true stories told live cambridge

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 – 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.

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 – September 2019

September always feels to me like a time of new beginnings and although it’s never easy to get back into top gear after the hazy drift of summer days, the slight nip in the morning air reminds us that it’s time to crack on. There’s lots of fun stuff happening in the city this month, which should help us ease back into routine. I’ll update this listing through the month so do check back and please get in touch if you know of an event that I can add to it.

Acorns on Jesus Green Cambridge — Acorns on Jesus Green

1st – 29th Cambridge Festival of Cycling. A month of events celebrating our city’s cycling culture. Over 20 cycling themed events, including social bike rides, bike maintenance and photography workshops, a film night showing the documentary “Motherload” and the Cargo Carnival. Most events are free or have a minimal charge. http://www.cambridgefestivalofcycling.org

1st 10.30am – 12 noon Walking Tour: Hidden Cambridge and the Museum of Cambridge. http://www.museumofcambridge.org.uk

1st 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Artist led workshop for families. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

3rd 7.30pm Shoot for the Moon. Improvised comedy night with the Ministry of Unplanned Occurrences. Pay what you want. Blue Moon Pub, Norfolk Street, CB1

5th 6 – 7.30pm “Mindfulness on the Meadows”. Practise mindfulness of nature and meditation with Claire Thompson. Stourbridge Common. http://www.mindfulness-of-nature.com/workshops-in-around-cambridge

7 – 8th 10am – 5pm Wimpole Autumn Craft and Produce Fair. Crafts, food stalls, live music, beer tent serving local ales, face painting. Wimpole Estate. FB Wimpole Autumn Craft and Produce Fair

7th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival. In aid of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. River Cam, Ditton Meadows, Fen Ditton. http://www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk

7th 10am – 1pm Family Saturday. Plants of the Pharoahs. Find out about plants used by the Ancient Egyptians, including plants used to make paper and to help preserve bodies. Free event. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

7th 10.30 – 11.15am “Sharing Stories”. A friendly family story telling session with stories from around the world told, read and sung. Free, drop in. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Milton Road Library, CB4. http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

7th 12 – 4.30pm Stourbridge Medieval Fair. Traditional dancing and singing, stalls, crafts and talks. Visit the Chapel (which is shut for most of the year). http://www.cambridgeppf.org/Event/cambridge-medieval-fair

8th 11.30am – 4.30pm Knit for the River. Free, drop in, all ages welcome, no need to book. Museum of Cambridge, Castle Street. http://www.museumofcambridge.org.uk

8th 3 – 5pm Jazz and Brass in the Parks. City of Cambridge Brass Band. Cherry Hinton Hall. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

9th 7.45 – 9pm Talk about the history of Cambridge Railway Station by Rob Shorland-Ball. Cambridge Museum of Technology, Pye Building. Tickets £3 on the door. Enter via Cheddars Lane entrance. http://www.museumoftechnology.com

10th (until 9th October) Open Eco Homes. Advice from local householders and experts, householder led tours and low energy home workshops. http://www.openecohomes.org

10th 7.30 – 9pm “Archeology found by the public”. Talk from Mill Road History Society with Dr Helen Geake, well known for being party of Channel 4’s Time Team. Ross Street Community Centre. http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk

11th 6.45 – 9pm Cafe Sci Cambridge: Gut bacteria and human health. Using genomic tools to study gut microbiome to help us understand its role in health and disease. Free, non-ticketed. Espresso Library, East Road. http://www.publicengagement.wellcomegenomecampus.org/cafe-scientifique-cambridge

13 – 14th Open Cambridge. Discover the local history and heritage of Cambridge with special access to places that are normally closed to the public or charge admission. http://www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk

15th 9.30am Bridge the Gap. A charity walk through Cambridge University College grounds. The route is wheelchair and pushchair friendly. Raising funds for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and Romsey Mill. http://www.arhc.org.uk/bridge-the-gap.asp

15th 9.30am – 12.30pm An Introduction to Mindfulness of Nature with Claire Thompson. Mindfulness based exercises, meditations, walking, games, discussions and poetry. Trumpington Meadows Nature Reserve. http://www.mindfulness-of-nature.com/workshops-in-around-cambridge

15th 10.30am – 5.30pm Dog Day. Free ice cream for kids with a dog. Gift stalls and more. Benets Cafe, King’s Parade.

15th 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Artist led workshop for families. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

15th 3 – 5pm Jazz and Brass in the Parks. The Brass Funkeys. Jesus Green. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

16th 6 – 7.30pm “Mindfulness on the Meadows”. Practise mindfulness of nature and meditation with Claire Thompson. Stourbridge Common. http://www.mindfulness-of-nature.com/workshops-in-around-cambridge

17th 5.30 – 7.30pm Circuit Social. A creative evening for 18 – 25 year olds. Make some art, meet new people and discover more about Circuit, the young people’s programme. All welcome, no previous art experience needed. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

17th 7.30pm Poetry in the Pub with John Clegg and Steve Xerri. CB1 Poetry. Blue Moon Pub, Norfolk Street, CB1 http://www.cb1poetry.org.uk

18th 7.30pm True Stories Told Live. NCI Club, Holland Street, CB4. FB True Stories Told Live Cambridge

19th 7.30pm Clara Rackham – her life and achievements. A talk by Professor Mary Joannou (ARU). Milton Road Library, CB4. http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

21st 9 – 10am Day of Peace Meditation. On International Day of Peace, gather for meditations to find inner peace and to cultivate feelings of peace of others in our families, our communities and across the world. White Lotus Meditation. The Bodywise Studio, Gwydir Street. http://www.whitelotusmeditation.co.uk/classesandcourses

21st 10.30 – 11.15am “Sharing Stories”. A friendly family story telling session with stories from around the world told, read and sung. Free, drop in. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Milton Road Library, CB4. http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

21st 10.30am – 4pm Artsfest 2019. A day of workshops in printmaking, life drawing, papercloth, drawing, exploring abstraction, creative writing, expressive lettering and drop in sewing plus an all day cafe. Early booking advised as workshop places are limited. St Paul’s Church, Hills Road. http://www.stpaulsartsfest.org

21st 11am – 5pm Literature Cambridge Study Day: Reading The Waves. An intensive day of lectures and a seminar on Virginia Woolf’s lyrical novel of 1931, with leading scholars. Stapleford Granary, CB22. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/waves

21 – 22nd 10am – 5pm Cambridge Food, Garden and Produce Show. Parker’s Piece. Free entry. Oakleigh Fairs. http://www.oakleighfairs.co.uk

22nd 10.30am – 5pm Milton Country Park Autumn Festival. Seasonal food, craft, activities, music and entertainment for the family. http://www.miltoncountrypark.org/autumnfestival

25th 6 – 9pm Zoology Late: Board Games. Animal inspired board games and bar. Free, no need to book. 18+ Museum of Zoology, Downing Street. http://www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk

26th 6 – 9pm LATE: The Greatest Showman. Special screening of The Greatest Showman to complement a new exhibition about Giovanni Belzoni, the 19th century explorer and circus showman. Fitzwilliam Museum. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

28th 10am – 4pm Worth The Weight Vintage Kilo Sale. Vintage clothing at £15 per kilo. St Paul’s Church, Hills Road. FB Worth The Weight Vintage Kilo Sale – Cambridge

29th 3pm rehearsal, 7.30pm performance. Come and Sing Carmina Burana. Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

29th 10am – 5pm Cambridge Chinese Community Mid-Autumn Festival. Parker’s Piece. http://www.cambridgechinacentre.org

King's College Cambridge — This chestnut tree at King’s College is 160 years old!

What’s on in Cambridge – June

Well, Summer has arrived here in Cambridge and there’s loads happening in June …. outdoor celebrations as well as indoor activities, many of them free, for those rainy days (hopefully there won’t be too many of those!), lots of music, something for foodies and scientists, in fact something for everybody. I’ll update this listing as the month unfolds so please do get in touch through my Contact page if you know of an event that I can list here.

Midsummer Common Cambridge — Midsummer Common bathed in sunshine

1st 10am – 1pm Family Saturdays – Messy Mud. Get messy with mud, make mud pies and have a go at mud painting. Free event. Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

1st 10.30am – 11pm Strawberry Fair. Popular volunteer run music and arts event on Midsummer Common. Free entry. http://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk

1st 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Activities and art making on the theme of “dazzling doodles”. Free, drop in. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1 – 2nd 12 – 4pm Drop in drawing activities for all ages and abilities. Free, no booking required. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

2nd 5.30pm Songs of Song. Ancient songs in praise of music, from the British Isles c.600 – 1200. Two voiced harmonies to harp and lyre. The Round Church. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

7th Museum of Technology reopens. Cheddars Lane. http://www.museumoftechnology.com Read more about the Museum of Technology here

8 – 9th 10am – 5pm Cambridge Town and Country Fair. Parker’s Piece. Free entry. http://www.oakleighfairs.co.uk

8 – 9th 11am – 5pm Open Garden at 49 New Square, CB1. Free entry and refreshments. All proceeds to Red Balloon Learner Centres.

8th 10.30am – 1.30pm Flower Crown Workshop. Make your own flower crown. Includes refreshments, an out-of-hours visit to the House and all materials. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

8th 11am – 5pm Arbury Carnival. Procession at 12 noon, leaving from Armitage Way. http://www.arburycarnival.org

8th 11am – 8pm Cambridge Pride. Jesus Green. Parade starts from Jesus Lock at 11am. FB: Cambridge Pride 2019

8th 1pm Membra Jesu Nostri. Buxtehude. Erasmus Chamber Choir and Ensemble. St Clement’s Church, Bridge Street. Free entry, retiring collection.

9th 11am and 2pm Science on Sundays. Plant genetics from Mendel to Monsanto. Free, informal, drop in monthly plant science talk (30 minutes). Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

14th 7.30pm The Hague String Trio. Schubert, Beethoven, Krasa and Klein. The Auditorium, Gonville & Caius College. Tickets on the door. http://www.thehaguestringtrio.com

15th 10am – 4pm Eddington Discovery Day. Free fun activities and games plus a Soup Disco. Market Square and Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington. http://www.eddington-cambridge.co.uk

16th 3 – 5pm Jazz and Brass in the Parks. Cambridge Groove Orchestra and Cambridge Jazz Festival Choir. Jesus Green. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

18th 7.30pm – 10pm Music: Na-Mara. Folk duo Na-Mara tell the story of the “Basque Children” through words and music. Mill Road History Society. Old School Hall, St Barnabas Church, Mill Road. http://www.cambridgefolkclub.co.uk

19th 7.30pm True Stories Told Live. NCI Club, Holland Street. FB: @cambridgetruestories Read more about True Stories Told Live here

20 – 23rd Wimpole History Festival. A weekend of history and heritage for the whole family with talks, debates, book signings, performances, historical walking tours, workshops, activities and events. Wimpole Estate. http://www.wimpolehistoryfestival.com

21st 6pm Summer Night Market and Open Air Cinema (Peter Rabbit/Mamma Mia Here We Go Again). Free event. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/open-air-cinema-night-market

21 – 28th Chesterton Festival, including Community Fun Day (22nd). http://www.chestertonfestival.wordpress.com Read more about last year’s Festival here

22nd 10am – 4.30pm Zoology Live! Live animals, hands on activities and expert lightning talks for all ages. Free, drop in. Museum of Zoology, Downing Street. http://www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk

22nd 7.30pm Coronation Anthems. Handel, Boyce and Blow. Collegium Laureatum. West Road Concert Hall. tickets@collegium.org.uk

23rd 3 – 5pm Jazz and Brass in the Parks. Cambridgeshire Youth Jazz Orchestra. Jesus Green. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

23rd 6 – 7pm In Good Company. Music for a summer evening, with traditional and classical pieces. The Lucy Cavendish Singers. Sidney Sussex College Chapel. All proceeds support the work of Cambridge City Foodbank. http://www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk Read more about Cambridge City Foodbank here

23rd 7.30pm Singing on the River. A selection of madrigals, part-song and close-harmony from The King’s Men. Back Court, King’s College. Bring a picnic! Tickets from shop@kings.cam.ac.uk or 01223 769340. http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/concerts-at-kings

24th 7.30pm A Midsummer’s Day Concert of Georgian Song. Chela and Buska, the Cambridge Georgian choirs. Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street. Free entry with retiring collection. Tickets from chelatickets@gmail.com. http://www.georgianchoircambridge.wordpress.com

28 – 30th Foodies Festival, Parker’s Piece. http://www.foodiesfestival.com/cambridge

Chestnut tree at King's College Cambridge — The chestnut tree at King’s College is 160 years old!

True Stories Told Live Cambridge

One of the things I love most about writing this blog is hearing people’s stories when I meet them. Everyone has a tale to tell from their journey through life … it might be funny, shocking or sad and it’s often a story of perseverance in the face of adversity. So I was intrigued when True Stories Told Live Cambridge came up on my social media and I met compere Nick Barraclough to find out more.

Now retired from a career as a musician, radio producer and documentary maker, Nick was invited by a friend to tell a story at True Stories Told Live in Hampstead several years ago. It was a small gathering in a tiny room but Nick was hooked. So he brought True Stories Told Live to Cambridge, initially holding sessions at The Punter, moving to the NCI Club in Holland Street as the word spread and audience numbers swelled. There’s an event every couple of months, attended by around 100 people who listen to 6 stories, one told by Nick as compere and one of which is a story set to music.

True Stories Told Live Cambridge

Each storyteller narrates a personal tale which can be funny, serious or even harrowing. Nick tells me, “Their story needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end and something has to happen.” Each storytelling slot is 10 minutes maximum and stories must be told without reading from a script (although it’s fine to have bullet point notes!). “The audience is always really supportive and engaged,” Nick comments, “and many of our future ‘turns’ are recruited from the audience. It can seem daunting but we give help and advice on how to frame your story and once people have done it once, they always want to do it again.”

True Stories Told Live Cambridge

The next True Stories Told Live Cambridge is on Wednesday 24 April at the NCI Club, Holland Street. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start and the evening finishes by 9.30pm. It’s a free event but you’ll need to pay £2 for temporary club membership and you can enjoy drinks from the bar as stories unfold through the evening.

For more information, take a look at the True Stories Told Live Cambridge Facebook page, through which you can also get in touch with the team if you’ve got a story of your own that needs to be told!

Facebook: @cambridgetruestories

What’s On in Cambridge – April

Spring has sprung and the sun is shining! There’s plenty happening in the city and I’ll update this listing through the month so do check back when you can. Please get in touch if you know of an event that I could add in here!

Willow at Fort St George bridge Cambridge — Fresh green willow at Fort St George

1 – 7th Love Cambridge Restaurant Week. Menus at £5, £10 and £15 in a variety of cafes and restaurants across the city. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/restaurant-week Read more about Love Cambridge Restaurant Week here

2nd 7 – 9pm Cambridge 1888 – 1988 – Chronicle of an English University City. Mill Road History Society. The Bath House, Gwydir Street. http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk/events

5th 7.30pm Dining in the Dark. Identify key ingredients of your starter and dessert while blindfolded. Fundraiser for Cam Sight. The Red Lion, Hinxton. http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

5 – 7th Cambridge Literary Festival. http://www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com Read more about the Festival here

6th 10am – 1pm Family Saturday – Nature Weaving. Have fun, play and weave amazing creations using natural material from the Garden. Free event. Cambridge University Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

6th 12 noon – 3pm The Leper Chapel Opening. A chance to see inside one of the oldest buildings in Cambridge. The Chapel is not usually open to the public. Free entry, donations appreciated. Cambridge Past, Present and Future. The Leper Chapel, off Newmarket Road. FB: @CambridgePFF

6th 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Activities and art making on the theme of “coin it”. Free, drop in. Fitzwilliam Museum. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

6th 7.30pm Movie Music Spectacular. Cambridge Wind Band. West Road Concert Hall. In support of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. http://www.adcticketing.com

6 – 22nd April Easter Trail. Pick up a free trail from the Ticket Office, go on a springtime adventure and collect an Easter prize at the end. Drop in, self led trail. Cambridge University Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

8th 7.30 – 10pm Louise Jordan – The Hard Way. One woman performance of live music and theatre charting the rise of a working class suffragette. St Barnabas Centre, Mill Road. http://www.cambridgefolkclub.co.uk

9th 2 – 4pm Printing Workshop for 8 – 12 year olds. Design your own T shirt to take home with you. Booking required. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

9th 7.30pm Concert for Cam Sight. Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Nielsen. Easter Concert Orchestra. All ticket receipts and donations go to Cam Sight. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com/whats-on/concert/concert-for-camsight Read more about Cam Sight here

10th 7 – 8.30pm Personal medicines: all in your genes? Talk from Cafe Sci Cambridge. Espresso Library, East Road. FB @cafescicambridge

11th 1 – 3pm What can art do? Explore environmental activism for 13 – 19 year olds. Free, booking required. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

12th 10am – 1pm Cambridge Jobs Fair. Speak with potential employers face to face (don’t forget to bring your CV!). The Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.thejobfairs.co.uk

13th 1.30 – 4pm Toy Swap. Bring toys to swap. Also a pilot books (fiction/children) and clothes (women/children) swap plus Full Circle, Cambridge’s own zero waste shop, will be there. Free event. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, CB3 1AA http://www.atoyslifeandbeyond Read more about Full Circle Shop here

13th 5pm “Waste Not, Want Not: How to live zero waste and plastic-free”. Talk by Full Circle Shop. Free entry, donations welcome. Stir Cafe, Chesterton Road. FB @FullCircleShopUK Read more about Full Circle Shop here

14th 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Art making workshops for families with children of all ages. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

19 – 20th 10am – 5pm Botanical Days. A botanical themed event and pop up shop from Cultivate Gardens with refreshments by Caffiend. Hope Street Yard, off Mill Road. http://www.cultivategardens.co.uk

19 – 22nd 12 – 4pm Action Drawing. Drawing activities inspired by the Oscar Murillo Violent Amnesia exhibition. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

22 – 23rd 7.45pm (and 2.30pm on 23rd) Ballet Central. ADC Theatre. http://www.adctheatre.com

24th 7.30pm True Stories Told Live. NCI Club, Holland Street. FB:@cambridgetruestories

28th 2 – 3.30pm Writers in Conversation. Jill Dawson in conversation with Dame Gillian Beer. Stapleford Granary, CB22. Literature Cambridge. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk Read more about Literature Cambridge here

30th 6.30 – 9pm The Tasting Table with Dulcedo, The Baking Jin and Bumble & Oak. Innovative dishes, fusion bakes, high end patisserie and artisan chocolate. Dulcedo Patisserie, Hills Road. http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-tasting-table-with-dulcedo-the-baking-jin-and-bumble-oak-tickets

Blossom Cambridge — A froth of blossom on my neighbour’s tree