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SEVEN DAYS OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT A GLANCE
WEDNESDAY
At 7.30pm you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the Magic of Motown at the Assembly Hall as the much acclaimed Dancing in the Streets show comes to town. The entertaining production is brimming with the much loved musical genre’s best-known hits by artists such as The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and The Supremes, which are brought to life by a talented all-singing, all-dancing cast. For ticket information visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
Over at Trinity Theatre, as part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, there will be a live screening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet at 7pm. Paapa Essiedu, who has been hailed as a hot new name to watch, stars as the tragic hero of this Shakespearean classic with Simon Godwin directing. For tickets and further information visit www.trinity.net. The production will also be shown simultaneously by the Odeon, Hawkhurst’s Kino cinema and the Uckfield Picture House.
Scallywag café hosts Literary in the Lounge this evening. Doors open at 7.30pm and guests will be treated to an array of storytelling, poetry and music. Tickets cost £10 with 100 per cent of the sales going to Dame Kelly Holmes’ five chosen charities: Mind, Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre, Myeloma UK, Hospice in the Weald and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. For more information visit www.scallywagcafe.co.uk
THURSDAY
The Wealden Times Summer Fair kicks off today and runs until Saturday June 11. Once again it takes place in the majestic surroundings of Hole Park in Rolvenden, which complements the fair’s enviable mix of vintage homeware, unique fashion accessories and delicious artistan food and drink just perfectly. For more information visit www.wealdentimes.co.uk
This evening there will be an audience with snooker legend Steve Davis at The Marquee in the Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge. Hosted by Tonbridge Angels, it promises to be a fun event with Steve talking about his love of snooker, DJing and music. Tickets cost £25. For more information visit www.tonbridgeangelsonline.co.uk
As part of its new comedy offering, the EM Forster theatre in Tonbridge is hosting stand-up Pete Firman. The star of BBC One’s The Magicians and the UK’s leading comedian and magician is previewing his new show before it goes up to Edinburgh later this summer. For ticket details visit www.boxoffice.tonbridge-school.co.uk
Jazz on The Pantiles continues its summer run and tonight features the group Picante who, as their name suggests, serve up a medley of hot and spicy Latino-style numbers.
FRIDAY
From 10-11am there will be a Bump to Business Special Mamas Meet Up at the Royal Wells Hotel. Hosted by events company Mum’s The Word, this inaugural session aims to bring together like-minded local mothers who are also building their own businesses. Guest speakers today are Steph Douglas from Don’t Buy Her Flowers and Becky and Dominique from luxury changing bag designers Jem + Bea. There will also be discussions on career, style, health and wellbeing. Babies and toddlers are very much welcome, too. Tickets cost £10. For more information visit www.mumstheword.online
Juliet’s café in Tunbridge Wells will be hosting a pop-up shop with local fashion brand Lily and Carter London. Special discounts and previews of their latest collection will be on offer.
From 2-3.30pm there will be a personal guided tour of the gardens at Penshurst Place by its owner Lady De L’Isle. She will talk visitors through the various planting schemes and species and the tour will culminate with a delicious cream tea in the Garden Restaurant. Tickets cost £25 and must be booked in advance. For more information visit www.penshurstplace.com
The Horsmonden Summer Festival weekend starts today. As well as lots of stalls selling delicious food and drink and plenty of children’s activities on offer, there will also be a display of interesting, quirky and classic cars on the Village Green from noon onwards. The event is open to all.
SATURDAY
This afternoon from 2-5pm, the Churches Together team are hosting a Right Royal Fun Day in Pembury village. Entrance is free and there will be over 60 stalls and food and drink tents as well as lots of fun activities for children, including a coconut shy and bouncy castle. There will also be live music and a dog show.
Withyham Parish Council are organising a Now We Are 90 picnic for all its residents at the Recreation Ground in Groombridge from 1-4pm. There will be a brass band from Mayfield as well as strolling storytellers, courtesy of CREATE from Tunbridge Wells, who will regale picnickers with royal tales. The event is a joint celebration of The Queen’s 90th birthday and AA Milne’s 90th anniversary of penning the first Pooh Bear story. Visit www.withyhamparishcouncil.org.uk
Tonight there will an eight-mile sponsored Moonlight Walk in aid of the Hospice in the Weald. Starting from the Fusion Sports Centre on St John’s Road, walkers will weave through the heart of Tunbridge Wells and back again. It costs £20 for adults, while children under 16 go free. To sign up, visit www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk
SUNDAY
Today there will be a charity run in aid of Demelza Hospice Care for Children. The annual event has a new location this year at Groombridge Place. Runners can either opt for a 2.5, 5 or 10k run and there will be access for wheelchairs. The run will be started by Millie De Vere, who has attended Demelza for respite care over the past three years. Entry costs £15 for adults and £7.50 for children.
At 2pm Happy’s Circus comes to Speldhurst CEP Primary School. This fun-packed show promises an afternoon that will thrill audiences of all ages as talented performers execute skilful balancing and juggling acts and clowns raise a chuckle or two with their antics. Tickets cost £7.50 in advance or £10 on the day. Children under two go free. To book, email circusatspeldhurst@gmail.com
There will be a special picnic for The Queen’s 90th birthday in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park today from 2-4pm. Just bring your own food and drink and join in the celebrations.
MONDAY
South East Open Studios (SEOS) continues its run of showcasing local artists’ work in the area all this week. The annual event, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, runs until June 19 and happens all over the south east. In Tunbridge Wells you can catch a group of 50 artists exhibiting their paintings, photos and ceramics in Ely Court at Royal Victoria Place.
Tonight at the Kino cinema in Hawkhurst you can see more Shakespeare drama on the silver screen as part of the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of his death. This time it’s The Globe’s interpretation of The Merchant of Venice, which starts at 7.45pm. For ticket information visit www.kinodigital.co.uk
TUESDAY
Just started at Trinity and running until June 26 is an exhibition entitled Ragnarök. It’s the second solo exhibition by the Tunbridge Wells-based illustrator and Trinity theatre’s Associate Artist, Matt Syms, who has put a contemporary digital illustrative spin on mythical Norse characters such as Odin and Thor.
From today until next Sunday, Pashley Manor will be holding a special Rose Week. Their glorious gardens in Ticehurst are currently awash with different varieties and colours of the flower. There will be tours around the grounds by the property’s head gardener and visitors will be able to buy roses grown by Peter Beale, who has won over 20 Chelsea gold medals, to take home.
PICK OF THE WEEK
Danny, The Champion of The World
On Saturday June 11 at 6.30pm the Illyria theatre will be staging a performance of Danny, The Champion of the World. The classic Roald Dahl tale about a boy and the hunt for his missing poacher father will be brought to life in the magical surroundings of the open air theatre Arthur’s Garden at Coolings, near Sevenoaks. Tickets cost £14.99 for adults and £5 for children under 15.
