I love summertime in Cambridge. The May Balls and graduation ceremonies are done now and as the students leave for the summer, the rhythm of the city seems to change. There’s plenty going on, as you will see from this listing which I’ll update as the month unfurls.
1 – 14th Strawberries and Screen. Live screening of BBC coverage from Wimbledon on a giant LED screen between One The Square and The Tamburlaine Hotel. 100 chairs available. Bring your own picnic or buy from food vans (mainly available at lunchtimes). http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/lovecambridge
3rd 6.15 – 7.15pm Sounds Green. Open air music. Afro Tema, a danceable mix of Senegalese salsa, furious mbalax, afro-rock and some serious roots reggae style music. Botanic Garden. Tickets must be bought in advance online. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
4 – 7th Independents Week. Celebrating the independent business community in Cambridge with offers and events. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/independents-week-2019
4th 6 – 7.30pm Open Mic Night for local musicians and poets. A celebration of music and the spoken word. Free admission. Waterstones, Sidney Street. http://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/cambridge-sidney-str
5 – 7th The Big Weekend. Parker’s Piece. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/city-events/events/big-weekend
6 – 7th 11am – 6pm Cambridge Open Studios. Over 350 artists in and around Cambridge open their studio doors to the public. Fine art, photography, pottery, glass making, sculpture, illustration, textiles, jewellery and furniture. http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk Read more about last year’s Open Studios here
6th 10am – 1pm Family Saturdays: Drawing Plants. Free event. Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
6th 10am – 4pm Eco Living Festival Cambridge. Talks, workshops and masterclasses. Lion Yard Shopping Centre. http://www.cambridgeecolivingfestival.uk Read more about Eco Living Festival Cambridge here
6th 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Activities and art-making on the theme of “caring for our museum”. Free, drop in event. Fitzwilliam Museum. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
6th 7.30pm Charity Concert supporting Cambridge Summit on Homelessness. Mawson Road Community Orchestra with classical pieces, a cappella from “Sound Scribblers” and traditional music from Greece, Russia, Romania, Macedonia, Scotland and Ireland plus an Auction of Promises. Tickets on the door. St Paul’s Church, Hills Road. http://www.mrco-cambridge.org.uk
8th onwards Cambridge Shakespeare Festival. Productions performed in College gardens, in full period costume and with live Elizabethan music. http://www.cambridgeshakespeare.com Read more about last year’s Cambridge Shakespeare Festival here
9th 7.30 – 9pm Talk: Swimming in Cambridge. Mill Road History Society. Ross Street Community Centre, CB1. http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk/events
10th 6.15 – 7.15pm Sounds Green. Open air music. Martin Kemp’s Organised Chaos. Swing and jazz standards from 1930s to present. Botanic Garden. Tickets must be bought in advance online. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
11th 7.30pm Alex Hitchcock Quintet. CUC Wine Bar, Granta Place. http://www.cambridgejazz.org
13 – 14th 11am – 6pm Cambridge Open Studios. Over 350 artists in and around Cambridge open their studio doors to the public. Fine art, photography, pottery, glass making, sculpture, illustration, textiles, jewellery and furniture. http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk Read more about last year’s Open Studios here
13 – 21st Cambridge Veg Fest. A city-wide celebration of local and seasonal vegetables, bringing people together to grow, cook, eat and enjoy delicious veg. http://www.cambridgesustainablefood.org
13 – 27th Cambridge Summer Music Festival. Live classical music, focusing this year on music by women composers and music by – and inspired by – J S Bach. www.cambridgesummermusic.com
13th 12 – 5pm Castle Hill Open Day 2019. Art, music, history, tours, talks and food. Free event. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/events/castle-hill-2019
13th 4.30pm (child friendly) and 7.30pm Music for a summer’s evening. Fairhaven Singers. Strawberries and sparkling wine (included in ticket price) will be served on the banks of the Cam during the interval of the evening performance. Queens’ College Chapel. http://www.fairhavensingers.org.uk
14th 11am and 2pm Science on Sundays: Stop and smell the … pollination! Free, informal 30 minute drop in plant science talk. Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
15 – 17th 10am – 5pm Visitor Centre Open Days and Launch of Museum on a Bike. David Parr House, 184 Gwydir Street. Facebook: @davidparrhouse Read more about David Parr House here
17th 6.15 – 7.15pm Sounds Green. Open air music. Truly Medley Deeply. A hybrid of live band, DJ and jukebox producing a huge sound from Motown classics to stadium rock. Botanic Garden. Tickets must be bought in advance online. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
20 – 21st 11am – 6pm Cambridge Open Studios. Over 350 artists in and around Cambridge open their studio doors to the public. Fine art, photography, pottery, glass making, sculpture, illustration, textiles, jewellery and furniture. http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk Read more about last year’s Open Studios here
21st 9am – 2pm Mill Road Summer Car Boot Sale. Gwydir Street Car Park.
21st 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Artist led workshop for families. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk
21st 3 – 5pm Jazz and Brass in the Parks. Soham Comrades. Nightingale Rec. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk
24th 6.15 – 7.15pm Sounds Green. Open air music. Noga Ritter. Singer-songwriter and band performing Afro grooves and jazz. Botanic Garden. Tickets must be bought in advance online. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
25th 6pm Summer Night Market and Open Air Cinema (Incredible 2/The School of Rock). Market Square. Free event. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/open-air-cinema-night-market
27 – 28th 11am – 6pm Cambridge Open Studios. Over 350 artists in and around Cambridge open their studio doors to the public. Fine art, photography, pottery, glass making, sculpture, illustration, textiles, jewellery and furniture. http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk Read more about last year’s Open Studios here
31st 6.15 – 7.15pm Sounds Green. Open air music. Singer-pianist Ruth Applin with the Josh Kemp Quartet playing classic jazz, blues and bossa nova. Botanic Garden. Tickets must be bought in advance online. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
A favourite cycle ride is an easy one of about twenty five minutes, mostly on paths and through lush green meadows, out to Grantchester. This very pretty, tranquil village was once home to poet Rupert Brooke who wrote of it nostalgically, “And is there honey still for tea?” Well, The Orchard Tea Garden in Mill Way has been serving honey for tea since 1897 not only to Brooke but, back in the day, to luminaries like Virginia Woolf, Maynard Keynes and Alan Turing. There’s nothing nicer than sitting in a deckchair in dappled sunlight under an apple tree here, enjoying tea and cake. They also serve breakfast, lunch, scones and full cream teas and there’s plenty of indoor seating for cooler days.
Another excellent pitstop in Grantchester is Cambridge Distillery on the High Street. Master Distiller William Lowe creates award winning gins using freshly foraged local botanicals. Lemon balm, blackcurrant leaf, magnolia and local honey all feature in the Spring/Summer 2018 seasonal gin which you can sample along with the rest of the range. Maybe pre-book a Masterclass to boost your gin know-how or even create your own bespoke spirit at a private Gin Tailoring session. The Distillery also offers four very special coffees which they can blend to your individual taste and has a beautiful city centre shop, Cambridge Gin Laboratory, on Green Street.
New in Cambridge 