Weekly What's On Friday 24 July 2026
Update on Olly's Arc of the Alps which he begins next week: On Monday 27 July some time between 12 and 12.30 he's being interviewed on Radio Solent, in case you'd like to listen in!
Here Come The Toys...
...again! Toy Story 5 arrives at The Malt Cinema today, just as the school summer holidays get into full swing (click the button below to see all the upcoming films at the Malt.)
As our amazing summer weather continues, this week's focus is on mainly outdoor holiday activities and entertainments. This is just a selection of course - keep checking the full Events Calendar for many more!
SUMMER FILMS AT THE MALT CINEMA
Holiday Day Camps
Local school children are invited to join Walhampton's Funseekers holiday day camps: Adventurers for Year 1 and Explorers for Years 2 to 8. Children take part in a range of activities each day including outdoor play, water play, arts and crafts, swimming, scavenger hunts, sports hall fun, racquet games, cookery, woodland adventures and storytelling. For Explorers, there is also the opportunity to join external adventure trip days including the New Forest Show, beach visits and Exbury Gardens.
Holiday camps are also in full swing at Durlston School which is offering a programme of fun activities including Arts, Sports, Coding, Survival, Dance and Drama, Football and Swimming: see Durlston Summer Holiday Camps then click the onward link to view programme details. And Miss Grace’s School of Rock is a fabulous sounding 3 day camp incorporating script writing, dance, drama, set and costume design.
See also Fun In The Forest Summer Camp at Moyles Court School
Exbury Extravaganza
A host of activities and entertainments will be taking place on selected dates throughout the holidays at Exbury Gardens. They range from Falconry Days, Donkey Days and Walk with Alpacas to Pop-up Pottery, Summer Garden Games,Create and Craft Family Workshop. Most of these are free with gardens admission or membership, donkey rides will cost an extra £4.
Professional storyteller Amanda Kane-Smith from Merry-go-Round Storytelling will be hosting very special Folk and Fairy Tales storytelling sessions, bringing to life fanciful fairy and fabulous folk tales with high energy and interaction: lots of participation and lots of fun!
If you click here to the main Exbury Gardens page and scroll down, you'll be able to see all these events listed in one place.
Dancing Days
New Forest Academy of Dance is a community-based dance school in Lymington which provides all year round dance training for children, teenagers and adults. The holidays bring a plethora of fun workshops culminating in the fabulous NFAD Summer Camp - A Musical in a Week: an exciting week-long musical theatre workshop where students rehearse and perform a full production in just five days.
Open to those currently in Year 1–Year 13, this immersive experience includes rehearsals at the Lymington Centre learning singing, dancing, acting and a final performance with full lights and sound at Brockenhurst Village Hall. This summer's musical is Disney's Finding Nemo JR., the one-act musical adaptation of the 2003 Pixar film. Booking now is strongly recommended, for this brilliant week of fun and making new friends which always sells out early!
You can also click here to the main NFAD page and scroll down to see all of this summer's mainly one day workshops which include Toy Story, Moana and Pinocchio.
Paddle Power
From their base in Beaulieu New Forest Activities offer a wide range of safe land and water activities for couples, families and groups of all ages, all year round, 7 days a week. By far the most popular is paddling on the stunning Beaulieu River as part of a guided tour, whether in one of their stable ‘Canadian Style’ canoes with space for the whole family, or for something a little more adventurous, in a kayak. For more experienced kayakers there's also the opportunity to explore the Hampshire and Dorset coastlines on a sea kayaking course.
Archery and also the ropes courses and Battlezone (a cross between laser-tag and pain-free paintball!) in shady National Park woodland are available too, as well as cycle hire. Find out more!
CANOEING, KAYAKING AND MUCH MORE
Fun and Learning Combined
Step into the past on Tudor Tuesdays, where you can learn about life in Henry VIII’s fortress, or embrace the great outdoors on Wildlife Wednesdays, discovering the wildlife that calls the spit their home. On Throwback Thursdays, dress up as a soldier, read about garrison life and see how Hurst Castle has stood the test of time.
Young explorers can take on two exciting summer trails. Hunt down five hidden shields to earn a certificate and search high and low for ten letters to find the word and claim your prize.
Free children’s activities run at Hurst Castle throughout the summer holidays, giving families even more reasons to visit this historic and exceptionally special spot, commanding the entrance to the Solent and with marvellous views in all directions!
SUMMER ADVENTURES AT HURST CASTLE
Other News
Congratulations to Oakhaven Care, which has been recognised nationally as one of the Top 20 Home Care Groups in the UK. The Home Care Awards recognise the UK's highest-rated home care providers, based on independent reviews from clients and their families. The awards are a mark of excellence, serving as a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone in the organisation. There are over 13,000 home care providers and over 1,000 home care groups operating across the UK, making this achievement a significant recognition of the quality, consistency and compassion delivered by Oakhaven Care’s teams every day.
Congratulations also to Linden House Dementia Care Home for last weekend's inaugural Dementia Friendly Festival (see photo below) which by all accounts was a great success and is part of a wider initiative for dementia care in the community: click here to read more.
Next weekend on Sunday 2 August it's the FREE Summer Spectacular community festival in Woodside Park, which promises a spectacular array of activities and entertainment.
Next week is of course the annual New Forest Show, which promises 3 days of ongoing spectacles!
Meanwhile, enjoy Turfsfest at the Turfcutters Arms: the live music kicks off this evening at 7.30 with the brilliant Junco Shakers and the fun continues all weekend!
Best wishes Jane
Read the rest of this week's newsletter here
And check out What's On in the Diary of Upcoming Events!
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