Calendar of Events near Southam

January 2016

• First signs of spring, wonderful displays of snowdrops – weather is generally dry, frosty, and sunny, making the landscape sparkly with delight and easy to walk over the farm and discover all our nooks and crannies – however it does rain also so bring wellies
• Stratford Ghost tours
• Shakespeare Houses – Stratford upon Avon- Shakespeare Aloud! present potted productions starting at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, then moving on to Nash’s House & New Place and Hall’s Croft
• Day or Evening Dinner and Cruise on the river avon by the Countess of Evesham. Well recommended!
• The birds – see Robins at their most brightest
• Britain’s garden bird watch – great place to watch for birds
• RSC winter theatre production

February 2016

• Royal Shakespeare Theatre – RSC – Winter production
• Compton Verney reopens for the new season, CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly
• Good time to see new born lambs, buds on trees

March 2016

• Mothering Sunday – all mums get a little treat from us!
• Good time to see new born lambs in the village
• See Frogspawn in the pond
• Fish feeding restarts
• Farmer Craig plants the spring crops which will be harvested in the Autumn
• Wonderful displays of daffodils and tulips
• On the farm – model railway club Saturday – open weekend – 11.00 – 4.00pm – date to be confirmed
• Stratford upon Avon Stratford Literary Festival
• Compton Verney open, CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly

April 2016

• Easter Sunday  – with extra easter treats!
• Shakespeare SPRING 100, a challenging early-season 100 Km CycloSportive around South Warwickshire & the Cotswolds straddling Gloucestershire & Oxfordshire. All proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support
• Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations over a few days around 23rd April – born 1564
• Stratford upon Avon Stratford Literary Festival
• St Georges Day 23rd April
• All National Trust Properties are open and have wonderful Easter Egg Hunts and activities
• Famer Craig will feed the crops with fertiliser so they are strong and healthy
• New exhibition at Compton Verney CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly

May 2016

• May pole dancing in Harbury
• New exhibition at Compton Verney CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly
• Macride cycle tour – 100 mile cycle ride linking Chester with historic Stratford-upon-Avon
• Festival of Motoring,  300 classic and special interest vehicles on display throughout the historic town – with 2 car runs through Warwickshire and Gloucestershire countryside
• Comedy Hullabaloo, at RSC Stratford – Very Popular and great acts, organised by Edinburgh Festival – Al Murray, Jason Manford, Ardal O’Hanlon – not to be missed!
• Beest of British Transport Festival at the Heritage Motor Centre

June 2016

• Fathers Day – All fathers get a treat from us
• Over 600 Veteran and Vintage motorcycles will descend on the Heritage Motor Centre for the Vintage Motor Cycle Club middle Sunday in June. The event, which is the largest gathering of pre-1931 Motorcycles & 3 Wheelers in the World,  On the run they come through the village on the way out and back. Wonderful!
• Wellesborne Airfield the Vulcan bomber XM655  gets fired up and taxis along the runway. Happens just once a year!
• Summer exhibition at Compton Verney CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles  – very child and disabled friendly
• Classic Car rally – open to cars over 20 years old at the Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon – 2miles away
• The gardens of the farm house are at their best in June with lovely hunnysuckle, clematis and rambling roses, being a few of my favouites. Anne’s gardens are a delight and a joy to admire at any time of year but in June they seem to come alive!

July 2016

• Summer exhibition at Compton Verney CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly
• Warwick Castle – Many activities but includes the popular Jousting and the trebuchet – starts 25th July
• Stratford Home and Garden show – at Alscote Park
• Jousting at Warwick Castle to September
• CLA Game fair – Blenheim Palace
• Harvesting the crops, Farmer Craig will use the Large Combine to harvest in the grain
• Great time to see our British butterflies, Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and the Peacock are 3 of my
  favourites!

August 2016

• Compton Verney CV35 9HZ near Kineton – 5 miles drive – very child and disabled friendly
• Warwick Castle – Many activities including the popular Jousting and the trebuchet – all of August
• Cream teas – Knightcote Village Hall, popular event with home made cakes and puddings all at very reasonable prices
• Harvesting the crops, Farmer Craig will use the Large Combine to harvest in the grain
• Great time to see our British butterflies, Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and the Peacock are 3 of my favourites

September 2016

• Harvesting of the crops continues
• Warwick Castle – Many activities including the popular Jousting and the trebuchet
• Working the ground and soil with the big tractors and cultivators getting it ready to sow the seeds for next year’s harvest
• Food Festival time – Generally one every weekend – Stratford, Banbury, Leamington, Shipston
• Moreton in the Marsh Show – first Saturday – wonderful small farming show
• Retro and classic Truck Show at Heritage Motor Centre – normally second Sunday in September
• 3rd weekend in September – Classic car weekend (cars over 20 years old) at the Heritage Motor Centre
• Heritage open weekend second weekend. Lots of unusual places open, 2 of my favourites are:
  • The Real Tennis Club Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5DT built in 1846/7 by Jackson of Leamington Spa
  • Chesterton Windmill.  Although the windmill is open to walk around free throughout the year it is only open to view up inside on this weekend. Erected in 1632 from a design attributed to Indigo Jones. The machinery was extensively modified in 1860 but last used in 1910. Wonderful windmill, very beautiful and a with a jaw dropping 360 degree unobstructed view of Warwickshire.

October 2016

• Planting of the crops to be harvesting next Autumn
• Halloween 31st October, all children welcome to walk around our small friendly village and play trick or treat on those that have a pumpkin at their door!
• Southam French Market – last Saturday in October

November 2016

• Bonfire night in Knightcote – all are welcome to join in with the fun held on the village playground!
• Switching on the lights at Stratford – people come from far and wide
• Victorian Street Fayre in Warwick near to the end of November
• Southam lights switch on last Friday of the month
• Saturday and Sunday Christmas Markets
• November 23rd – Toy Fair at Heritage Motor Centre

December 2016

• Stratford Garden Centre CV37 8LW – has the most amazing Christmas display, Santa’s Grotto includes present, wonderful food and gift ideas. Why not have breakfast or tea with Santa?
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace – in the centre of Stratford – spectacular 3D light show daily at 4.30, 5.00, 5.30 and 6.00
  Enjoy carols at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Gardens, CV37 9HH
• See Father Christmas and Feed the Reindeer at Hatton Country World – open every day
• 24th December in the Village – Carol singers sing under the old fashioned street lamp at the cottages on Christmas Eve. They also welcome you to join them on their travels around the village!
• The very popular candlelit service at the Church on Burton Dassett, last Sunday before Christmas
• Pantomimes: in Leamington Spa, Stratford upon Avon – RSC, Coventry – Belgrade Theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome
• New Year’s Eve Ghost Tour with bucks fizz at Falstaff Experience -Tudor World, Stratford-upon-Avon,CV37 6EE
  If you’re not sure what to do for the New Year and fancy a change, what better way than to celebrate the New Year with the ghosts and spirits of Tudor World!