What’s on in Cambridge – March 2020

As I write this, yet another storm is raging.  Will Spring ever come??  I’d love it to hurry up as I’m attempting to house train a lively 12 week old puppy who definitely doesn’t like going out into the garden in the cold and rain!  Here’s the events listing for March.  As usual, I’ll add to it as the month goes on so do check back and feel free to get in touch through my Contact page if you have an event that you’d like to be included.

Rolo The Cambridge Dachshund
Rolo is ready for the next storm!!

1 – 9th    The Minerva Festival.  A city wide Festival celebrating the music of women and non-binary people.  http://www.minervafestival.org

1st    2.30 – 5pm  Dakshina 2020.  An offering of music and dance from South India.  Samarpana Classical Arts.  Proceeds support Indian classical arts in Cambridge.  Chesterton Sports Centre, Gilbert Road, CB4  http://www.eventbrite.com

2nd    8pm  Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra.  Strauss, Beethoven and Brahms.  West Road Concert Hall.  Tickets on the door or from http://www.cuso.org.uk

3rd    8pm  Continuum.  Gesualdo Responses for Holy Saturday and Reproaches by Stuart Beer.  Trinity College Chapel.  Tickets on the door.

5th    11am – 1pm  George Mallory: from student to mountaineer.  A special one day exhibition exploring George Mallory’s life from his undergraduate days at Magdalene College (1905 – 1909) to his final expedition to Everest in 1924.  Free event. The Old Library, Magdalene College.  http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/old-library/public-engagement

6th    12.15 – 1pm  Lunchtime Concert: Cadenza.  Cambridge University’s premier A Capella group perform their own arrangements and mash-ups of pop and jazz hits.  Free, all welcome.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  FB: Lunchtime Concert: Cadenza

6th    8pm  Clare College Music Society and Chapel Choir of Clare College.  Mozart Coronation Mass, Scattergood, Schubert.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.adcticketing.com

7th    10am – 1pm  Family Saturdays: Fruity Fun.  Taste delicious and unusual fruits and plant pomegranate seeds that you can grow at home.  Find out about Fairtrade as part of Fairtrade Fortnight 2020.  Drop in, no need to book.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

7th    2 – 4.30pm  International Women’s Day event.  8 women talking for 15 minutes each on various zoological themes and the stories of many more.  Free, drop in.  Aged 8+.  Museum of Zoology, Downing Street.  https://www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/

7th    6 – 7pm  Moving On.  Traditional close harmony and classical music.  Post concert reception and exhibition of watercolour paintings.  The Lucy Cavendish Singers.  Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street.  http://www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk

7th    8pm  Cambridge University Sinfonia.  Rimsky Korsokov, Borodin, De Falla.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.adcticketing.com

8th    12 – 4pm  Studio Sunday.  Get creative with artists and education volunteers in a practical art making workshop.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

8th    7.30pm  International Women’s Day Concert.  Closing event of The Minerva Festival, including a performance of the winning piece of the composition competition.  St. Giles’ Church, Castle Street.  http://www.minervafestival.org

8th    8.15pm  Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas plus miniature companion pieces.  Krysia Osostowicz and Daniel Tong.  King’s College Dining Hall.  http://www.adcticketing.com

9 – 22nd    Cambridge Science Festival.  Featuring events from astronomy to zoology.  Everyone is welcome to explore, discuss and discover science through talks, hands-on activities, films and exhibitions.  Free entry.  https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/  PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL EVENTS AT THIS FESTIVAL ARE NOW CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

9th    1pm  Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas plus miniature companion pieces.  Krysia Osostowicz and Daniel Tong.  St John’s Old Divinity School.  http://www.adcticketing.com

9th    7.30pm  Magsoc Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.  Dvorak, Bruch, Schubert.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.magsoc.net/tickets

9th    7.45pm  Climate Change: What it means and what we can do about it.  Speaker: Prof Joanna Haigh, CBE, FRS.  Part of the Science meets Faith programme of talks.  Free admission, retiring collection.  Wesley Church, Christ’s Pieces.

10th    7 – 8.30pm  Cafe Sci Cambridge.  Obscure Crops to Save the World.  Free event, non-ticketed.  Espresso Library, East Road.  FB:  Obscure Crops To Save The World

10th    7.30 – 9pm  Talk: Town vs Gown – social divides in Cambridgeshire antiquarian life.  Mill Road History Society.  Ross Street Community Centre, Ross Street.  https://millroadhistory.org.uk/events/

12th    8pm  Beethoven 250.  Coriolan Overture, Piano Concerto No. 3, Symphony No. 2.  St John’s College Chapel.  FB: St John’s College Music Society

13th    8pm  Musical Visions.  Mendelssohn and Dvorak.  Cambridge Graduate Orchestra.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.cambridgegraduateorchestra.com

13th    8pm  March.  A selection of marches, fanfares and theme tunes including Copland and Mendelssohn.  The University of Cambridge Concert Band.  St. Giles’ Church, CB3.  Tickets on the door or from uccb.soc.srcf.net

14th    9am – 5.30pm  The Rising Festival 2020.  Celebrating International Women’s Day with interactive workshops, talks, 1-2-1 coaching, networking, performances, open conversations, Happy Hour and more.  St Barnabas Church, Mill Road.  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk  PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL LATER THIS YEAR DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

14th    10am – 4pm  Super Science Saturday – The Museum Takeover.  Hands on activities, meet the researchers, discover more about the world of early dinosaurs.  Free family drop in.  Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street.  FB: Super Science Saturday – The Museum Takeover

14th    10am – 4.30pm  Murder Will Out: A day of crime, thriller and mystery fiction.  Heffers bring a selection of authors to the city for this day long crime event.  The Old Library, Emmanuel College, St Andrew’s Street.  Tickets from Heffers Bookshop or http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

14th    7.30pm  Earth, Sea and Space.  Back to the Future, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Apollo 13, Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001: A Space Odyssey) and more.  Cambridge Concert Orchestra.  A fundraiser in aid of the Motor Neuron Disease Association (Cambridgeshire branch).  Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces, CB1.  Tickets on the door or email cambridge@mndassociation.org or c.i.george@icloud.com

14th    7.30pm  St John’s Voices.  Bach, Howells, Scarlatti.  St John’s College Chapel.  Tickets 01223 300085

14th    7.30pm  Beethoven and Mozart.  Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

14th    7.30pm  Cambs Frocktails.  Meet and get to know other people who sew clothes.  Cocktails, competitions and celebration of all things sewing.  Wear your special me-made outfits.  Clayton Hotel (formerly The Tamburlaine), CB1  https://cambsfrocktails.com/  PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO 17 OCTOBER 2020 DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

15th    11am and 2pm  Science on Sundays: The mechanics of plant development.  Part of a programme of free, informal, monthly drop-in plant science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science to visitors in a 30 minute nutshell.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

15th    7.30pm  Folk & Blues.  Alistair and Ian Anderson, Black Fen Folk Club.  NCI Club, Holland Street, CB4.  http://www.blackfenfolkclub.com

16 – 27th    Love Cambridge Restaurant Week.  Discover different places to eat as some of the city’s best eateries offer set menus at £5, £10, £15 and £20.  https://www.love-cambridge.com/restaurant-week/

19th    5 – 9pm  LATE: Perceptions of Vision and Taste.  See four exhibitions after hours plus there will be four special events on the night, three of which require pre-booking.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/late-perceptions-vision-and-taste

19th    7pm  Voces 8 – Choral Dances.  A celebration of choral music inspired by dance.  Palestrina, Victoria, Rachmaninov, Britten.  Trinity College Chapel.  Tickets on the door or from http://www.CambridgeEarlyMusic.org

19th    7pm  A Polar Pint.  An evening of polar science talks over a pint!  Panton Arms, Panton Street.  http://www.pintofscience.co.uk/event/polar-pint-of-science-cambridge

21st    10am – 4.30pm CAMCRAFT Handmade Fair.  40 stalls of gorgeous handmade items.  Free entry.  Guildhall, Market Square

21st    11am – 4.30pm  Cambridge Sustainable Fashion Festival.  Stalls, a big Swish (clothes swap party), a free sewing Repair Cafe, learn how to recycle, reuse and create a capsule wardrobe plus pick up styling tips.  St Barnabas Church, Mill Road.  FB: Cambridge Sustainable Fashion Festival  PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

21st    2 – 5.30pm  Reading “Emma”.  An intensive and exciting Study Day on this Jane Austen novel, with two lectures and a round-table seminar.  Literature Cambridge.  Stapleford Granary, CB22.  https://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/emma  PLEASE NOTE THIS STUDY DAY HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS AND WILL BE REARRANGED FOR SEPTEMBER 2020 DATE TBC

21st    7 – 9pm  Spring Equinox Mindfulness around the Campfire.  Simple guided meditations, opportunities for reflection, discuss, poetry and games exploring our relationship with the natural world.  Milton Country Park, CB24.  https://mindfulness-of-nature.com/

21st    7.30pm  The Crucifixion, Stainer.  The Leys Choral Society.  The Leys School Chapel, Fen Causeway.  http://www.theleys.net/boxoffice  PLEASE NOTE THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

21st    8pm  New Cambridge Singers.  Frank Martin Mass for double choir and Pergolesi Stabat Mater.  Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Hills Road.  http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

22nd    12 – 4pm  Studio Sunday.  Get creative with artists and education volunteers in a practical art making workshop.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

22nd    7.30pm  A Crowne of sharpest Thorns.  Goodall and Purcell.  Fairhaven Singers.  Trinity College Chapel.  http://www.fairhavensingers.org.uk

25th    7.30pm  The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage 2020.  Allegri’s Miserere.  St John’s College Chapel.  http://www.thesixteen.com

25th    7.30pm  True Stories Told Live.  Cambridge storytellers and a musical turn.  No need to book, just turn up a bit early to get a drink and find a seat.  NCI Club, Holland Street, CB4.  FB: True Stories Told Live Cambridge  PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

27 – 28th    4 – 11pm  Eddington Beer Garden.  A pop up with draft craft beers, gins, spirits, wines and soft drinks, food vans and live music.  Free entry.  Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington, CB3.  You can pre-register at http://www.eventbrite.com

28th    2 – 6pm  Board Games Afternoon.  Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.  £2 per ticket.  Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard

28th    7.30 – 10.30pm  Stand Up Comedy Night from Big Deal Comedy.  4 comedians and an MC, licensed bar selling alcoholic and soft drinks.  Unit 1-4, The Grafton Centre, CB1.  FB:  Stand Up Comedy Night

29th    2.30 – 4pm  A Musical Afternoon at the University Church.  Haydn, Vivaldi, Boyce. The Academy of Great St Mary’s.  Great St Mary’s Church, Senate House Hill.  FB: A Musical Sunday Afternoon at the University Church

Snowdrops

What’s on in Cambridge – February 2020

Well, it’s grey and gloomy as I write this but we got through January and there are definite signs of Spring now.  I’ve noticed buds on the trees, little froths of blossom and the birds are chirping morning and evening.  Read on for details of what’s happening in the city this month … this listing is not exhaustive but is an eclectic mix of events that come to my attention.  I’ll update it through the month so do check back and if you are involved in an event that you’d like me to include, please get in touch via my Contact page.

River Cam Cambridge
A winter day on the towpath

1st    10am – 1pm  Family Saturday: Plant Fibres.  Create your own wall hanging to take home.  Free activity for children, drop in event.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

1st    10.30am – 12 noon  Learn 5-a-side chess.  Free, drop in event, all welcome.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Milton Road Library, CB4.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

1st    10.30am – 4.30pm  Cambridge’s Affordable Vintage Fair.  Vintage, handmade, reworked and retro.  Fashion, accessories and collectables from the 40’s to the 90’s.  Guildhall, Market Square.  FB: Cambridge’s Affordable Vintage Fair

1st    12 noon, 1pm and 2pm  Children’s Workshop: Chinese Calligraphy.  Celebrate Chinese New year and learn how to create characters with Chinese brushes and ink.  For children aged 8+, must be accompanied by an adult.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1st    12 – 4pm  Family First Saturday: Chinese New Year.  Celebrate Chinese New Year with family activities which include lion dance, animals of the zodiac trail, lantern making, paper cutting.  Free, drop in.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1st    2 – 4pm  “Undiscovered beauty spots within an hour’s drive of Cherry Hinton”.  Talk from Peter Green, Walks Co-ordinator, National Trust.  All welcome, free entry, contribution invited towards expenses.  Food for Thought Cafe, Cherry Hinton Baptist Church Building, corner of Fisher’s Lane and Cherry Hinton High Street.

1 – 23rd   Snowdrop Trail.  Discover more about snowdrop science, history, folklore and cultivation when you follow the Garden’s snowdrop routes.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

2nd – 28th    The Minerva Festival.  A city wide celebration of music composed by women and non-binary people.  http://www.theminervafestival.org

3rd    7 – 10pm  An evening at The White Hart Country Inn, Fulbourn.  A two course meal and live entertainment for £20.  Fundraiser for Camsight  http://www.camsight.org.uk

4 – 8th    7.45pm  My Fair Lady.  Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society.  ADC Theatre, Park Street  http://www.adctheatre.com

6th    11am – 1pm  Twentieth-century First Editions Exhibition.  The Old Library, Magdalene College will be open for visitors to these historic book-lined rooms, with displays of items from the College’s special collections and archives which are rarely seen in public.  Free entry, no need to book.  Magdalene College, Magdalene Street.

7 – 16th    Ahbab Festival.  A festival of music, film, food and culture from the Middle East and North Africa.  Cambridge Junction and multiple venues across the city.  FB: @AhbabFestival

8th    1 – 4pm  Chinese New Year Crafts.  Celebrate Chinese New Year with CFT Chinese School.  Decorate a paper lantern, paint a panda and try your hand at Chinese calligraphy and pictograms.  Free, drop in event for families.  Parents/carers must stay with children.  Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard

8th    7pm  Hungarian Music for Cello and Accordian.  Cambridge Szeged Society.  Free entry, retiring collection.  Church of Our Lady and English Martyrs, Hills Road.

8 – 9th    11am – 4pm  Rowan Art Exhibition.  Buy original art at this “Celebrate Your World” art exhibition.  Pictures from amateur and professional artists on sale at £45 each, raising funds to support Rowan’s student artists.  Chesterton Community College, Gilbert Road, CB4  http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

9th    8.30pm  King’s Voices Lent Concert.  Haydn, Beethoven and Reger.  King’s Voices with the King’s College Symphony Orchestra.  King’s College Hall  http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk

10th    7.45pm  Seeking to know: A humane philosophy of science and religion.  Speaker: Professor Andrew Steane, Physics Department, Oxford University.  Part of the Science Meets Faith series.  Wesley Church, Christ’s Pieces.  Free entry, retiring collection.

15th    1pm  Come and Sing Faure Requiem.  For singers of all ages and abilities who can read music.  St Catherine’s College Music Society.  McGrath Centre, St Catherine’s College, Trumpington Street  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

15th    7 – 9.30pm  Winter Mindfulness around the Campfire.  Simple guided meditations, opportunities for reflection, discussions, poetry and games exploring our relationship with the natural world, around a campfire.  Byron’s Pool, Trumpington  http://www.mindfulness-of-nature.com

18th    7 – 8.30pm  Cafe Sci Cambridge: The Genetics of Depression.  Free, non ticketed.  Espresso Library, East Road.   FB: Free event: The Genetics of Depression

19th    4.30 – 7.30pm  Twilight at the Museums at the Botanic Garden.  Bring your torch for a night time adventure around the Glasshouses and discover some seriously freaky plants.  Free, no charge for entry after 4.30pm, no need to book.  The Garden Shop and Cafe will be open until 7pm.  Botanic Garden, Brookside  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

19th    4.30 – 7.30pm  Twilight at the Museums: De-lightful!  Take a journey through light and dark at this annual Twilight event which takes place across University of Cambridge Museums.  Discover torch lit treasure, sensory activities, interactive theatre, stories, dance and studio art creativity.  Free event.  http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/events/twilight_museums

21 – 22nd  12 – 5pm  Cambridge Antiquarian Book Fair.  Old books, prints, maps and manuscripts.  Guildhall, Market Square

21st    6.30 – 8.30pm  Cam Lates: Garden Kitchen Takeover.  Explore the diverse plant collections in the Glasshouse Range which will be filled with imaginative illuminations.  Food and drink from The Garden Kitchen.  Booking essential.  Botanic Garden, Brookside  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

21st    8pm  St John Passion.  St John’s College Music Society with Trinity College Music Society.  St John’s College Chapel.  Tickets on the door.

22nd    11am – 5pm  Cambridge’s Craft and Flea.  Local produce, street food, collectables, crafts, vegan and more.  St Barnabas Church, Mill Road

22nd    2 – 6pm  Board Games Afternoon.  LGBTQ+ board games social afternoon.  Free admission.  Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard

25 – 29th    Stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s “The Waves”.  Pre-show talk on 28th.  ADC Theatre, Park Street.  http://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/play/the-waves/

27th    6 – 9pm  Student LATE: Love Art After Dark.  A dynamic programme of art events, performances, live music, pop up talks, behind the scenes tours plus creative arts and crafts activities.  Cash bar and snacks in the Courtyard Cafe.  Free but booking essential.  Student ID card required.   Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street    http://www.loveartafterdark-event.getqpay.com

29th    6 – 9.30pm  Mastana.  South Asian cultural performances ranging from dance to music to fashion, acting, magic and more.  Guildhall, Market Square  http://www.fixr.co/event/82327218

29th    7.30pm  Harmony in Harlem Jazz Orchestra.  Duke Ellington’s Primping for the Prom.  St Andrew’s Baptist Church, St Andrew’s Street.  Tickets on the door or from http://www.hhjazz.co.uk

Spring flowers
Spring flowers in my kitchen

What’s on in Cambridge – January 2020

As I compile this listing, we are in that beautiful lull between Christmas and New Year when you don’t quite know what day it is and meals are a smorgasbord of leftovers from the fridge.  It’ll be time to get fully functional again soon enough and to help us out of hibernation, there’s lots going on in the city as we welcome in a new decade.  I’ll update this listing through the month so do check back sometimes and let me know if you’d like your event to be included.  Happy New Year to all!!

Late afternoon on the River Cam
Late afternoon on the River Cam

4th    10am – 1pm  Family Saturday: Crazy Cone Creations.  Use twigs, paint and wire to make a crazy cone work of art.  Drop in event, no need to book.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

4th    2 – 4pm  Family First Saturday: Marvellous Mythology.  Fun activities and art making.  Free.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

6th    7.30pm  An Orthodox Christmas Wassail with Chela and Buska, the Cambridge Georgian choirs.  Jesus College Chapel.  Free entry with retiring collection for Georgian charities.

7 – 11th    Merrily We Roll Along.  Festival Players.  Robinson Theatre, Hills Road.  http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/festivalplayers

11th    5 – 8pm  True Tales for Change.  The Cambridge Commons raises awareness of and tackles inequality in Cambridge.  In collaboration with Pivotal, they have commissioned five local artists and a songwriter to create works inspired by conversations with Cambridge people who have experienced inequality.  Public exhibition continues 12 and 13 January.  The Escape Community Space, The Grafton Centre.  FB True Tales For Change

12th    12 – 4pm  Studio Sunday. Practical art making workshops, no experience necessary.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

12th    4.30 – 6pm  Free Singing Workshop with Cambridge Jazz Festival Choir, a community vocal group singing jazz, soul, gospel and more.  No auditions, no need to read music as songs are learned by ear.  St Matthew’s Primary School, Norfolk Street, CB2    FB: Free Singing Workshop with the Cambridge Jazz Festival Choir

14th    2 – 4pm  Tour for blind and partially sighted adults: Fantastic Fans.  Go behind the scenes with a conservator for a rare opportunity to touch a variety of fans from the collection.  Guide dogs and companions welcome.  Free but booking essential by email to education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk   Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

14th    7.30 – 8.45pm  Going It Alone:  the new breed of writer/independent publisher.  Author Sue Grossey tells us what it’s really like to be your own researcher, writer, designer, editor, publisher and marketing department.  Milton Road Library, Ascham Road.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

14th    7.30 – 9pm  Mackays – the history of a local store.  Talk from Duncan Mackay describing exciting projects and turbulent times for one of Cambridge’s favourite family businesses.  Ross Street Community Centre, Ross Street.  http://www.millroadhistorysociety.org.uk

15th    1.15 – 2pm  “To eat or not to eat”: Vegetarianism and veganism in Europe, 1500 – 1800.  A talk with Dr Melissa Calaresu, “Feast & Fast” exhibition co-curator.  Free.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

16th    7.30pm (doors and bar from 6.30pm)  January Jazz: Sirkis/Bialas International Qt.  Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place.  http://www.cambridgejazz.org

18th    12 – 4pm  The Eddington ‘Feel Good’ Festival.  Free activities to help you relax and unwind including yoga, meditation, barre ballet, dance sessions, health talks plus a chill out area with free refreshments from Eddie’s Cafe.  Free event, booking essential.  Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington  http://www.eddington-cambridge.co.uk

18th    1 – 2pm  British Sign Language exhibition and library tour.  Join one of the exhibition curators for a guided tour of The Rising Tide: Women at Cambridge exhibition, followed by an introductory tour of the wider University Library.  BSL interpretation provided by the Cambridge Deaf Association.  Free, suitable for all ages, under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.  Booking required by email to hap40@cam.ac.uk  Cambridge University Library, West Road

18th    2 – 5.30pm  Literature Cambridge Study Day on Toni Morrison’s great novel “Beloved” (1987), a powerful account of the traumatic effects of slavery.  Two lectures and a round-table seminar.  Stapleford Granary, CB22 http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk

18th    2pm and 4pm  My Musical Magical Hat.  Family concert for age 5+.  How do you choose which musical instrument to play?  Do you choose it or does it choose you?  Find out as Tim, Ruth and the Cambridge Phil reach into the world of the magical musical hat.  Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

19th    1 – 4pm  Reflections on Homelands/Alternative Symposium.  Reflect on the themes and ideas of Homelands: Art from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.  An informal afternoon with introductions to the exhibition and displays, a practical art workshop which will explore the nature of home and displacement plus a conversation to share personal stories and experiences.  Free, all ages.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

21st    2 – 4pm  Tour for blind and partially sighted adults: Fantastic Fans.  Go behind the scenes with a conservator for a rare opportunity to touch a variety of fans from the collection.  Guide dogs and companions welcome.  Free but booking essential by email to education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk   Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

25th    10.30am – 4pm  Kettle’s Yard Welcome Day.  Discover your local gallery with a day of mini programme highlights: tours, talks and workshops for those new to Kettle’s Yard.  Also with British Sign Language and audio described introductions.  Free, all ages, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

25th    11am  Chinese New Year Celebration.  Arts and craft workshops, zodiac fortune telling, food tasting, lion dance at 12pm and more.  Lion Yard Shopping Centre with Cambridge Chinese Cultural School.

25th    11am – 5pm  Worth the Weight Vintage Kilo Sale.  Men’s and women’s vintage clothing from the 60’s to the 90’s.  £15 per kilo.  St. Paul’s, Hills Road, CB2  FB: Worth The Weight Vintage Kilo Sale Cambridge

25th    2 – 6pm  Board Games Afternoon.  Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.  Cambridge Central Library. £2 per ticket.

25th    8pm  Im Abendrot.  Strauss and Mahler.  The Empyrean Ensemble.  Trinity College Chapel.  http://www.adcticketing.com

26th    10.30am – 4pm  Cambridge Vegan Market.  Over 40 stalls selling vegan food, clothes, drinks, cosmetics and more.  Guildhall, Market Square.  http://www.veganmarkets.co.uk/cambridge

26th    12 – 4pm  Studio Sunday.  Practical art making workshops, no experience necessary.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

26th    7.30pm  Sinfonia of Cambridge with St John’s College School Chamber Choirs.  Respighi, Vaughan Williams, Tchaikovsky.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.adcticketing.com

29th    7.15pm  True Stories Told Live.  Local storytellers and a musical turn.  NCI Club, Holland Street, CB4   FB: True Stories Told Live Cambridge

30th    5 – 9pm  LATE: Food, Faith and Wellbeing.  Panel discussion on the role of fasting in religion, talk from Wintercomfort on food and homelessness, poetry reading, 30 minute meditation session and a cacao ceremony.  The Cafe Health and Wellbeing menu includes non-alcoholic drinks and vegan food.  Free, booking required.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

30th    5.30 – 7pm  As is your due: 50th anniversary of women’s admission to the University.  Talk and film recording the 50th anniversary celebration of women’s admission to the University of Cambridge, when in 1998 more than 800 women who matriculated before 1948 returned to Senate House to collect their degrees retrospectively.  Documentary followed by a Q&A with director, Lucy Thane. Booking essential.  Cambridge University Library, West Road  http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk

30th    7.30pm (doors and bar from 6.30pm).  January Jazz: Clovis Nicolas/Steve Fishwick Qt.  Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place.  http://www.cambridgejazz.org

31st    7.30 – 9pm  Zoology Late: Acoustic Spaces/Threatened Places.  A programme of music with University of Cambridge New Music Group.  Booked required.  Museum of Zoology, Downing Street.  http://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk

Narcissi from Cambridge Market
Narcissi from Cambridge Market

 

What’s on in Cambridge – November 2019

So November is here, with bright frosty mornings and leaves crunching under our feet.  As ever, there’s loads going on in the city this month.  Do get in touch if you know of an event that I could add in to this listing and don’t forget to check back every now and again as I will update it through the month.

Gourds at Cambridge Market
Gourds at Cambridge Market

1st    7pm  Cinema under the Whale.  A special screening of the Spielberg classic JAWS, in the dark under the skeleton of a 21 metre whale. Plus a short pre-screening talk on threats to sharks and work to protect them.  Museum of Zoology,  Downing Street.  http://www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk

2nd    10am – 1pm   Family Saturday – Feed the Birds.  Help the birds in your garden survive the frosty winter nights by making bird feeders to put out in your garden.  Free event.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

2nd    10.30 – 11.15am  Sharing Stories.  Stories from around the world, told, read and sung.  Free, drop in.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Milton Road Library.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

2nd    2 – 4pm  Magic and Mystery Family drop in.  Magic crafts, family tours and story telling.  Free.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

2nd    3.30pm  Autumn Concert.  Cambridge Wind Band.  The Ashburton Hall, St Faith’s School, Trumpington Road.  http://www.camwindband.com

2nd    6.30pm  Even You Song.  Director of Music Owain Park with Cambridge Chorale and school choirs against a backdrop of digital projections and new writing.  An immersive work based on Choral Evensong inspired by space travel.  Trinity College Chapel.  Tickets from http://bit.ly/2YvwxAb

5th    7pm  Firework Display and Bonfire.  Food stalls and fairground open 6 – 10pm.  Midsummer Common.  Free event.  http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/city-events/bonfire-night

6 – 14th    Cambridge Music Festival.  A programme of classical music with world-class artists, both well known figures and rising stars.  http://www.cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

6th    7.30pm  Handel Coronation Anthems, Concerto Grosso in B flat major, Op 3 No 2 and Organ Concerto in F Major, Op 4 No 4.  Academy of Ancient Music and Choir of King’s College Cambridge.  King’s College Chapel.  http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/concerts

8 – 9th  Cambridge Oktoberfest.  German beer, food and music in a tent on Jesus Green.  http://www.cambridge-oktoberfest.co.uk

8th    7.30pm  Mike de Souza Trio.  A vibrant young trio performing new, original music drawing on the sounds of contemporary jazz, Radiohead and Deerhoof.  Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road.  http://www.wegottickets.com/listencambridge

9th    6.30 – 10.30pm  Ceilidh.  Raising funds for Cambridge Street Aid and The Cyriacs,  St Paul’s Church, Hills Road.  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

9th    7.30pm  Brahms: German Requiem and Cello Sonata in E minor.  New Cambridge Singers.  Little St Mary’s Church, Trumpington Street.  http://www.newcambridgesingers.org.uk

12th    7.30 – 9pm  Changing Landscapes in Romsey Town.  Talk by John McGill for Mill Road History Society.  Ross Street Community Centre.  http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk

13 – 24th   Cambridge International Jazz Festival.  Main events, Fringe events (many of which are free), family events, workshops, talks and films at venues around the city.  http://www.cambridgejazzfestival.info

13th    7.15pm  True Stories Told Live.  Local storytellers and a song.  NCI Club, Holland Street.  FB @cambridgetruestories

16th    10.30 – 11.15am  Sharing Stories.  Stories from around the world, told, read and sung.  Free, drop in.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Milton Road Library.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

16th    2 – 5.30pm  Literature Cambridge Study Day: Understanding “Hamlet”, with Cambridge scholars Adrian Poole and Fred Parker.  Stapleford Granary, CB22.  http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/hamlet

16th  North Pole Cambridge Ice Rink opens.  Skate under a transparent roof.  Funfair,  Alpine Cabin themed bar and stalls.  Closes 5.1.20. Parker’s Piece.  http://www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

16 – 17th  11 am – 5pm  Ink, Paper and Print Illustration Fair.  Screenprints, letterpress, hand-made books, lithographs, linocuts and more.  Free admission.  The Guildhall, Market Square.  http://www.inkpaperandprint.co.uk

16 – 17th  10am – 5pm  A handmade Christmas pottery exhibition and sale.  15+ potters, a wide range of ceramics from rustic to refined, free kids’ craft.  Kiln Cambridge, 61 Ditton Walk, CB5.   FB@kilncambridge

22nd – 8 Dec   11am – 4pm Fri – Sun, 5 – 8pm Weds.  Here and How?  An exhibition of artists from the North West, curated by STOCK Gallery.  Motion Sickness Project Space, Petty Cury.  http://www.motion-sick.wixsite.com

23rd    11am – 5pm  Worth the Weight Vintage Kilo Sale.  Vintage clothing from the 60s – 90s.  £15 per kilo.  St. Paul’s, Hills Road.  FB @worththeweightvintage

23rd    7.30pm  Mozart Requiem.  Trinity Singers.  Trinity College Chapel.  Tickets on the door.

23rd    7.30pm  Dance the Night Away.  Brahms, Khachaturian, Offenbach and more.  A concert in aid of Cambridgeshire Lupus Group.  Cambridge Concert Orchestra.  The Church of St John the Evangelist, Hills Road.  Tickets from http://cco.org.uk or http://www.eventbrite.com or on the door

26th    Feast & Fast: The Art of Food in Europe, 1500 – 1800 exhibition opens (running until 26.4.20).  Presents novel approaches to understanding the history and culture of food and eating.  Free entry.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

28 – 30th    12 noon – 7.30pm Thursday/10am – 6.30pm Friday and Saturday.  Cambridge Made Christmas Fair.  Loads of fabulous hand made goodies from local makers.  Free entry.  St. Andrew’s Baptist Church, St. Andrew’s Street.  FB @CambridgeMade

28th    5 – 9pm  LATE: A Feast for your Senses.  See the new Feast & Fast exhibition, join pop up talks, learn more about Christmas food traditions and book for a special screening of Bright Star, a romantic drama about John Keats.  Christmas shopping, live jazz and seasonal treats in the Cafe.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

30th    10.30 – 11.15am  Sharing Stories.  Stories from around the world, told, read and sung.  Free, drop in.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Milton Road Library.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

30th   2pm and 3pm  “Mouse’s Night Before Christmas”.  Award winning author Tracey Corderoy reads from her new book.  Festive craft activity.  Tickets £3 in advance, redeemable against a copy of the book when bought on the day.  Heffers, Trinity Street.  http://www.heffers.co.uk/events

Autumn colour in Trumpington Street Cambridge
Autumn colour on Trumpington Street

What’s on in Cambridge – October 2019

Well here we are, it’s October already and the rhythm of the city is changing again as the students return.  There’s so much happening in Cambridge this month … festivals of film, ideas, craft beer and gin, storytelling, fundraisers for local charities, art exhibitions, Diwali celebrations and lots more.  So do take a look and come back too, as I’ll update this listing through the month.

Autumn colours on Trumpington Street, Cambridge
Autumn colours in Trumpington Street

1 – 12th    8am – 5pm  Illuminating Cambridge Libraries.  Exhibition of Sara Rawlinson’s photographs of College libraries.  Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street, CB2.  http://www.sararawlinson.com

1 – 31st    9am – 5pm weekdays.  Black Cantabs: History Makers.  Photography exhibition celebrating 260 years of Cambridge education for black Cambridge students and graduates from the 1700s to the 21st century.  Fitzwilliam College, Storey’s Way, CB3

3 – 27th    The Cambridge Show.  Painting, photography, performance, sculpture and other media from 22 local artists.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

5th    10am – 1pm  Family Saturdays – Brilliant Bats.  Learn loads of bat facts and enjoy bat themed craft ready for Halloween.  Free event.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

5th    10.30 – 11.15am  Sharing Stories.  A family friendly story telling session with stories from around the world told, read and sung.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Free, drop in.  Milton Road Library, CB4.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

5th    11am – 1pm  Toy Swap Shop.  Also books (fiction/children) and clothes swap (women/children).  Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington.  http://www.atoyslifeandbeyond.org

5th    2.30pm  Nearly New Sale of pre-loved parent and baby goods.  Sports Centre, Cambridge Regional College, Kings Hedges Road.  http://www.nctcambridge.org

7th    7.30 – 9pm  LATE: Gallery Party.  Celebrate the launch of a new season of programming on the theme of Sensual/Virtual.  Music, cash bar and surprises on the night.  Free event.  Fitzwilliam Museum.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

10th    7.30 – 9pm  Miss Jebb revisits Mill Road.  An evening of fact and fiction, drama and poetry as Eglantyne Jebb, founder of Save the Children and author of “Cambridge – A Brief Study in Social Questions (1906), takes us for a walk down Mill Road.  Free event.  Ross Street Community Centre, Ross Street.  http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk

12th    10am  2019 Heffers Classics Forum.  A day of talks from some of the top names in the world of Classics.  The Old Library, Emmanuel College, St Andrew’s Street.  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

12th    10am – 3pm  The Kenya Youth Project Autumn Fayre.  Stalls, pictures, stationery, handcrafts, nearly new, books, jigsaws, toys, homemade jam and cakes, Kenyan gifts.  Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces.  http://www.kenyayouthproject.org.uk

12th    10.30am – 2.30pm  Nearly New and Used Book Sale.  Milton Road Library, CB4

13th    12 noon – 4pm  Studio Sunday.  Artist led workshop for families.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

13th    1.15 – 2pm  Lunchtime Concert: Works for piano by female composers.  Diana Brekalo presents music by Lily Boulanger, Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann and Countess Dora Pejacevic.  Free.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

13th    7.30pm  Schumann:  Overture – Genoveva, Piano Concerto in A minor, Symphony No 2 in C.  Sinfonia of Cambridge.  West Road Concert Hall.  http://www.sinfoniaofcambridge.org.uk

14 – 27th  Cambridge Festival of Ideas.  Debates, workshops, talks, exhibitions and performances celebrating the arts, humanities and social sciences.  This year’s theme is “Change”.  Free.  http://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk

15th    7pm  Fundraiser Evening for Cam Sight.  Dining and music from CBT.  The Three Horseshoes, Madingley.  http://www.camsight.org.uk

16 – 19th    The 2019 Cambridge Greek Play: Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles.  A modern day interpretation, performed in Ancient Greek with English surtitles.  The tradition of performing a play in Greek every three years at Cambridge University goes back to 1882!  Cambridge Arts Theatre, Peas Hill.  http://www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

16th    7pm  Cafe Sci Cambridge: The ethics of medical data sharing.  Espresso Library, East Road.  FB  @cafescicambridge

17 – 24th    Cambridge Film Festival.  UK premieres of new features, classic retrospectives, insightful documentaries, short films, discovery titles from the global stage, family favourites and several international film festival winners.  http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk

17 – 20th    Eddington Craft Beer and Gin Festival.  Local craft beers, flavourful gins, live music and food vans.  Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington.  http://www.eventbrite.com

17th    7pm  Cambridge Breast Cancer Appeal Fashion Show.  In aid of Addenbrooke’s Hospital Breast Cancer Appeal.  Grand Arcade.  http://www.cambridgebreastcancerappeal.com

18th    7.30pm  Somersaults.  Propulsive, joyous spontaneous music ranging from swinging free jazz to timbral and textural improvisations.  Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road.  http://www.wegottickets.com/listencambridge

18 – 19th    7.30pm  Dracula Part 1: Jonathan Harker’s Journal with Martin Prest in the haunting and atmospheric one man show adapted from Bram Stoker’s classic novel.  The Leper Chapel, Newmarket Road.  http://www.ThatsMyCueProductions.com

19th    10am – 4pm  Cambridge Photography Show.  For anyone who is passionate about photography and video.  Free entry.  Guildhall, Market Square.  FB Cambridge Photography Show 2019

19th    10.30 – 11.15am  Sharing Stories.  A family friendly storytelling session with stories from around the world told, read and sung.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Free, drop in.  Milton Road Library, CB4.  http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

19th    12 noon – 4pm  WE ARE CAMBRIDGE Family Day.  A fun, interactive day exploring what living in and around Cambridge means to you.  Artist led workshops where you can create artwork inspired by Cambridge, your ideas of home and hopes for the future of the city.  Plus a wildflower seed-bomb workshop inspired by the history and work of Alan Turing.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

19th    2 – 5.30pm  Literature Cambridge Study Day: An Introduction to Reading Poetry.  Do you love poetry and would you like to understand it better?  Accessible lectures and a seminar with leading young Cambridge scholars.  Stapleford Granary, CB22.  http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/read-poetry

19th    3 – 4pm  Children’s Event: Author Isabel Thomas unlocks the life of Stephen Hawking with storytelling and activities.  Free event.  Heffers, Trinity Street.  http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

19th    7.30pm  Locked Opened!  Stories from the underground railroad told by Sheila Arnold.  Unitarian Church Hall, Emmanuel Road.  http://www.cambridgestorytellers.com

19th    7.30pm  Stargaze.  Adams, Prokofiev and Dove.  Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra.  West Road Concert Hall.  Free pre concert talk at 6.45pm.  http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

20th    10am – 4pm  Apple Day.  Apple tasting, identification, cultivation, activities and edibles.  Free Garden seasonal highlight tours, live music, pop up food trucks and craft stalls.  Botanic Garden, Brookside.  http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

20th    10.30am – 4pm  Cambridge Vegan Market.  Food stalls, lifestyle brands, luxury cosmetics, ethical clothing, interesting charities and more.  FB Cambridge Vegan Market

20th    1.15 – 2pm  Lunchtime Concert: Music for harpsichord.  Final concert of the complete Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, recital No. 30, performed by Francis Knights.  Free.  Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

20th    7 – 9.45pm  Sakhya Diwali celebrations.  A fundraiser evening of music, Indian food and Bollywood dancing.  All proceeds go to grass-root education and development oriented projects in India.  St Paul’s, Hills Road.  Booking required.  Email tickets.sakhya@gmail.com

20 – 26th    10am – 4pm  Art Exhibition.  Original paintings, drawing, prints and sculptures.  Cambridge Drawing Society.  The Leys School, Fen Causeway.  http://www.cambridgedrawingsociety.org

26th    5 – 9pm  Cambridge Mindful Pub Crawl.  Low and no alcohol drinks at three venues with the first round on Adnams.  Starting at The Castle Inn, Castle Street, CB3.  Tickets from http://www.joinclubsoda.com

27th    12 – 4pm  Studio Sunday.  Artist led workshop for families.  Free, drop in.  Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street.  http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

27th    1.15 – 2pm  Lunchtime Concert: Music for piano.  George Harliono performs Chopin’s Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor.  Free. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street.  http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

28th    7.45pm  Centenary Lecture: Professor Dame Sally C Davies, Master of Trinity College, on being the UK’s Chief Medical Officer.  Free admission, retiring collection.  Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces.

29th    7pm  Graphene the new wonder material: But will it change the world?  Fundraising lecture from Professor Sir Colin Humphreys, CBE, FREng, FRS Director of Research Dept of Materials Science and Metallurgy.  In aid of Cam Sight.  Dept of Material Sciences and Metallurgy, Charles Babbage Road, CB3.  http://www.camsight.org.uk

Laxtons Superb apples
Fantastic harvest of Laxton’s Superb apples from our tree this year