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| There is always something going on in Norfolk and in this section you can find out all the latest news. You can also register to receive regular updates from VisitNorfolk via email. This is also the area of the site where you will find regular competitions with lots of great prizes to be won. |
Stained glass trails illuminate Norfolk’s hidden treasures (2 July 2009)  Hungate Medieval Art, based at St Peter Hungate Church in Norwich, launches a series of stained glass trails this week. The trails which feature over 35 different churches highlight some of Norfolk’s most interesting stained glass. The booklets are beautifully designed and contain a clearly drawn map showing the best route to take between the churches on the trail. Commentary on the glass in each church is provided by stained glass expert David King (University of East Anglia). Chairman of Hungate Medieval Art, Canon Jeremy Haselock, says “each trail represents a really enjoyable day out visiting beautiful churches, encountering stained glass of high quality and learning a little bit about both”. The trails run alongside Hungate Medieval Art’s current exhibition on medieval stained glass and will be available as part of the centre’s standard admission charge. |
Take an Evening Walk on the Wild Side at Pensthorpe (2 July 2009)  Fans of BBC Springwatch will have seen the fantastic wildlife and beautiful surroundings of Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens, near Fakenham, in North Norfolk. This summer the wildlife haven is holding a series of guided evening walks which offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience the natural wonders of the reserve in the company of Pensthorpe experts.The walks will be held on 8th July, 23rd July, 5th August and 18th August and guided by Pensthorpe head gardener Imogen Checketts and warden Ed Braham-Jones. Visitors will be taken around the new Wildlife Habitat Garden - opened earlier this year by wildlife presenter Chris Packham and featured on Springwatch – which aims to show people how they can attract wildlife into their garden with simple hints and tips. Also on the tours will be Pensthorpe’s Wave Garden, Wader Scrape, one of Norfolk’s largest wildflower meadows, the Millennium Garden and the Great Eurasian Forest. For more information 01328 851465 or visit www.pensthorpe.com. Image © Annie Kerridge |
Alan Ayckbourn play to be performed in Mundesley Mundesley Players will be performing 'Confusions' by Alan Ayckbourn at Mundesley Coronation Hall from Wednesday 22nd to Saturday 25th July nightly at 7.45pm. The show consists of 5 interlocking plays that deal riotously with sharply pointed undertones, with the human dilemma of loneliness, a mother unable to escape from baby talk, a disastrous garden fete, an unsuccessful seduction attempt, a fraught dinner encounter and in the final play it sums up with 5 self-immolated characters on a park bench. In fact it is just everyday life.(2 July 2009) For more information and tickets, ring the Ticket Hotline 07796 247530 or from Mundesley Information Centre daily 10am to 1pm and during the afternoons from Cafe B, Mundesley. |
Contemporary Art Norwich 2009 (CAN09) - 11 July to 31 August (2 July 2009)  Norwich shakes up the visual art world this summer with an exhilarating range of international artists from Louis Bourgeois and Marc Quinn to Mariano Pensotti and Matthew Darbyshire, in a celebration of contemporary art. Delivered for the first time by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, CAN09 (11 July to 31 August) features exhibitions, performances, residencies, commissions and site specific and large scale live art events. See www.contemporaryartnorwich.co.uk for the full schedule.Image: Furniture Island, Matthew Darbyshire, OUTPOST Gallery, Norwich |
Roll Up, Roll Up to the BeWILDerfayre (2 July 2009)  BeWILDerwood, the curious treehouse adventure park, is holding a traditional mid-summer ‘Twiggle’ fayre on August 15th and 16th that will be packed with fun, games and excitement for all the family. Called BeWILDerfayre, the event will feature colourful bunting and a whole host of fantastic traditional games such as hook-a-duck, chuck-a-hoop, lucky dip, and loads of other games to play. There will also be magical puppet shows featuring BeWILDerwood characters, which are bound to keep children of all ages entertained. You can also check out Mildred’s Weird Wardrobe Weekend on 25th and 26th July, where you can make and decorate weird and wonderful clothes and accessories! BeWILDerwood, perfect for outdoor healthy play, has loads to offer children and adults of all ages. Take a glorious boat ride through the Dismal Dyke, investigate the magical tree houses and ride the zip wires. There is also Toddlewood for toddlers, plus locally sourced food and eating areas, ‘including ‘The Cosy Cabin’, ‘The Snack Shack’ and ‘The Munch Bar’. During the summer, the woods provide a lovely cool sheltered haven to climb up into the treehouses, zoom down the slippery slope, get lost in the Muddle Maze or show how brave you are on the zip wires! For more information about BeWILDerwood and all the events on offer, visit www.BeWILDerwood.co.uk or call 01603 783900. |
“Cleaner and Greener” - Green Boat Show 2009 “Cleaner and Greener” is the theme of this year’s Green Boat Show on Sunday 13th September at Salhouse Broad in Norfolk. The show is open from 10am to 4pm and is the longest running boat show in the country showcasing green energy, sustainable “low carbon” boating and environmentally-friendly practices. It is organised by the owners of Salhouse Broad and The Electric Boat Association with support from The Broads Authority.(2 July 2009) Demonstrations of rowing, paddling, pedalling, sailing, electric and biofuel-powered boats as well as fuel cells, solar panels and wind turbines will all be available. It promises to be a great day out, with children’s activities and workshops running through the day in the beautiful surroundings of this Broads beauty spot. About 1,000 people are expected to turn out for the event where they will be able to take to the water in a wide range of boats including canoes, kayaks, electric, pedal and rowing boats, yachts and dinghies. They will also be able to travel to the show by electric water taxi. A regular return service will run all day from Granary Staithe by Wroxham Bridge, starting at 10.00am. For more information, please see www.broadsgreenboatshow.co.uk. |
Mediaeval Spectacular at Pensthorpe (22 June 2009)  A Mediaeval Spectacular is being held at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens near Fakenham, in Norfolk, on 29th, 30th and 31st August. The event brings together a whole host of activities, games and music from the world of Knights and Archers, Barber-surgeons and Storytellers, in lavish mediaeval costumes and selling authentic souvenirs.Visitors will take a step back in time and experience life as it really was. Watch bread being baked, butter churned and meat roasted as it was in the Middle Ages. See a blacksmith sweating at the forge, fleece being spun into woollen thread and the skill of a woodcarver at work. In Traders Row you can haggle and barter with the merchants whilst being entertained by troubadours telling tales of derring-do, or enjoy the period music of the minstrels, whilst quaffing ale at the tavern and tucking into a succulent hog roast. There is traditional entertainment including puppets, Mummers plays, fire breathers and, for those with a strong stomach, witness the Barber-surgeon pulling teeth or cauterizing a wound! The event is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 29th August until Monday31st August. For more information call 01328 851465 or visit www.pensthorpe.com |
Strangers Hall Norwich – National Gardens Scheme Strangers Hall is opening in aid of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) for the first time on July 5. For full details of all NGS Norfolk garden openings see www.norfolkgardens.org. (22 June 2009) |
UK First – Great Yarmouth Beach Wheelchair Racing Championship (22 June 2009)  The inaugural Beach Wheelchair Racing championship was staged in Great Yarmouth on Monday, June 15. It is believed to be the first championship of its kind in the UK.The championship was organised by Great Yarmouth Tourism with Centre 81, a day centre for people aged 18 and over in Great Yarmouth and surrounding areas who have a physical or sensory disability. Five Centre 81 members competed in the final following heats staged on June 1 and June 8. Five specially designed beach wheelchairs are available from Great Yarmouth Tourist Information Centre, tel 01493 846346 to reserve a wheelchair. Winners Jonathan McCartney and Keith Ferridge, pictured crossing the line, said: “We are surprised and delighted. It was great fun.” Julie Charles, Deputy Manager Centre 81 said: “The beach wheelchair racing championship has been a wonderful event for all involved. It’s a great way to promote how people with disabilities can have fun on the beach. Many of our members hadn’t been to the sea’s edge for years. The beach wheelchairs make this possible.” |
New Cycle Rail Leaflet National Express East Anglia has produced a new Cycle Rail leaflet for The Bittern Line and The Wherry Lines. The leaflet helps local residents and visitors plan cycling trips in North Norfolk and The Broads using the train. Click here to download a copy of the leaflet.(22 June 2009) |
The Brand Effect and Hemsby (22 June 2009)  The innovative campaign to re-brand the Norfolk seaside resort of Hemsby will be unveiled to local business leaders at The Forum in Norwich on Thursday, June 25.Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru will tell the story of his work with Hemsby, and will unveil the resort’s new logo. The event will include a preview of a new collection of photographs of the people of Hemsby by travel photographer Ian Aitken. Simon will also show an episode of The Brand Effect, Simon Middleton’s TV series about brands, featuring Hemsby. Simon Middleton explained: “The Hemsby project is one of the most exciting I have ever been involved with. The community and the traders in the resort have rallied around to support some very exciting brand ideas: including plans for a major Scandinavian Festival to be held in Hemsby in June 2010.” The Brand Effect will air on Sky 171 in late summer. |
King’s Lynn Medieval Market The Walks in King’s Lynn will be transformed into a medieval market on Saturday, July 4 thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and West Norfolk Partnership. The market located just behind the 15th century Red Mount Chapel will feature all manner of authentic characters including a fortune-teller, herbalist and blacksmith, as well as the architect of the Red Mount Chapel. Visitors will encounter the hustle and bustle of a ‘real’ market, complete with live animals.(22 June 2009) |
Knapton Together Knapton Together is a village festival on 4th and 5th July 2009. The theme for the festival is summer weddings and is raising funds for the unique medieval church of St Peter and Paul, the Methodist Church and for maintenance projects in the village. Over the weekend, there will be lots on offer including a jazz concert on Saturday evening, flower festival, photographic exhibition, hog roast, craft fair, open gardens and vintage vehicles.(22 June 2009) For more information, please see the latest PDF newsletter from the Griffon Area Partnership. |
A Steaming Father’s Day and more at Bure Valley Railway (12 June 2009)  Fancy something different for Father's Day? Celebrate on the 21st June with the magic of steam! Let the Bure Valley Railway take you on an eighteen mile round trip through the picturesque Bure Valley countryside following the river through meadowland and ancient pasture with one of its powerful 15-inch gauge steam locomotives at the head. Visit the engine shed at Aylsham Station and see the engineering team in action, and indulge in a cream tea at the Whistlestop Café. |
First ever Holt Festival - August 3-8 (12 June 2009)  The first-ever Holt Summer Festival which will take place from Monday 3rd August to Saturday 8th August 2009. Confirmed artists so far include the British singer Elkie Brooks, stand-up comedy night with rising stars Markus Birdman, Brendan Dempsey and George Egg, exciting British jazz pianist Gwilym Simcock; rising classical singing stars Sophie Bevan and David Stout, with internationally acclaimed pianist Iain Burnside; contemporary dance group ACE Dance and Music; modern theatre company Nabokov; and one of the UK’s greatest vocal groups, Cantabile.In addition, there will be all sorts of family activities, from a children’s ceramic workshop to traditional Punch and Judy shows, family entertainment by quirky performer Maynard Flip Flap; and an array of costumes, props, puppets and toys at the extraordinary Insect Circus Museum. Art lovers will have the chance to meet world famous artist Sir Peter Blake on board the Sir Peter Blake Art Bus; and to see a ‘Wild Norfolk’ exhibition featuring work by a number of Holt-based photographers including David Tipling and Andrew Midgley. For more information see http://www.holtfestival.org. |
Salthouse 09 - Salt of the Earth - 2 July - 2 August 09 (12 June 2009)  The North Norfolk Exhibition Project's prestigious annual exhibition of some of the very best of Norfolk contemporary art returns on July 2nd. On show in the iconic Salthouse Church on the North Norfolk coast, the exhibition is free of charge and is open every day 10am -5.30pm. A different curator is appointed each year to bring a fresh eye and give a different emphasis. This year's curator is Simon Martin, a Norfolk man, who is a curator at the award-winning Pallant House gallery at Chichester. Supporting the exhibition is a varied programme of evening arts events and art workshops. For more information, please visit the Salthouse 09 website. |
New free historic trail booklet helps you discover Timberhill on foot (12 June 2009)  The second in a new series of historic walking trail booklets for the city has been launched by Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART). The Timberhill booklet is a beautifully illustrated guide taking in the historic highlights of this fascinating street and surrounding area. It includes some well-known sights such as the Murderers pub and Norwich Castle, as well as some of the more unfamiliar, such as the site of the former Surrey Chapel on Chapel Loke. The pocketable guide also features historic images and a map of the trail. It is the second booklet of the new Norwich Trails series, which features various geographic areas and themes relating to the city’s past to help local people and visitors explore Norwich’s outstanding heritage by foot. The first print run is available free of charge at Norwich Tourist Information Centre, in some of the venues in the two areas and to download at http://www.heritagecity.org/norwichtrails. |
Heritage Open Days: 10-13 September (12 June 2009)  Heritage Open Days (HODs) – England’s largest and most popular voluntary cultural event – will be back in Norwich between Thursday, 10th and Sunday, 13th September. HODs celebrates all of Norwich’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to over 100 events and interesting properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. This year’s events will be linked to the theme of International Connections to celebrate Norwich’s heritage as a great international city. There will be open buildings, guided tours, exhibitions, talks and music and dance performances. Participating venues include museums and tourist attractions; private homes; churches and cathedrals; city centre shops, restaurants and pubs; and offices and workplaces. Look out for the free events brochure in cultural venues, tourist information centres, local post offices, cafes and shops across Norfolk from 3rd August or download it from 3rd August from www.heritagecity.org/hods. |
Two historic buildings, one fantastic offer (12 June 2009)  After years of waiting, the doors of the Red Mount Chapel in The Walks, King's Lynn, are now open for the public to access one of the town's most fascinating architectural treasures. Throughout the summer both the Red Mount Chapel and the South Gate will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 11am and 3pm. The South Gates, a 15th-century scheduled ancient monument and Grade I listed building, has been open to the public for several years, and is staffed by a team of dedicated volunteers who are able to answer questions and provide an insight into the building's history. The 15th-century Red Mount Chapel, also a scheduled ancient monument and Grade I listed building, will be open to the public for the first time this year. The chapel, which was renovated last year, has had a chequered history, starting out as a wayside chapel for pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. It is also believed to have been a cistern, a gunpowder store, a stable and an observatory. More recently it has become the winter hibernation site for natterer and brown long-eared bats - both protected species. Access to both buildings costs just £1.00. For more information, see the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk website. |
Tom Paine 200 Celebrations (4 June 2009)  Thetford is marking the bicentenary of the death of Thomas Paine (1737-1809) over the next seven months, with the Tom Paine 200 Celebrations. Paine was the son of a Thetford corset maker. He was actively involved in the American and French revolutions and his major works Common Sense, Rights of Man and The Age of Reason challenged the 18th century order and helped shape the democracies of the modern world. Paine emigrated to America in 1774 and it was his pamphlet, Common Sense (1776), that influenced popular opinion in favour of independence. |
Swanton Morley Lincoln Festival (4 June 2009)  Mr Richard LeBaron, Acting American Ambassador, is officially opening From the Pilgrim Fathers to World War II at 3.30pm on Saturday 13 June at All Saints’ Church, Swanton Morley. The exhibition, part of the Swanton Morley Lincoln Festival, looks at the many connections between village and the USA. The exhibition runs until Sunday 19 July, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm and Sunday, 2pm to 4pm. The Mid Norfolk Singers present A Concert of American Music in All Saints’ Church on Saturday 27 June at 7pm. The concert features Gettysburg – A Cantata in Memoriam Abraham Lincoln by local composer, Geoff Davison, commissioned by the Friends of Swanton Morley Church. Tickets are £12.50 (under 16 £7.50), tel. 01362 637760 or 01362 638225. For more information about The Lincoln Festival contact David Stone tel. 01362 637592, email davidews@googlemail.com. |
Yurts at Deepdale Deepdale Backpackers and Camping is now offering a traditional Mongolian yurt with futon’s to sit and sleep on, a wood burning stove, throw cushions and a carpeted floor, providing a luxury camping experience.(4 June 2009) |
Harriet the Hippo – Cammy’s new friend at Wroxham Barns (4 June 2009)  Wroxham Barns acquired Harriet the Hippo for £1,000 at the auction following North Walsham’s Hippo Trail, which ended on Sunday 31 May. Harriet will live with Cammy (Camouflagephant), one of the stars of last year’s Go Elephants who moved to Wroxham Barns last September following her spell in St Julian’s Alley, Norwich. Photograph: Harriet and Cammy with Eileen Calverley, Manager, Junior Farm Wroxham Barns. |
Shadow Culture Minister Visits Norwich (26 May 2009)  Tobias Ellwood MP, Shadow Minister for Culture Media and Sport, was in Norwich on Friday 22 May, part of a day in Norfolk co-ordinated by East of England Tourism. |
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