guildhall cambridge – New in Cambridge

What’s on in Cambridge – May

It’s set to be another busy month here in Cambridge with so much going on from steampunk to poetry, comedy to ceilidh and everything in between! Read on for more and please do get in touch through my Contact page if you know of an event I could add in to the listing. 1st … Continue reading “What’s on in Cambridge – May”

Wisteria in Cambridge — It’s wisteria hysteria season here in Cambridge!

1st 4 – 8pm Student Discount Event, 25% off at Tindalls Art and Graphics, King Street

2nd 8pm St Matthew Passion, J S Bach. Singers from Trinity, St. John’s and King’s. Cambridge University Bach Ensemble. Trinity College Chapel. Tickets on the door.

4th 2 – 4pm Family First Saturdays. Fun activities and art making for the family on the theme of “Toot, toot, beep”. Free, drop in. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/2019-05-04/family-first-saturdays-40

5th 10.30am – 4pm Cambridge Vegan Market. Food stalls, lifestyle brands, cosmetics, ethical clothing, charities and more. Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.veganmarkets.co.uk/cambridge Read more about Cambridge Vegan Market here

5th 10.30am – 11pm Steampunk in Cambridge V11: May the 5th be with you! The seventh annual Steampunk in Cambridge event. Museum of Technology, Cheddars Lane. http://www.museumoftechnology.com

6th 9am meet for 10am departure. The Reach Ride, a bike ride to the 800 year old Reach Fair. Free. Organised by Camcycle. Assemble in front of the Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.camcycle.org.uk/reachride

7 – 12th Cambridge Festival of the Voice. Cambridge Early Music. http://www.CambridgeEarlyMusic.org

7th 8pm Rhapsody in Blue. Cambridge University Wind Orchestra and Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

8th 3 – 8pm Spring Student Night, Grand Arcade. Discounts, DJ, freebies, drinks. www. grandarcade.co.uk

11th 10.30am – 4pm Eat Cambridge. Annual food and drink festival celebrating Cambridgeshire’s independent food scene. Followed by two weeks of fringe events. Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.eat-cambridge.co.uk

11th 11am – 5pm Open Gardens, Christ’s Pieces Residents’ Association. 8 gardens open in Parker Street, Victoria Street, Clarendon Street, Orchard Street and New Square. In aid of Jimmy’s Homeless Project East Road and the Cambridge Children’s Charity. £10 ticket on the day for all gardens (children are free) from the Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road. Tea provided.

11th 4pm A Spring Concert with Rolling Thunder. CSD Brass. Free, retiring collection. St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road

11th 7.30pm Symphony 3, Mahler. City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, St Catherine’s College Girls’ Choir and St John’s College School Senior House Chamber Choir. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

11 – 12th Jesus Green Lido Open Weekend. Everyone is welcome for a free swim this weekend as the Lido reopens for the summer. http://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/cambridge/jesusgreenlido Read more about Jesus Green Lido here

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

15th 8 week course Learn Improv. Improvised theatre and comedy classes for beginners. Facebook: RedCapeImprov

15th 5 – 9pm Late at the Fitzwilliam. An after hours evening at the Museum, including talks, the Long Road Sixth Form College 2019 Graduate Art Foundation Show, late night shopping, wine and tapas. Free. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/late-fitzwilliam-2

15th 6 – 9pm Museum at Night. Explore the Museum of Zoology after hours and experience the natural world after dark. Age 18+ Free, no need to book. Museum of Zoology, Downing Street. http://www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk

16th David Parr House reopens. A terraced house and arts and craft movement treasure which was home to Victorian decorative artist David Parr. 186 Gwydir Street, CB1. http://www.davidparrhouse.org Read more about David Parr House here

16th 7.30pm Poetry at the Pub. Readings from two poets, open mic floor spots and books for sale. Blue Moon, Norfolk Street. http://www.cb1poetry.org.uk Read more about Poetry at the Pub here

17th 2pm and 4pm Puss In Boots. A ballet for children. 2pm is a Relaxed Performance. Northern Ballet. Cambridge Corn Exchange. http://www.cornex.co.uk

17th 6 – 9pm Drink and Draw. After hours sketching in the Cast Gallery with a glass of wine. Adults only, free, drop in. Materials provided, all abilities welcome. Museum of Classical Archeology, Sidgwick Avenue, CB3. http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/events/drink-and-draw

17th 6.30 – 9.30pm LATE guest curator: Oscar Murillo. Creative workshops, pop up talks, music, a performance by Oscar Murillo, cocktails and refreshments. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/events/late-oscar-murillo/

18th 10am – 5pm Festival of Plants, with live music and pop up food trucks. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

18th 7.30pm Mass in B Minor, J S Bach. Cambridge Chorale and Academy of Ancient Music with soloists from Amici Voices. Trinity College Chapel. Tickets on the door or from http://www.cambridgechorale.org.uk

18th 7.30pm From London to Venice: Fusing Poetry and Music. Monteverdi, Grandi, Strozzi, Caccini, Ferrari and Merula. Clare Hall, Herschel Road. Tickets from Porters’ Lodge or music@clarehall.cam.ac.uk

19th 5.30pm and 7.30pm The Pelicantata, narrated by Sir Tony Robinson. Come dressed as your favourite Roald Dahl character! Cambridge Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and Chorus. Choirs from Chesterton Community College and Sawston Village College. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

19th 6pm The Time of Gifts. Spring themed Medieval and Renaissance songs, traditional Spanish pieces with classical and contemporary works. The Lucy Cavendish Singers. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington. http://www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk

20 – 22nd Pint of Science. A worldwide science festival which brings researchers to your local pub to present their scientific discoveries. Various venues around the city. http://www.pintofscience.co.uk/events/cambridge

20 – 25th Cambridge Beer Festival. Cider, perry, mead and English wine also available at this CAMRA festival. Opening times vary. Jesus Green. http://www.cambridgebeerfestival.com Read more about Cambridge Beer Festival here

23rd 7pm “Guess the Toppings” pizza evening. Guests will be blindfolded and have to guess the pizza toppings. Fundraiser for Cam Sight. The Punt Yard, Quayside. http://www.camsight.org.uk/event/guess-the-toppings-evening Read more about Cam Sight here

24th 6pm – 10.30pm Summer Night Market and Outdoor Cinema, showing Coco and Mamma Mia. Free. Market Square. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/open-air-cinema-night-market

25th 10.30am – 4.30pm Affordable Vintage Fair. Over 30 traders selling shop quality vintage, handmade, reworked and retro with fashion, accessories and collectables from 1940s – 1990s. Guildhall, Market Square. Facebook: @JudysAffordableCambridgeVintageFair

25th 7pm until late. Ceilidh. A charity evening in aid of the World Land Trust. St. Paul’s Church, Hills Road Tickets from becky.lockyer21@gmail.com

26th 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Artist led workshop for families. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

26th Cambridge Fringe Festival. A community oriented comedy festival focusing on stand up and improv. Free entry to shows. Various venues around Mitcham’s Corner, CB4. Facebook: @FringeCambridge

Newton's apple tree at Trinity College Cambridge — Newton’s apple tree blossoming at Trinity College

Cambridge Home + Garden Show

Cambridge Home + Garden Show returns to the Guildhall over the weekend of 30 – 31 March, bringing inspiration, advice and the best in home and garden design from local businesses to local customers.

Image credit: Cambridge Home + Garden Show

This event is the brainchild of Jennifer Chong, who’s been working in interior design in the city since she moved here eight years ago. Having set up her own interior design project management company, she discovered so many wonderful local businesses, mostly independents. Realising that there was no regional design fair in East Anglia to showcase all this talent, Jennifer decided to make it happen and held a very successful one day fair at the Guildhall in September 2017.

This year’s Show features a huge range of exhibitors from furniture makers to fabric suppliers and products from flooring to futons. You’ll find new and established businesses of all types and for all budgets. Most are independents ….. any non-indies must show Jennifer that they have a passion for their product or service and offer beautifully made goods as well as excellent customer service.

Cambridge Home + Garden Show — Image credit: Richard Etteridge Photography

A programme of drop in talks held throughout the weekend features creatives speaking about their journeys and businesses and covers a multitude of topics from smart home technology to garden design to clearing clutter.

A new feature for this year’s Show is a programme of workshops which include “Creating a Colour Wheel” and “Lampshade Making”. There are limited spaces so pre-book your workshop place through the website (details at the end of this post).

Novi at Cambridge Home + Garden Show — Image credit: Richard Etteridge Photography

Event sponsor Novi will be running a pop up cafe offering hot and cold drinks, snacks and cakes. Main sponsor Cambridge Classics will be creating a living room set on the main stage to showcase their bespoke handmade windows, doors, shutters and stained glass alongside flooring and fabrics from Art of Flooring and The Cambridge Fabric Company.

If you’d like personalised guidance with your home or garden project, there’s the opportunity to meet with a local design professional for a free 30 minute consultation at the Show. Simply submit your design query via the website in advance and you’ll be contacted to arrange a consultation.

Entry to the Cambridge Home + Garden Show is free. You can just come along to the Guildhall on the day or you can pre-register on the website where you’ll also find the full exhibitor listing as well as details of the talks and workshops programme.

http://www.camhomeshow.com

Polish Heritage Day Cambridge

Everyone is invited to join the Polish community of Cambridge on 13 May at The Guildhall to celebrate their heritage and culture.

The Polish community in Cambridge numbers around 5,000 people, many of them permanent residents and some who are here to study. The Polonia Club on Chesterton Road is a meeting place, a cultural centre and has a restaurant serving traditional Polish dishes while the University offers a Polish Studies programme which runs lectures, film screenings, debates and meetings with writers and artists, events which are open to all. There’s a Polish Saturday School and a Polish Mass is held every Sunday at the Catholic church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs on Hills Road.

Polish Heritage Day 2018 Cambridge

There’s plenty going on at this Heritage Day event which will be opened by the Polish Ambassador. You’ll be able to taste authentic Polish food such as pierogi (little dumplings of various flavours, both sweet and savoury), cakes, pastries and breads. Local Polish artists and craftspeople will be exhibiting. There’ll be choral, guitar and piano performances, dancing from the Wiwat Folk Group and a Thai boxing display while local Polish businesses will host stalls.

Polish Heritage Day is happening on Sunday 13 May from 12 noon to 5pm. Entry is free. Everyone is welcome to join the celebrations and to discover more about Polish life and culture.

Facebook: Polish Heritage Day in Cambridge

http://www.klubpolonia.co.uk

The Guildhall, Market Place, Cambridge CB2 3QJ

Cambridge Vegan Market

Cambridge Vegan Market returns to The Guildhall, in the heart of the city, on Sunday 11 March. Sponsored this year by workers’ co-operative Arjuna Wholefoods, the long established Mill Road vegetarian wholefood shop, you’ll find an enormous variety of vegan products, from food to cosmetics to clothing.

I spoke to Lewis Beresford who founded Vegan Markets UK with one very simple aim. “I want to create a relaxed, inclusive atmosphere where everyone, whether they’re vegan, vegetarian or just curious to find out more, can come and see what’s on offer and get to understand the food, the drink and the lifestyle.”

Vegan Market fruit — Image credit: Matthew Bradley

A vegan himself, Lewis knows Cambridge well as he graduated in engineering from Clare College. So it was a natural step to hold his first Vegan Market here in October 2016. It was such a success that Lewis now also runs markets in Oxford, Derby and Nottingham with a couple of other locations currently in the pipeline.

Vegan Market cakes — Image credit: Matthew Bradley

Food stands will include London-based Lola’s Cupcakes with their vegan brownies and cupcakes. There’ll be five hot vegan food stands, amongst which you’ll find Pho with their Vietnamese street food, Indian food from Home Vegan Kitchen and Cambridge’s own Arepa’s Station with their Venezuelan dishes.

Drinks exhibitors will include Green Tea Artisan, showing their range of speciality teas from China, Japan and Nepal. For alcoholic vegan refreshment, head over the road to The Pint Shop on Peas Hill where you’ll be able to enjoy a selection of vegan ales, lagers and ciders.

Vegan Fair Candles — Image credit: Matthew Bradley

There’ll be a range of clothing to check out, all ethically produced and 100% vegan, from producers such as Vegan Deviant with their T shirts featuring quirky slogans. And you’ll find stalls offering ethically produced cosmetics, including Clean and Natural with its 100% natural and organic skin and hair products.

The Vegan Market opens at 10.30am and closes at 4pm. Lewis recommends arriving early as the venue gets very busy through the day. Tickets are available on the door and cost £2 for an adult while children get in free. The first 100 people to arrive will get some free vegan goodies and if you bring your own mug, you’ll even get a free tea or coffee!

http://www.veganmarkets.co.uk

http://www.arjunawholefoods.co.uk

The Guildhall, Market Square, Cambridge CB2 3QJ