The Real Britain Company » Annual Calendar Dates

Notting Hill Carnival

Kate — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:00:24 +0000

Held each August Bank Holiday since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival is the largest festival celebration of its kind in Europe. Every year the streets of West London come alive, with the sounds and smells of Europe’s biggest street festival. Twenty miles of vibrant colourful costumes surround over 40 static sound systems, hundreds of Caribbean food stalls, over 40,000 volunteers and over 1million Notting Hill carnival revellers.

Barford Village Show

Kate — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:35:13 +0000

I have written a number of blogs about festivals and shows across the UK, but none are as important as our Village Show! We have had Scarecrow weekends, flower festivals, art exhibitions, music events, dramatic endeavours….but never before have we put it together to make show involving the whole village! I am just hoping that my veggies get enough rain (but not too much) to fatten them up for the prize vegetable competition!

Read all about it on our community website

The Whitby Regatta

Kate — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:01:04 +0000

The Whitby Regatta is probably the oldest sea Regatta in England. It started in a very small way with the fishermen competing against each other in their fishing smacks and salmon cobbles. Then came the yachts. It was recorded in 1847 “The Whitby Challenge Cup”, promoted by the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club, was won by the Schooner “Whiled”, and a prize of 50 guineas was presented to the captain or owner. Between that date and up to the nineteen thirties, yacht racing formed the greater part of the Regatta.

Unfortunately these expensive yachts became more and more scarce and the regatta became a rowing Regatta as it is now. However, there is far more to it than just rowing races! It is now a full festival of flypasts, carnivals, fireworks and more.

With thanks to Whitby Regatta.

UK’s biggest free aviation Festival this summer!

Kate — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:47:21 +0000

The Dorset seaside resort of Bournemouth is often gently ridiculed as the place where people go to retire and die! However, it is also the unlikely venue of the Bournemouth Air festival which runs for 4 days in August. What’s more, it is completely free!

Check out the Bournemouth Air Festival for the daily programmes.

Eisteddfod Festival

Kate — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:10:54 +0000

The National Eisteddfod of Wales is a celebration of Welsh culture. It can be traced back to 1176 when it is said that the first Eisteddfod was held, under the auspices of Lord Rhys, at his castle in Cardigan. There he held a grand gathering to which were invited poets and musicians from all over the country. A chair at the Lord’s table was awarded to the best poet and musician, a tradition that prevails in the modern day National Eisteddfod. You will notice the main language used on the site is Welsh.

The Proms starts today

Kate — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:28:22 +0000

The Proms - billed as the World’s greatest classical music festival – starts today.

They started life in 1894 as ‘Mr Robert Newman’s Promenade Concerts’. Mr Newman, an impresario, had a vision of bringing the wide range of high standard classical music to the masses. Ticket prices were kept low. 5d a concert!

Mr Newman has long since been forgotten but not Sir Henry Wood, the first Proms conductor.

Read more about the History of the Proms

The Open 150th anniverary

Kate — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:35:33 +0000

The British Open Golf Championship (or simply ‘The Open’) is in full swing at St Andrew’s, the ‘home of golf’. Many think it should always be here. It is, as always, being played on The Old Course. Non members cannot play on the Old Course but there are 11 other courses to choose from.

St Andrews for more information about St Andrew’s golf courses.

The British Grand Prix

Kate — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:50:07 +0000

Silverstone is a small village in Northamptonshire but its’ name is synonymous with F1 motor racing. Today it will host the British Grand Prix, as it has over the past 60 years. In 1950 the first ever World Drivers’ Championship event was held here. It would have been a tragedy (well, a real shame) if Silverstone had lost the contract as was feared. However, an updated track will be tested today with two British Drivers heading the Driver’s table (if not on the grid!)

Wimbledon

Kate — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:22:57 +0000

We are now at the end of the first week of Wimbledon or just ‘The Championships’. It brings back happy memories of school trips for me. We spent most of the time star spotting. I managed to get John Newcombe’s autograph one year (that’s showing my age!) It is much more popular now and it is far too much like hard work to get in, unless you are lucky enough to get a Centre Court or Court 1 ticket via the open ballot.

I am not going to talk abut the results as no doubt you are following if you are interested in tennis. In 1877 the All England Croquet Club became The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club and started the first Lawn Tennis Championship. The only event held in 1877 was the Gentlemen’s Singles which was won by Spencer Gore, an old Harrovian rackets player, from a field of 22. About 200 spectators paid one shilling each to watch the final.

A new code of laws was drawn up for the meeting. These have stood the test of time and today’s rules are similar except for details such as the height of the net and posts and the distance of the service line from the net.

Extracted from the official Wimbledon site

Henley Royal Regatta

Kate — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:54:05 +0000

If you read my blog about the Oxford and Cambridge boat race you may have gleaned that I was somewhat bemused by it’s popularity. This series of boat races, however, are another matter. The regatta lasts for 5 days! What’s more, the time of year is conducive to sitting on the banks of the Thames idling away a sunny afternoon watching the rowing. In fact it has become a major social event with many people laying on lavish picnics, with champagne and the lot. To be ‘seen’ at Henley is as important as the sport!

The Henley Royal Regatta started in 1839 and has been ‘royal’ since H.R.H. Prince Albert became the Regatta’s first Royal Patron in 1851. The Queen is now the patron.