Heading to…..Portsmouth?

http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/site/whats-on

22 – 31 July:  Rather Unusual Gift Fair, Gunwharf Quays

22 – 24 July:  Open Weekend, at locations across the city. Various events and activities will be held across the city to celebrate the one year countdown to the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

23 July:  ImPact Dance Festival, Rose Gardens, Southsea.  As part of Portsmouth’s imPact dance festival, a celebration of dance within the city, jAM jAR Dance Theatre take you on a journey of those ‘Beachy days’!  11am and 1pm.

23 – 24 July:  Open Day, Eastney Beam Engine House. Meet the Saxons, City Museum garden

24 July: Race for Life, Southsea seafront. Live at the Bandstand, Soul / Blues. Support: Laurel Arnell-Cullen, Eden.

24 July: Headline: Sherman Robertson Southsea Art and Design Exhibition, Square Tower, 11am-4pm.

24 July: Spice island Guided Walk, meet Square Tower, 2.30pm. Adults £3, leisure card £1, accompanied children free.

28 July – 31 Aug:  The Great British Seaside at Gunwharf Quays. The place for real sand in Portsmouth this summer.

29 July:  RSPB “Date with Nature” – Southsea Common. The RSPB will be on Southsea Common to show you that the seaside is about more than seagulls!

29 July: Roller Disco with radio 1s Dave Spoon at Southsea Skatepark. 7pm-10pm, entry £5, skate hire £2.50

30 July: Opera in the Park, Victoria Park. An evening of popular operatic arias in the beautiful setting of Victoria Park

30 July: Macmillan Open Water Swim, Sponsored open water swim event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, taking place on the 30th July 2011 between Southsea- Eastney- South Parade Pier. The swim will be 1km long and we intent to have 300 participants. The event will take place between 11.30am and -2.00pm.

30 -31 July:  Victorian Seaside Weekend on HMS Warrior 1860. Join thirty Officers’ and crew on board for a weekend of Victorian naval traditions. Free with valid ticket

31 July: Art on the Pier, 10am -5pm, arts and crafts by local artists to browse and buy. South Parade Pier

31 July:  Pubs of Old Portsmouth Guided Walk. Meet Square Tower, 2.30pm. Adults £3, leisure card £1, accompanied children free.

31 July:  Live at the bandstand, Jazz. Support: Dave Shepherd (Guest star), Jazz in Mind (4 piece blues band). Headline: The Old Thumper Jazz Band (6 piece Dixieland band)

Heading to…..Brighton?

www.visitbrighton.com

23 and 24 July: Bungee by the beach! Take part or watch jumpers bungee 160ft leaps overlooking the sea on the famous Hove lawns. http://www.visitbrighton.com/site/whats-on/uk-bungee-club-p678931

31 July and 27 August: From Pool to Pier – Brighton Swimming School. Don the swimming cap and learn to swim with the tides with the Pool to Pier Sea Swimming Adventure Days. Teaching groups to go from swimming pools to the open sea, this day-event includes advice, lunch and a theory session as well as a supervised swim in the sea. www.brightonswimmingschool.com

Heading to……Lincolnshire?

www.lincs-chamber.co.uk

July 22^nd – September 4^th: BEACH RANGERS TO PROVIDE A SUMMER OF FREE FUN FOR ALL ON EAST COAST BEACHES.  Families and visitors to the East Coast this summer can get involved with a free summer of beach entertainment thanks to a team of Beach Rangers from East Lindsey District Council.

Similar to Butlins’ Redcoats or the team of entertainers for Hei-di-Hi, the Beach Rangers will be on the Blue Flag Award winning beaches in Mablethorpe and Skegness from July 22 until September 4.

Running daily, between 11am and 4pm, the Beach Rangers will offer a range of exciting activities for families and friends to enjoy free of charge.

This year, the Beach Rangershave teamed up with Volleyball England, Rounders England, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Lincolnshire Cricket, so as well as offering the traditional beach activities, such as sandcastle building, sand drawing and football, they will be offering young people and their families and friends a chance to try new sports.

July 22 and 23:  Volleyball England’s National Beach Tour is set to be part of the activities and will take place in Skegness on the opening weekend of SO Festival.

July 30^th: family day with the stars of Lincolnshire Cricket in Mablethorpe

1^st – 27^th August:  Lincoln’s beach – The city-centre beach is returning to City Square on Monday 1^st August for four weeks.  This free attraction proved very popular last year and everyone is keen to see it return.  Kids can play in the sand whilst parents enjoy soaking up the sun in the deckchairs.  Punch & Judy will be making an appearance on set dates and there will be many other activities taking place on and around the sand.

Beach Volleyball contests will take place on a Thursday evening and other beach events and contests will run across the four week period.

Taking pride of place alongside the beach this year will be a brand new pirate ship, adding to the beach theme and providing kids with a free play area.

August 5 – 6 : Rounders England will be in Skegness

August 20 – 21 : Beach Cricket Tournament, Mablethorpe

Heading to…..Cornwall

www.visitcornwall.com

ilovecornwall.com

Saturday 30 July:  Rockpool Ramble and Beach Scavenge Art – Porth Mear is a gem of a rocky beach on the North Cornwall coast. Join the Rangers for a rockpool ramble. Then scavenge beach materials to make your own marine creature or collage. Beach is a 15+ minute walk from car park.
Meet: National Trust car park at Park Head, grid ref SW 852708. Time: 11am – 3pm. Bring: Wellies or wetsuit shoes for rock pooling, picnic or refreshments. Cost: £2 per head. Booking: Essential – Call 01208 863046

Monday 15 December 2008, 7.30pm
St Paul’s Church, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge

This enormously popular carol concert, now in its 18th year, features well-known carols for all to sing, plus celebrity readings and singing. After the concert, King’s Ginger Liqueur and delicious mini mince pies are served outside the church.

Click here for more information about the event

Click here for Cottages4you holiday accommodation near the event

source: www.visitblackpool.com

Enjoy Blackpool by night with Blackpool Illuminations!

“As the summer season draws to a close, Blackpool looks forward to long autumn nights bathed in light and colour.

Blackpool Illuminations are considered to be the greatest free light show on earth, which entertains millions of visitors each year and brings glowing warmth to even the coldest October evening.”

More info on visitblackpool.com

Remember that a holiday cottage in Blackpool is the ideal accommodation to visit this event.

http://www.flowershow.org.uk

Don’t forget – a cottage can provide the perfect base from which to explore Harrogate and the beautiful surrounding region – search today at www.cottages4you.co.uk

Using the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes, pilots navigate a low-level aerial race track made up of air-filled pylons, reaching speeds of 370 kilometres per hour while withstanding forces of up to 12 gs.

Touching down in nine cities worldwide in 2008, each Red Bull Air Race is unique. From the heart of the city to the open countryside, over land or water, a Red Bull Air Race can take place almost anywhere. Spectacular backdrops and jaw-dropping action guarantee that spectators experience one of the most innovative and exciting new sports competitions around today.

www.redbullairrace.com

Don’t forget – a holiday villa can provide the perfect accommodation from which to explore Portugal – search for holiday villas in Portugal at www.cottages4you.co.uk

We were proud to sponsor this event

This year cottages4you sponsored the Colne Town Centre Grand Prix.
The event was organised by Pendle Borough Council, Pennine Events Limited and Cycling Development North West as part of the Pendle Cycle Fest.

“The 9th round of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series travelled to Colne in Lancashire on Wednesday evening and what a night of racing there was. Not even the outbreak of rain stopped a large crowd from coming to see the action. Town centre racing has always been popular with British crowds and the Colne Town Centre circuit races were no exception.

Catherine T. Smith from cottages4you with the winner Ian Wilkinson

The event, which has always seen thousands of spectators line the streets catching the excitement of non-stop close contact cycle racing started at 7pm with the support race followed at 8pm with the Elite event which saw them covering around 60 laps of the tight 800 metre circuit…..”

Read the full report on the British Cycling website.

Promotes the most famous product of the Pearl of Kent. Features food tastings, theatre, exhibitions, entertainment, music shows, walks and displays.

For information: www.whitstableoysterfestival.co.uk

Don’t forget – a cottage can provide the perfect base from which to enjoy the culinary delights of the UK as well as many events throughout Europe – search today at cottages4you.