in the UK in October 2012.

If you are a supercar owner, and are interested in attending this event in your supercar, then the Events Team would love to hear from you. Please contact Events Co-ordinator, Andy Ollerenshaw, by email at andy.ollerenshaw@beaulieu.co.uk or by telephone on 01590 614614 to put your vehicle forward for consideration.

MAY BANK HOLIDAY AT THE TREASURE HOUSES OF ENGLAND - Days out

Hatfeild House

Enjoy a fabulous feast of activities and events this May Bank Holiday at The Treasure Houses of England. From car shows to country fairs, music to markets – spring is being celebrated in spectacular style at some of the most incredible sites in the country.

The May Day Cavalcade at Beaulieu (7 May) will see a superb showcase of vehicles via a cavalcade throughout the gorgeous grounds, while The Friends of the Museum will be exhibiting their own cars on the arena.

At Blenheim Palace ‘The Knights of Royal England’ (5-7 May) will be treating visitors to a show-stopping spectacle courtesy of their jaw-dropping Jousting Tournament. Boasting medieval battleground skills, from riding the quintain and spearing the smallest of targets to hand-to-hand combat and lancing – the entire family will be amazed by the gallant action.

Hosting an exciting variety of country attractions and activities, The Burghley Game & Country Fair returns (6-7 May), with equestrian demonstrations, falconry shows and local food showcase, it’s a mouthwatering menu of entertainment for all the family.

Castle Howard hosts the Yorkshire Craft and Produce Market (7-8 May), where visitors can shop for delicious local food and beautiful crafts; while Harewood House presents Play! A Festival of Fun (6-7 May), offering two days of popular games and toys for children and adults alike.

A seasonal spectacular awaits at Chatsworth, where Spring Blooms (4-8 May) and the Spring Plant Fair (5-6 May) will allow visitors to see the garden and house transformed by an inspired and designer array of colourful floral displays. The Sunday sees nurseries from near and far offering a wide variety of plants, including unusual and exotic blooms from the likes of Chelsea, Malvern and Hampton Court.

Join the crowds for Hatfield House’s hugely popular event (10-13 May): Living Crafts. The largest show of its kind in Europe, hundreds of designer-makers from across the UK exhibit jewellery, ceramics, glass and fashion, with special lectures and workshops for adults and craft activities and storytelling for children. Jazz bands, a brass band and country dancing complete the lively line up.

Holkham Hall’s May Day celebrations (6-7 May) take magnificent form by way of music, Morris dancing, games and children’s crafts in the Courtyard and Bygones Museum. Their Historic Cookery Brought To Life session explores Victorian cookery in the Old Kitchen – an absolute must for food fans and aspiring chefs.

Marvel at classic cars  and a classic venue as Woburn Abbey hosts the Bedfordshire Classic Motor Show (6-7 May). Already in its 15th year, the show takes place in the Abbey’s stunning deer park, and will see up to 1500 vehicles as well as children’s activities for a fantastic family day out.

www.treasurehouses.co.uk