Firework Displays in Lymington and the New Forest

Gunpowder, treason and plot! 2018 Bonfire night in Lymington and the New Forest.

Updated 17 October 2018

If you are looking for a spectacular fireworks and bonfire night celebration in the New Forest area, take a look at our guide. Remember to add any events not in the list to our Events Calendar.

Planning fireworks at home? See below also the RoSPA Firework Safety Code and take care. Be mindful that fireworks can scare animals and seriously worry some people.

Friday 26 October in Brockenhurst.

Brockenhurst Football Club kick off our 2018 bonfire celebrations from 6pm, with firework display at 7pm. Fire engine display, live music, hot food and refreshments. Adults £6, children & senior citizens £3, family ticket £15.

Find out more...

Saturday 27 October at Beaulieu.

One of the largest and most impressive firework displays in the south, choreographed brilliantly to music (this year the theme is 'Back to the Eighties') Come along early from 3pm to enjoy Beaulieu and a huge range of entertainment for the whole family. Fireworks (approx) 7.30pm. Admission with Fireworks tickets from 3:00pm. Adult £13.50, Child £8.75, Family £38.00. 

Find out more...

Thursday 1 November in Hythe.

The 7th annual Hythe Community Fireworks at Ewart Recreation Ground have been organised by the Friends of Hythe Primary, Hythe & Dibden Cricket Club and the Handy Trust. Gates open 5pm, firework display at 6:30pm. Advance tickets £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for children.

Friday 2 November at Strawberry Fields, Lymington.

Fireworks, bonfire, live music and family fun just outside Lymington at Strawberry Fields (location of the weekly car boot sale) Bonfire from 7pm and firework display from 8pm. Tickets in advance £6 adults, £3 children (plus booking fee) or on the gate £8 adults and £4 children. 

Find out more...

Friday 2 November in Lyndhurst.

Lyndhurst Junior Football Club and Lyndhurst Scouts are hosting a Fireworks Night at Coles Mead Recreations Ground. Bonfire from 8.30pm with fireworks at 7pm. Refreshments and hot food will be available.

Friday 2 November in Marchwood.

Marchwood Junior School is hosting a Fireworks Display, with live music, fireworks and refreshments. Tickets on sale via the school office, or on the night. Gates open 5:15pm, fireworks at 7pm.

Saturday 3 November in Boldre.

Fireworks display and bonfire with bar and hot food at Boldre War Memorial Hall. Adults £3 and children under 10 £2. Free parking.

Find out more...

Saturday 3 November at Exbury Club.

The annual Exbury Club Bonfire Night celebrations are fun for all the family. This November, enjoy an evening of music from Cordelectra, plus a fantastic fireworks display by Illusion Fireworks. Bonfire 7pm, Fireworks 7:30pm. Evening of music from Cordelectra! £5 a car, £1 Walkers! 

Saturday 3 November in Copythorne.

Fireworks Display at Copythorne Villages Hall. Gates open at 5.30 ready for the bonfire to be lit around 6pm followed by TWO spectacular fireworks displays (with interval between). Guy competition open to all, be creative!! Make sure you take your guy inside the hall by 6PM for judging. Refreshments available all evening. Tickets on the gate: £6 adults, £1 children. No sparklers. 

Sunday 4 November at Gang Warily. 

Fawley Firework Spectacular at Gang Warily Recreation Ground. Bonfire, fireworks, bar and food. Tickets £2.50 in advance, £5 on the night. 

Find out more...

Sunday 4 November in Totton.

Totton & Eling Cricket Club are hosting a Bonfire Night show, with host DJ, children’s fairground rides and stalls. Outdoor and indoor bars, plus a hog roast and BBQ mean you can enjoy a bite to eat pre-show! There is limited parking across the road at Abbotswood School, please walk where possible. Advance tickets: £5.50 per single or £17.00 per family (2 adults and up to 3 children) On The Day: £7.00 per single or £20.00 per family.

Sunday 4 November in Ringwood.

Ringwood's Bonfire and Fireworks Display takes place at Carvers Playing Field, with hog roast, food stalls, beer tent and small fairground rides, so there's plenty on offer for the whole family! Starts 3.30pm.

Monday 5 November in East Boldre.

The East Boldre School Fields Firework Night party at the East Boldre Old School Fields is a wonderful family event. Refreshments from 5.30pm, bonfire from 6pm, firework display at 6.30pm. BBQ, tea, cake and lots of other lovely treats. Perfect for little kids and the big kids too! Free entry but donations welcome. Lots of Lymington folk came along to this display last year - East Boldre were delighted and hope it'll happen again...it’s such a lovely traditional event like a kind of throwback to family bonfire parties of olden days. There will be donation buckets at the gate. Allow plenty of time for parking along the road as it can get busy!

Find out more...

Monday 5 November in Burley.

Celebrate bonfire night at Burley Park (BH24 4EB). Gates open 5pm.

Monday 5 November in Fordingbridge.

Join Sandleheath Community Association for a free bonfire and fireworks night on the Sandleheath Common! BBQ and soft drinks will also be available to buy on the night.
The bonfire will be lit at 6pm.

Friday 9 November in Sway.

The annual fireworks fundraising event at St Luke's School is a fantastic family event on the school field. Get there at 5pm for refreshments and to see the procession of guys taken to the bonfire before it is lit. Firework display from 6pm. Tickets in advance from the Sway Newsagent and Winkwork £6. Tickets on the gate £7.

Find out more...

Saturday 10 November in New Milton

Firework display organised by New Milton Round Table in aid of local charities. Gates open 6pm, fireworks at 7pm. There'll be delicious hot food to warm you up, hot chocolate and the kids will enjoy the rides on the night. Adults £6, children £4 (children aged under 4 go free)

Find out more...

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Remember the safety code if planning fireworks at home!

If you are planning a firework display at home, remember the RoSPA Firework Safety Code:

1. Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable

2. Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time

3. Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary

4. Light the firework at arm's length with a taper and stand well back

5. Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks

6. Never return to a firework once it has been lit

7. Don't put fireworks in pockets and never throw them

8. Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators

9. Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire

10. Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving

Young people should watch and enjoy fireworks at a safe distance and follow the safety rules for using sparklers. Only adults should deal with firework displays and the lighting of fireworks. They should also take care of the safe disposal of fireworks once they have been used.

With some firework displays overlapping with Halloween this year, be especially careful with - or avoid - the combination of fancy dress and sparklers or bonfires. For more information on how to keep safe, visit www.saferfireworks.com.

Lymington and Pennington had a blooming good summer!

Four Silver Gilts in the 2018 South and South East in Bloom Awards

Lymington & Pennington did 'blooming' well this summer by achieving the following coveted awards in the 'South and South East in Bloom' awards:

Pennington Common - Silver Gilt Award

Woodside Gardens - Silver Gilt Award

Lymington Town - Silver Gilt Award

St Thomas Churchyard - Silver Gilt Award

'South & South East in Bloom' is part of the 'Britain in Bloom' campaign where boroughs, communities, residents and businesses can work together to improve their environment.

The campaign aims to increase the number of people involved in gardening and horticulture and to see the standard maintained or rise wherever possible. It also strives to see improvement in how we care for our environment, including how we care for scarce resources such as water.

South and South East in Bloom is also about how we come together as communities and make a contribution to the above by getting involved and making our neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities better places to live, work and visit.

It's easy to see why when we have such beauty to enjoy in our locality. Well done to all who have helped our town achieve these awards. 

 Photo credit: 3 Steve Elson (Woodside, High Street, Gosport Street)

Vote for Lymington in the Great British Market Awards!

Let's put Lymington Charter Market on the national stage - vote by 30th November!

The Great British Market Awards 2019 have been launched! 

This is a fantastic opportunity for us all to put Lymington Charter Market on the national stage. We are all proud of our local market and the impact it makes to the town, tourism and local community life. Your entries will help spread the word about this market locally and nationally.  

Vote now for Lymington Charter Market

Lymington Charter Market needs your vote. The closing date is 30th November 2018 at 11.59pm

Anyone can vote and you simply need click on the link here https://www.nabma.com/vote/ and enter in Lymington Charter Market in the box underneath 'My vote for Britain’s favourite market goes to'

There is no limit to the number of votes that you can make - so please encourage all your friends and family to vote!

It is easy to do and only takes a minute - so please get voting now. We know Lymington is the best market - let's make it official!

Lymington's weekly market

Lymington’s Charter Market takes place along the length of the High Street every Saturday throughout the year from 8am to 4pm. It's by far the largest street market in the New Forest area and with a great deal of history behind it is nowadays a special experience for New Forest visitors to enjoy. 

Find out more about Lymington's Fabulous Charter Market

Photo credit: William Bonett 

Beaulieu launches Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50 years exhibition

New exhibition at the National Motor Museum opens on 20 October 2018

A new exhibition at Beaulieu's National Motor Museum will tell the story of Chitty as the star of the fantasmagorical family adventure and feature an original screen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Humber 8hp driven by Truly Scrumptious in the much-loved musical film.

Coggins’ Garage will be recreated in the museum to house the amazingly inventive machines of Rowland Emett seen in the film, including the Humbug Major Sweet Machine, Clockwork Lullabye, Little Dragon Carpet Sweeper and Hot Air Rocking Chair.

Standing outside will be a full-size replica of Grandpa Potts’ hut, recreated using the original 50-year-old technical drawings from the archive of EON Productions. The actual Spy Phone prop used in the film will be on show alongside.

Costumes as seen in the film will include those of the infamous Child Catcher and Sally Anne Howes’ life-size music box dolldress which she wore while dancing with Dick Van Dyke for Baron Bomburst’s birthday surprise.

A timeline wall will chart the Chitty story from its beginnings – as James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s inspirational book about the magical flying car – to Cubby Broccoli’s unique interpretation on film. Fleming was inspired by the real-life exploits of racing driver Count Louis Zborowski who designed and built four aero-engined racing cars that were named Chitty Bang Bang because of the sound they made while standing idle. The exhaust and leather bonnet strapfrom the Count’s original Mercedes Chitty will be on display as part of his legacy.

The cloud-shaped wall will also feature first edition copies of Fleming’s book which he wrote for his son Caspar and was published posthumously in 1964, alongside producer Cubby Broccoli’sprogramme from the Royal World Premiere of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang film in 1968. Weird and wonderful Chitty memorabilia includes signatures of the star-studded cast, pedal and Corgi cars, comics, computer games, pop-up books and even lunch boxes made to celebrate the children’s favourite film.

Never exhibited before original film concept art by Sir Ken Adam, storyboard watercolour artwork by Robert Laing and technical drawings by Peter Lamont will be on display, along with the solid silver Chitty model bought for producer Cubby Broccoli by his wife Dana.

Outside in the grounds, visitors to Beaulieu can see a stunning Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reconstruction being driven around the attraction – you may even be lucky enough to go for a ride!

Thanks to Fleming’s brilliant story about the beautiful, magical car and Roald Dahl’s screenplay adaptation, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remains as popular today as it ever has been.

The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang film, produced by Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli of James Bond fame, was Oscar nominated for its musical score and featured a host of stars including Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Benny Hill and Barbara Windsor.

Six original Chittys were built for the film by Alan Mann of Alan Mann Racing – two were racers and four were touring cars. One was fitted with a hovercraft skirt to skim over the water, while another was able to spread its wings when required.

Beaulieu’s Chitty is owned by EON Productions and its after-film adventure took it to Australia, before being rediscovered by a film car enthusiast and brought back to the UK in 1987. It was used for the hovercraft and some ‘blue screen’ special effect flying sequences and therefore is mainly made of lighter weight aluminium to make it easier to manoeuvre during filming. It has since taken part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York in 2004, visited the Queen for her Birthday Garden Party in 2006, flew to Singapore to promote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical in 2007 and had a day on London’s South Bank celebrating Cubby Broccoli’s centenary in 2009

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50 years can be seen as part of the general admission to Beaulieu, which includes entrance to the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, the ancestral Montagu family home of Palace House, 13th century Beaulieu Abbey and the grounds and gardens.

Find out more about Beaulieu, including how to buy tickets in advance online.

Priestlands celebrates excellent GCSE results!

Congratulations to year 11 students at Lymington's Comprehensive School.

There was much to celebrate at Priestlands School last week as students received their GCSE results. Despite the uncertainties of the new exams in many subjects, Priestlands students did very well. 

English, Maths and Science sustained high performance whilst there were also record results in Business Studies, Computing Science, Geography, ICT, PE and strong performances in many other subjects. 

A third of all grades awarded were at 9-7 or A/A* and 74% students secured the new standard pass (4-9) in English ­and Maths, with 54% students secured the new strong pass (5-9) in English and Maths. Meanwhile 77% of students secured at least 2 Science grades 4-9. 

26% achieved the English Baccalaureate, although this figure is expected to increase when some late results come in.

In terms of the government’s new performance measures which apply to all schools in 2018, the provisional new “Progress 8” figure shows that, on average, students at Priestlands made more progress than similar students nationally.

Priestlands Head Teacher, Pete Main, is thrilled with the results: "We are yet again delighted with the outcomes our students have achieved. Most exams were based on the new harder GCSE specifications with the 9-1 grades and they have demonstrated that hard work really does pay off as record results were achieved in many subjects as well as sustained high performance in the core subjects."

"Priestlands is proud of the opportunities it provides students beyond examinations and we recognise the importance of developing well rounded young people. This year group have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into life at Priestlands leaving a strong legacy and they are now in a superb position to go on and achieve great things in the next phase of their education.”

Congratulations to Year 11 students who have been rewarded for their hard work.

Solent Music Festival Lymington 19-23 September 2018

World class classical music performances live on our doorstep 

Now in its sixth year the Solent Music Festival returns to Lymington from Wednesday 19th through to Sunday 23rd September.

Pianist Sam Haywood, the festival’s Artistic Director, says ‘I had dreamt of running a music festival for many years, of being able to put together programmes of my favourite works performed by the musicians I most admire. At the suggestion of a friend, Sophia and I came to Lymington and met with then Councillor Elizabeth Lewis, now the Festival’s president. Elizabeth advised that we meet Daphne and Ivor Johnston. With their local connections and great passion for music, Daphne and Ivor have helped us to make the festival what it is today.'

The Festival’s Director Sophia Pagoni comes from a musical background and has worked for a music production company in Soho and for cellist Steven Isserlis, who will perform in this year’s closing concert. Sophia says ‘We are a registered charity and it has always been important to us that our concerts are available to everyone. Thanks to our generous sponsors we have managed to keep our ticket prices low, which means that people of all different ages and backgrounds can come to enjoy good music together in the intimate and relaxed setting of St Thomas Church.”

The festival is generously sponsored by Rathbone Investment Management in Lymington and Global Communciations. There is also a tiered membership structure with various benefits for anybody interested in getting involved - more information here .

Michael Portillo’s Desert Island Piano Discs

This year Michael Portillo appears with Sam Haywood in 'Michael Portillo's Desert Island Piano Discs’. Michael will talk about his life and Sam will perform works by Chopin, Schubert and De Falla amongst others.

Members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will open the festival in grand style with Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Cellist Steven Isserlis will be joined by Anthony Marwood and others in a trademark varied Solent Music Festival programme featuring four different types of ensemble. Irish soprano Ailish Tynan, Sam Haywood and clarinettist Katherine Spencer will perform songs by Schubert, Schumann and Spohr. Audience favourite cellist Damien Ventula will also be appearing at this year’s festival.

All concerts take place at St Thomas Church.

Save £25 with a Rover Ticket

If you’re keen to really immerse yourself in this year’s Festival and soak up the music buy a Rover Ticket and save £25.

Information and tickets

Online booking available here

Tickets are available from The Solent Cellar (cash/cheques only) on the door or from the Festival box office on 0800 411 8881. All concerts take place at St Thomas Church. The Solent Cellar will be open for pre-concert drinks from 6pm Wednesday to Saturday.

Solent Music Festival 2018 programme summary 

Vivaldi The Four Seasons, Wednesday 19 September at 7.30pm

Programme
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
VIVALDI Flute Concerto
BACH Brandenburg Concerto No 5

Matthew Truscott, solo violin
Katie Bircher, flute
Steven Devine, harpsichord
Members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

More detail about this performance

The Harmonious Blacksmith, Thursday 20 September at 7.30pm

Programme

BACH Violin and Gamba Sonatas
HANDEL The Harmonious Blacksmith
Selection of other popular harpsichord works

Matthew Truscott, violin
Damien Ventula, cello
Steven Devine, harpsichord

More detail about this performance

Michael Portillo’s Desert Island Piano Discs, Friday 21 September at 7.30pm

Programme to include works by Schubert, Chopin and De Falla.

Michael Portillo
Sam Haywood, piano

Drawn from Michael Portillo's wide ranging career and interests what can we expect?  This promises to be an enormously popular evening!  More about Michael Portillo here.

The Shepherd on the Rock, Saturday 22 September at  7.30pm

Programme

SCHUMANN Liederkreis Op. 39
SPOHR Three Songs from Six German Songs Op. 103
Sei still mein Herz
Das heimliche Lied
Wach Auf

SCHUBERT Lieder
Gretchen am Spinnrade
Lachen und Weinen
Ave Maria
Die junge Nonne
Die Forelle
Nacht und Träume
An die Musik
The Shepherd on the Rock


Ailish Tynan, soprano
Katherine Spencer, clarinet
Sam Haywood, piano

More detail about this performance

Steven Isserlis and Friends, Sunday 23 September at 4pm

Programme

BRAHMS Scherzo in C minor for Violin and Piano
SCHUMANN (arr. Isserlis for piano trio) Violin Concerto, 2nd Movement
FAURÉ String Quartet
MESSIAEN Vocalise for Cello and Piano
BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 69

Anthony Marwood, violin
Irène Duval, violin
Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad, viola
Steven Isserlis, cello
Sam Haywood, piano

More detail about this performance

Meet the Lymington.com team this weekend at the Lymington Seafood Festival

Fingers crossed the weather stays mainly dry for this weekend's second annual Lymington Seafood Festival, with its fabulous line up of food, cookery demonstrations and talks, and live music all weekend.

Lots of local businesses for you to meet

Along with the food and drink stalls lining the perimeter of the Festival within Bath Road and Lymington River (what a fabulous setting!), many local businesses will be there to meet you.  They have all contributed to making the Festival possible so please do stop and have a chat with them whilst sampling the edible treats on offer.  

We will even be there ourselves - so here's your chance to meet us too!

Children's activities, giveaways and a chance to win a meal out

We'll be giving out Lymington.com flyers and old fashioned environnmentally friendly pencils.  To encourage even more people to sign up for the Weekly What's On newsletter there's now a quarterly draw for a meal for two at a local restaurant or pub.

We will also will have squash and activities for your small children and a bowl of water for your canine companions (on behalf of Oscar Pet Foods who are running the dog stations). 

So please come and say hello as you're passing by - we'll be on the right, close to the the main Bath Road entrance to the Fesitval approaching from the town.

Other very local businesses who will be exhibiting alongside all the food and drink stalls include a number of marine businesses  appropriately showcasing their wares on the riverside, and New Forest Cottages with a wonderful selection of places to stay in the New Forest, it's worth picking up their brochure for when you have too many friends wanting to come and stay!

Chef Talks and Cookery Demonstrations

The region’s leading chefs will be showing you their skills in the Festival's fabulous demo kitchen.  The Jetty’s Alex Aitken will be joined by 2016 Masterchef winner Jane Devonshire, Matt Tomkinson from the Montagu Arms Hotel and Chewton Glen’s Luke Matthews, plus see below!

Saturday 11th August

11-11.45 am Luke Mathews/ Chewton Glen

12-12.45 pm Clover Hudson/ Fisher & Paykel

1-1.45 pm Jane Devonshire/ Masterchef

2-2.45 pm Davina Tibbetts/ Le Creuset

3-3.45 pm Jen Williams/ Naked Jam

4-4.45 pm Kerry Witt/ Chocolate by Miss Witt

5-5.45 pm Clover Hudson/ Fisher & Paykel

6-6.45 pm Davina Tibbetts/ Le Creuset

Sunday 12th August

11-11.45 am Steve Bulmer/ Chewton Glen

12-12.45 pm KJ Noades/ Thermomix

1-1.45 pm Matt Tomkinson/ Montagu Arms

2-2.45 pm Clover Hudson/ Fisher & Paykel

3-3.45 pm Gary Moreton-Jones/ The Fisherman’s Kitchen

4-4.45 pm Clover Hudson/ Fisher & Paykel

More information about the chefs here

The Weekend Music Line Up

And here hot off the press is the music line up for the weekend, just released by the Seafood Festival organisers Lighthouse Marketing:

Click here for more information about the bands themselves 

Sail 4 Cancer, this year's charity  

Read about the great work of Sail 4 Cancer,  the charity chosen this year to benefit from the support of the Seafood Festival. The Hampshire based charity provides sailing experiences and respite days for those suffering with cancer or their families. Raffle prizes are all provided by sponsors and stallholders, so please bring some money to buy tickets!

More information

For the rest of the lowdown including parking information go to the Seafood Festival Website - and many thanks from us all to Richard and Domine Nowell for creating this wonderful festival! 

See you there!

Local businesses on show at the 2018 New Forest Show

Hot, hotter and huge crowds, for this year’s extreme weather show!

This year’s top spectator attractions were gigantic: in the main rings the amazing Ben Atkinson with his team of horses and brave stunt ridersand the Mounted Hunter games both enthralled and delighted the crowds.

Meanwhile close to the Forestry Commission corner the Shire horses resplendently turned out enjoyed their own in hand classes, a spectacle in their own right allowing the public to get up really close to these magnificent creatures.

Lots of interest in local businesses too

BHG’s Paul Martin summed it up

" The fantastic weather and huge visitor numbers meant BHG Marine had a very busy and successful New Forest Show, with many customers new and old viewing a good display of kayaks, tenders, lightweight day boats and small cruisers."

Local Business Village

Taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase in the brand new Local Business Village sponsored by the New Forest Business Partnership were more than 25 New Forest businesses. 

Among them, brand new business  Family Rules with their wonderful hand painted wooden ruler height charts won the Award for best trade stand - an accolade to their creativity and whilst currently based in Suffolk they’ll soon be in Pilley near Lymington.

New Forest Tartan had a fantastic array of lovely products on display including Shyla’s smart new collar which blends with the heather as well as herself!  As it should... because that's one of the major inspirations for our very own "local" Tartan.

Meanwhile New Forest Stand Up Paddleboard were busy taking bookings for taster sessions from Keyhaven - they could have done with a pool for us to have a go there and then and deliberately topple off!

Others included brightly coloured Tropic from Sway's ozone and chemical free products, and businesswoman extraordinaire Karen with her KW Commercial Cleaning Services.

We love the fabulous multi functional firepits from St Clare Engineering - now we're all used to dining al fresco we'll want to continue when the weather cools! Call or email them from this link  

Top class catering by local business Appetite for Adventure

Locally based Appetite for Adventure provided the catering for the Members Enclosure and Adie and her team deserve special mention, the choice of menu and ingredients was imaginative and clever (and perfect for the weather), the food beautifully presented with all sorts of thoughtful details, and the tastes divine!  It was impossible to resist the cakes which were sublime ...the team worked incredibly hard and we hope the company did incredibly well too - they deserved to!

Escape to Croatia, the Caribbean or now even Canada

Staying on station from before 8 in the morning till nearly 7 in the evening on the hottest days of the year was a challenge for all exhibitors but especially those for whom the sun came round in the afternoon penetrating deep into their marquees.

Escape Yachting’s half day Solent cruises are as popular as ever - see link for special summer 2018 offer - and especially appealing in this weather  Plus, an increasing number of customers old and new are opting for far flung on the water adventures to celebrate special occasions.

To be honest the prospect of any cool water was appealing at this year’s Show, so Escape's enquiries are we hope well up!

Curious Arts Festival 2018 - Lymington.com Review 

Nationally acclaimed New Forest festival now firmly on the annual festival calendar

Five years since its creation by London based curators Patrick Keogh and Clare Conville the Curious Arts Festival is now firmly on the map of British Festivals. Thanks to the hospitality of Lord and Lady Teynham who own the Pylewell Estate this magical rural waterside setting with views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight now takes on an “other world” dimension for three amazing days every July. If you keep thinking about it but haven't experienced it yet, just to mention here Super Early Bird Weekend tickets are on sale for next year - see below.

Local participation growing

It was really pleasing this year to note how Lymington and New Forest locals comprised a large proportion of the ever increasing band of “Curious” enthusiasts who make a point of blocking out the whole weekend in their calendars and really immersing themselves in all the curious acts and activities on offer. It’s testimony to Patrick and Clare and the Curious sponsors including Fever Tree whose founder owner lives locally too, that locals are beginning really to appreciate how lucky we are to have this fabulous Festival on our doorstep!

Food and drink, literature, music, current affairs, comedy, children’s entertainment, health and well being and much more 

Here are a few of our own favourite highlights from this year’s Festival - there is so much on offer it's impossible to cover it all so these really are personal picks!

Hendricks Gin Cocktails

Some of us were greeted on arrival on Friday evening by the curiously attired poets and other entertainers delegated from the Hendricks Garden to lure us in for gin!

No problem!

Delicious cocktails – free too, for those like us who played the game, seized the poetry book and recited a poem back to them! And a lovely way to get in the mood...

Literary Highlights - probably Lemm Sissay

There are too many magic moments from the line up to mention here, but Lemn Sissay’s poetry reading was an enormous hit with all ages.  His incredible combination of words so powerfully moving help to make his appeal universal and timeless.  Here's a taster although it's not the same without his voice to read it...

"Let there be peace
So frowns fly away like albatross
And skeletons foxtrot from cupboards,
So war correspondants become travel show presenters
And magpies bring back lost property,
Children, engagement rings, broken things."

Musical Surprise - Milky Chance

Milky Chance’s Friday night’s headline music act was a revelation to many of all ages but immediately sounded familiar and made you want more... a frenzy of downloading took place afterwards and our house now regularly gets going in the mornings to their haunting melodies. “German Folk Group” doesn’t quite capture this one so here’s a taster with Down by the River...

On Saturday night John Newman captivated all festival goers with a high energy act which again young, old and in between alike seemed equally to enjoy, and on Sunday evening Gareth Malone was the star. The music continued every evening until late in the main bar area, so there was no need to retire for the night in one's campervan or tent until exhausted!

The first ever Curious Dog Show

Perhaps the canine companions were least impressed by the music but they had their own fun to look forward to on the Sunday with the first ever Curious Dog Show hosted by Sway’s Clare Muir and Oscar Pet Foods, and comprising a number of challenges including emulation of a literary character of choice together with owner performance of a sonnet in best Shakespearean language and expressive style!

Dog loving Judge Damian Dibben pictured with Clare below would now love us all to read his new book "Tomorrow" about a 217 year old dog searching through time for his lost master.  So take a look in Waterstones - who were as usual in attendance with an enormous book shop tent for everybody to browse, and for the purchase of signed copies of books immediately after all the author talks.

Breakfast Club - the current affairs "show" as good as anything on TV!

Gigantic brains which whir astonishingly fast belong to the men and women whose words speak so much wisdom yet in down to earth style, who make up the panels for the enormously popular news and current affairs discussions which take place in the “Drift” tent at 9.45 both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Paul Blezard and Simon Evans were joined on Sunday morning by the brilliant investigative journalist Misha Glennie (McMafia) as well as other editors from The Week -  of which free copies were available and what a perfect opportunity to remind oneself this is a good read!  See more here 

The panel discussion with audience participation about ongoing Brexit negotiations on Sunday belied - or is it defied? - our New Forest “Leave” location with an overwhelming hands up from the audience in favour of a second Referendum, the majority clearly wishing to Remain...

Super Early Bird tickets on sale for next year

If we’ve whetted your appetite for the curious comings and goings which take place at the Curious Arts Festival put dates in diaries for 19-21 July 2019.

Super Early Bird Weekend Adult and Family tickets are on sale now, visit http://curiousartsfestival.com to view more photos from last weekend and book yours!

A Year in the New Forest

New TV series follows the animals and people of the New Forest over a year.

Over four weeks, starting 7pm on Saturday 28th July, Channel 4 will be showing four special episodes about the our wonderful New Forest.

The series tells the story of each season in this rich ecosystem, following the daily lives of local people who graze their ponies and cattle on the common land of the New Forest. Each episode explores the precious and traditional ways of life, bringing to life the hardships of making a living and challenges of the natural cycles of New Forest life that have been continued for hundreds of years.

'A Year in the New Forest' shows off the incredible landscape, rich history and cultural heritage of the New Forest and offers a glimpse of the magic it offers to visitors all year round. The first episode documents Autumn; the land cools, the days shorten, the leaves turn golden and one of the great spectacles of forest begins: the red deer rut. Whilst the deer fight for supremacy, other forest inhabitants prepare for winter and pigs search for acorns...

The series sounds magical and will be well worth watching - set to record or watch on catch up if you have a busy weekend planned already!

If you are planning your own New Forest escape, look for accommodation, places to eat and drink and things to do in our Directory.

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