FESTIVAL FEVER

Main stage at Timber festival Leics — Image / Timber festival by Andrew Allcock

‘Tis the month for woodland festivals it seems. If you like the sound of music, glitter balls and dancing in the woods then the Woodland Disco Festival in the woodlands at beautiful Newstead Abbey on Sat 6 July is for you. Boasting an, erm, eclectic line-up with the likes of Sister Sledge, Jocelyn Brown, and Gok Wan, it should be a magical summer night.

More woodland grooving at Timber (pictured) on 5-7 July just over the Derbyshire border at Feanedock in the National Forest. This back-to-nature eco festival is a celebration of music, art and ideas with yoga and fire and ice sauna sessions, music and storytelling and arty workshops. What’s more, the organisers have just announced 2-for1 tickets! Snap ’em up while you can.

Not quite a woodland, but a stunner of a rural setting in the grounds of Chatsworth. A shiny new festival for Derbyshire this year, Classic Ibiza on Sat 13 July promises over five hours of Balearic-infused dance music headlined by the 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra (USO). Bring your picnic blanket too – it’s billed as family-friendly with room for everyone to spread out. Plus it’s raising funds for Chatsworth House Trust and Ashgate Hospice. Muddy’s sold.

Fancy a day enjoying Staffordshire’s beautiful Trentham Gardens followed by an evening picnic and outdoor concert? Get yourself tickets to one of the 10 Trentham Summer Concerts. Taking place every Fri and Sat night throughout July, the lakeside stage will host some brilliant tribute acts and bands. From ABBA tributes to Absolute 80s, round up your friends, pack your picnic and prepare to party.

Talk about a full family day out – this one’s got it all. Performances, climbing walls, culinary theatre and crafts, there is family fun galore at Bakewell Country Festival on Sun 14 July at Bakewell Showground. Brush up on your growing and composting skills, join family drumming workshops, and animal handling.

CULTURE

carmen opera chatsworth — Image / Opera Brava

Searching for something a little more high-brow? Experience world class opera, music, books, jazz and even walks in the heart of the Peak District when the world famous Buxton International Festival kicks off in the from 4-21 July. Muddy’s highlights? I’m looking forward to La Tragedie de Carmen at Buxton Opera House and the Jazz Weekender from 6-8 July.

Nottingham’s classical music festival welcomes newbies and culture vultures to hear some of the UK’s top classical artists at lovely venues around the city this month. Nottingham Chamber Music Festival opens with Busk n’ Brew, a pop-up chamber music event at Blend in Nottingham Contemporary, and runs from 11-14 July.

The Renaissance at Kelham Hall hosts A Night at the Proms on Sun 14 July. Gather the gang, bring a blanket or two and pitch up in front of the beautiful hall for live music from the 40-piece Newark & Sherwood Concert Band. Costs £6.50 (and you can pre-order a Proms Picnic Box for two for £23.50).

If the weather plays ball (far from a given this summer), a bit of outdoor theatre in the lovely meadow at Callow Hall in Ashbourne sound a treat. Join Chatsworth Players on Thurs 18 July for one of theatre’s original rom-coms, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Get a glimpse behind the headlines at An Evening with Clive Myrie on Sat 20 July at Buxton Opera House. The BBC news presenter appears again on Mon 29 July at Derby Theatre.

OUTDOORS

It’s the sound of summer. The high-pitched purring call of swifts swooping and there’s a chance to enjoy these beautiful birds (without fear of being labelled as a full-blown twitcher) across Derbyshire this month. Evening swift walks are taking place in Derby on Wed 3 July, Rowsley on Thurs 4 July, Duffield on Fri 5 July as well as Bradwell and Melbourne on Sat 6 July. Want to get up close? Head to Hathersage at 8pm on 4 July for some swift viewing on the nest cam and IRL.

MUSIC

Tina Turner look-alike on stage performing what's love got to do with it — Image / What’s Love Got to Do With It

July is the month for a big belt-it-out sing along – there are stacks of anthemic performances coming to Nottingham. At the Theatre Royal you’ve got Don’t Stop Believin’ (Wed 3 July), the Dolly musical Here You Come Again (Tues 9 – Sat 13 July) and boy band party Re-Take That (Wed 17 July). Next door at the Royal Concert Hall, expect high energy hits in the Tina Turner musical What’s Love Got To Do With It? on Thurs 25 July.

Put on your dancing shoes as the sun goes down for Mowtown by Moonlight on Fri 12 July at in the beautiful Palace Gardens at Southwell Cathedral. Party to Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and The Temptations.

Kings of Leon drop into Nottingham Motorpoint Arena on Mon 8 July supported by The Vaccines.

Wine and classical music? Don’t mind if I do. Muddy Award-winning deli Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham hosts A Global Symphony on Thurs 11 July. Tickets cost £42.

THEATRE & COMEDY

penguins and pupeteers at madagascar the musical — Image / Mark Dawson Photography

Ready to move it move it? Grab the kids for a fun-filled school holiday treat and snap up tickets to madcap Madagascar the Musical from Wed 24 – Sat 27 July at Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Night at the opera anyone? The gritty tale of La Tragédie de Carmen is on stage from Fri 5 – Tues 16 July at Buxton Opera House.

If the weather plays ball (far from a given this summer), a bit of outdoor theatre in the lovely meadow at Callow Hall in Ashbourne sound a treat. Join Chatsworth Players on Thurs 18 July for one of theatre’s original rom-coms, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

If you’re looking for laughs, Sarah Millican and her Late Bloomer tour come to Nottingham Royal Concert Hall from Thurs 18 – Sun 21 July.

Michael Rosen, one of the UK’s best-loved writers drops into the Palace Theatre in Newark as part of the town’s book festival on Thurs 11 July.

Roll out the picnic blankets and bring the Prosecco for open air theatre at Newstead Abbey. Pick from The Secret Garden on Wed 12 July or Sense and Sensibility on Sun 16 July.

FOOD AND STREET FESTS

Four women in Caribbean dress prepare for a parade

Bringing the positive summer vibes through creative art and dance, it’s Derby Caribbean Carnival on Sun 21 July. The colourful procession of more than 300 troupes starts at the Market Place and finishes at Osmaston Park.

Another free day out in Derby the following weekend on Sat 20 July when Derby’s gorgeous Cathedral Quarter plays host to a Jurassic Day Out. Dinos will roaming the streets throughout the day, providing lots of opportunities for meet and greet, while kids can train as a Dino Ranger and visit the dino hatchery to meet baby dinosaurs.

Hunting for vegan delights? Head to Chesterfield Vegan Market on Sun 7 July for huge choice of tempting goodies, from cakes and chocolate to pies and pizza.

A feasting opp with free entry and ents sounds like fun to us. Elvaston Castle Feast in the Park kicks off on Sat 20 and Sun 21 July with street food, bars, artisan stalls, bubbologists and entertainment in the stunning castle grounds.

Talk about a full family day out – this one’s got it all. Pony displays, heavy horse competitions, culinary theatre and rural crafts, there is family fun galore at Bakewell Country Festival on Sun 16 July. Kids can brush up on their bushcraft skills, join forest school sessions, archery and animal handling. There will even be a fly-past from a Lancaster bomber.

GARDENS

July is a lovely time to drop in to visit the gorgeous Elizabethan terraced gardens at Haddon Hall near Bakewell. Browse the pop-up summer plant shop, offering kitchen garden herbs and summer planting perennials.

The Summer gardens at Hopton Hall in Derbyshire open in July (every Thurs-Sun). With roses a special highlight, there will also be a pop-up café.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

Chatsworth is hosting some amazing creative workshops at the house and gardens this summer, including lots aimed at children. But this grown-up full day Get Drawing workshop sounds well worth ditching the kids for. Based the Old Potting Shed art studio in Chatsworth’s gardens on Sat 13 July, tickets (£95pp) include tea and coffee and a graze box picnic lunch provided by the Chatsworth Farm Shop.

Get those creative juices flowing at a writing for wellbeing workshop at The Writing Apothecary, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. The museum’s exhibition will act as a creative springboard for a range of writing activities aimed at developing self-expression. Every Saturday until Sat 20 July.

Take a day to focus on yourself and book a place on Dove Retreat’s popular Mini Festival Retreat on Sun 14 July. A mix of Hatha yoga, sound therapy and reiki meditation, it’s a day of peace at Yeldersley Hall, Ashbourne.

Fancy a spot of summer self care? Check out the Release & Surrender workshop being run by Dove Retreat’s Claire Fildes and Sophie Burton on Tues 25 July from 6.30pm-9pm at Yeldersley Hall, Ashbourne. Costing £40pp, expect reiki aimed personal coaching aimed at leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

There’s another opp to focus on yourself at Dove Retreat’s popular Mini Festival Retreat on Sun 14 July. A mix of Hatha yoga, sound therapy and reiki meditation, it’s a day of peace at Yeldersley Hall, Ashbourne.

Need some summer sunnies to update your holiday look? Get yourself down to the Maui Jim sunglasses styling event at Richard Petrie Optometrists in Littleover on Sat 13 July.

Summer lovin’: What’s on this July in Notts & Derbyshire

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