An Insider Guide to What's On

The Houghton International Horse Trials from Thursday 21 May through to Sunday 24th May 2020  incorporating the FEI Nations Cup has it all; exhilarating sporting action, a spectacular setting, entertainment for young and old, plus shopping at over 70 trade stands.

Past contenders include Badminton Horse Trials winner Piggy French, Gemma Tattersall, Ingrid Klimke, Pippa Funnell, Zara Philips and Lucinda Green.

Set in the magnificent grounds of Houghton Hall, Norfolk, this truly is one of the most outstanding venues within the sport of eventing

One of the most successful open studios’ schemes in the country, the Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios, is celebrating its 25th year this year with 430 artists taking part across 250 venues.

The 16-day celebration of Norfolk’s artistic community runs from Saturday 25 May to Sunday 9 June 2019. This free event will see artists throughout the county opening their doors to the public to exhibit, sell and talk about their work and practice. Now established as one of the largest open studios’ schemes in the country, visitors will have the opportunity to see new art, meet artists, and - with many of the works on display being for sale - buy original artworks directly from their creators. It’s a great opportunity for the artists to meet with the public and talk about their work and for people to have the chance to see artists at work first hand.

We first saw this after it had been a smash hit from Sheffield and transferred to the West End. Starring Layton Williams and Shane Ritchie both reprising their roles in this critically acclaimed West End production.

Inspired by a 2011 BBC documentary about a teenager who wanted to be a drag queen, the show follows 16-year-old Jamie on his journey to be himself – out of a classroom in a working-class part of Sheffield, away from the bigotry of a deadbeat dad, and into high heels.
Director Jonathan Butterell’s production is a high-impact blaze of colour, combining video projections with seamless scene changes and a live band above the stage. It captures the frenetic energy of being a teenager.

Every element of this show works beautifully together. The music, by The Feeling frontman Dan Gillespie Sells, is a deft mix of irresistibly catchy, pop-honed foot-tappers – try not to hum ‘And You Don’t Even Know It’, I dare you – and truthful, heart-wrenching numbers.

The Three Inch Fools are a five-strong troupe of actors equipped with all manner of musical instruments, performing our highly imaginative and vibrantly musical take on Shakespeare's plays.Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. This is an outdoor theatre production in the stunning grounds of Sandringham House.

Wells-next-the-Sea in the heart of North Norfolk enjoys a traditional summer Carnival for residents and visitors. A week of family fun and events including a Carnival Day procession around the town featuring floats, fancy-dress, pull-and push-along vehicles and much more. The carnival will run from the 31st July through to the 8th August 2020. Traditional seaside activities include a sand-castle competition, town crier competition, gillying on the Wells-next-sea quay and the crowning of the Carnival Royals.

The NNMF has been established for 16 years bringing internationally known musicians as well as introducing new talent at the beginning of their careers. With 17 concerts, a film, talks and an array of pianists, singers, a choir, even a consort of viols and no less than three quartets. An impressive programme of classical music with renowned performers and up-and-coming talent. it’s no wonder the audience returns to North Norfolk each summer.

Craig Richards created this utopic festival in 2017 and it's been all the rage every since. This festival is unique in that the venue has a 24 hour license so the party truly never stops and the sets are extremely long. In conjunction with the wild energy of the festival, there are also sculptures and art to look through in the gardens of the estate that the festival takes place. Gates open at midday on Thursday, August 6, and music begins at 5pm. Entry on the first night stops at 1am, and the music ends at 2am, and gates open on Friday at 9am. After music begins at 10am, it continues to 3am on Monday morning, with all campsites finally closing at 2pm the same day.

The Urban Soul Orchestra conducted by Stephen Hussey return for another sell-out performance of classic Ibiza anthems under the stars, with live DJ and vocalists.

​​This will be Norfolk’s biggest dance party of the Summer full of iconic Ibiza anthems. A chill-out set in the first half will be followed by a half hour interval with the DJ playing the latest Ibiza tunes.

​​As dusk falls, the lasers will hit the Blickling skyline as the Urban Soul Orchestra return to bring some of the best of the White Island’s dance tunes to orchestral life. The track-list packed full of some of dance music’s most iconic anthems. Performed by The Urban Soul Orchestra, DJ Goldierocks and a host of live vocalists, the gig is split into two halves - starting with a chill-out set followed by a series of dance-floor fillers. The first set starts at 8pm followed by an interval with DJ Goldierocks at 9pm before the second set at 9.30pm. The concert is expected to finish at around 10.45pm.

Classic Ibiza is a heady mix of iconic dance tunes, a classical orchestra and a music festival in a stunning setting. Whether you want to sit back and relax with a glass of bubbly over a picnic in the evening sun, or get up and dance the night away, everyone is guaranteed a great time.

The 100th week-long Hunstanton Lawn Tennis Tournament commences on the 16th August 2020 and is said to be Britain's largest event of its kind after Wimbledon, taking place on 38 grass courts. Starting at the Hunstanton Recreation Ground on Sunday, play will continue each day, through to all the finals on Saturday.

The competition has attracted just short of 1,000 individual players, competing in 40 different events.This will be boosted by around another 150 juniors with the mini Gresham’s round-robin event for under-12s and under-10s commencing on the Wednesday.Hunstanton's tournament has attracted players from eight-years-old through to some senior veterans, with some competitors in their 80s, from all over the country and also from abroad.The standard ranges from those entering their first competition to very good county players

The North Norfolk festival takes place in the spectacular setting of the Walled Garden at Holkham Hall on the 31st August 2020. Historically filled with vegetables and flowers grown for the Hall, nestled within huge brick and flint walls that offer protection from the elements, they made for an ideal setting to celebrate the abundance of Norfolk.

Stall holders offer their products for sale including fresh meat and game, vegetables, cakes, artisan beer, bread, tarts, juices, cakes and bakes, chocolates and much more. A dazzling array of concessions offer delicious food for eating on site and entertainment ranges from the ever popular cookery theatre to children’s activities and face painting.

Sandringham Country Fair on the 5th and 6th September 2020. The fair showcases a range of crafts and food stalls as well as many outdoor demonstrations of country sports and activities.

Three  main arenas, including the Countryside Arena and  World of Dogs, displaying the best in exciting equine sports, country pursuits and the wonderful world of dogs; a huge steam and vintage area, have a go falconry, fishing, fieldsports and more. A great countryside day out for the whole family.

There is also food arena, children's activities, a shooting village, falconry arena and lots to eat!

In 2019 over 400 riders took part in this cycling event based loosely on the previous haunts of the legendary black shuck hound. There are three routes of approx 28 - 30 miles each + a family friendly up to 10 mile route to get the under 16's and their families out on their bikes. The family route has been designed to have low traffic, not too many hills and also be rewarding. The routes have a very good mix of beautiful countryside rolling hills and unspoilt views.

PrimEvil, Norfolk's biggest scare experience, returns to the dinosaur park Norwich on the 9th October 2020 with fun, entertainment and screams as the doors to five haunted mazes open, filled with a host of characters and scares. This is certainly not for the faint of heart!

From clowns to the dark, small spaces to spiders, there is something to spook everyone at Prime Evil and it is no surprise that is attracts tens of thousands of thrill seekers young and old every Halloween. Enjoy a cabaret of forgotten circus and ghost stories, gallows humour and lost souls, set to devastating beats and mesmerising tunes to make you dance till you drop.

Also new this year is PrimEvil Extreme, two nights dedicated to those over the age of 18, with a firework display, heightened haunts and an exclusive, exciting, immersive experience.

With online ticket prices ranging from £19.95 and the additional option of upgrading to a Fast Track or VIP, this has to be the year that you re-visit.

Restaurant Week is Norfolk’s largest dining event, a culinary celebration of our vibrant restaurant scene, fine food, and the people who produce it.

It is the opportunity to sample those restaurants you have always wanted to try, or revisit existing favourites, all at unmissable prices. Every restaurant who takes part will offer their usual high standard of food but at an incredibly tempting price.

Last year saw hungry diners making the most 40 unmissable priced menus at some of North Norfolk’s best restaurants. “The event has become hugely popular over the last five years, and menus, which are now available to view online, are much anticipated. The most popular places fill up quickly, which is why we always encourage people to book well in advance,” confirms founder and organiser Martin Billing

The dawn flight of tens of thousands of pink-footed geese from Iceland and Greenland leaving their night time roost on the Wash is one of THE best nature spectacles in Europe.

The arrival of the Pink-footed Geese in Norfolk has come to herald the start of the Autumn and Winter season for many bird-watchers and nature lovers. Every year this unique bird visits our shores in greater numbers with thousand blackening the winter sky as they head to their night roost.   Their numbers increase steadily throughout October, and by the end of November most of the geese will have arrived. The Pink-footed Goose is not only attracted to Norfolk for the Brancaster mussels or Cromer crabs, but for a rather less well known delicacy - the sugar beet. By February most will be returning home to their breeding ground in Spitsbergen, Iceland and Greenland.

The sight of tens of thousands of geese taking off and landing en-masse is one of Norfolk's natural wonders.

The Thursford Christmas Spectacular has become one of the most anticipated festive events in East Anglia, having attracted audiences from across the country since opening on Christmas Eve 1977. This year alone has seen more than 112,000 visitors from across the world entertained by 65 musical numbers. Fantastic sets and colour, the choreography, the singing and dancing, and a very special ‘Christmassy’ atmosphere. The show has a 130-strong cast and has a budget of £1.8m, and there is so much happening on the huge stage that it is  hard to decide what to focus on. The overall effect is quite breath-taking.

From rock ‘n’ roll, showtunes, the can can and carols, the Vegas-style variety show is Europe’s biggest Christmas performance, with a budget of £1.8m. Each year the family-run Thursford Collection serves up 35,000 mince pies, almost 19,000 mulled wines and 24,000 tubs of ice cream

Hunstanton Cliffs is the perfect spot for a Guy Fawkes night celebration and the fireworks are big, loud and go on and on and on! They say that nowhere are the skies bigger than in Norfolk but these fireworks do a great job at filling it. Doors open at 5.30pm on Saturday 7th November 2020 and the  giant bonfire before is lit at 6pm. The main firework display kicks off just after 7.30pm.

Food stalls, a fairground, children's entertainment and a bonfire will accompany the fireworks display and it is worth getting there in good time as this is one of the largest and most popular in the area. If you are looking to book a meal afterwards then reserve early.

This popular Christmas Craft Show held on the 20th-22nd November 2020 at Sandringham, bringing the opportunity to shop in comfort for all your Christmas food and gifts. New attractions include an Ice Skating Ring (synthetic) for the more energetic visitor and the Alternative Cabaret Tent with a varied bill of Magic & Illusion, Comedy and Balloon Science Show by Balloonatic.

Be met at the gate with a warming glass of seasonal punch, and stroll in comfort around the show.

Live music, excellent craft demonstrators, food halls and Christmas presents.  Santa’s owl show, live reindeer and so much more.

Adults £9, Seniors £8, Children £3 and a Family Ticket which includes 2 Adults and 3 Children £24.  Advance tickets and further information

The annual Christmas lights switch on is accompanied by a Christmas market with artisan stalls that spread the whole way through the centre of this well-known Norfolk village. This year will be held on Saturday the 21st November 2020.

There is also live entertainment, food stalls and all the local businesses join in the fun. Opens from 10am with the lights being switched on a couple of hours after dark,

The North Norfolk Railway will be transformed into The Norfolk Lights Express on selected evenings during November and December. The railway version of the Northern Lights will see trains decorated with multi-coloured lights gliding through the winter darkness from Saturday 21st November 2020.

From the comfort of vintage carriages, passengers will be able to watch a light show of illuminated festive scenes alongside the rails, and at the railway stations at Sheringham, Weybourne and Holt. The trains' external lights create technicolour effects for the passengers as they pass through the cuttings along the route.Sheringham, under the cover of darkness, The Norfolk Lights Express, fully decorated with multi-coloured lights, will steam it’s way through the countryside between Sheringham and Holt.

A complete range of refreshments including a licensed bar will be available on board.

The Burnham Deepdale Christmas Fair returns for the 12th year and can get very busy indeed. Look out for tasty treats, wreaths, cheese, penguin pictures, soaps, homewares, biscuits, chutneys, jewellery, accessories, toys, books, salamis, tea, beer, cordials, glass, bags, photographs ... Something for every budget, every present list, and every taste.

This year there will be lots more food. Deepdale Cafe, pizzas, pies, crepes, duck wraps, mulled wine, hot chocolate, burgers, real ales, sloe gin, Christmas punch, brownies ... You definitely won’t go hungry or thirsty, plenty of places to refuel to continue with the Christmas shopping.

Wells Christmas Tide Festival is traditionally held over a weekend, the first week in December each year, but depends on the Tides and this year will be on Saturday 28th November.

Wells Christmas Tide Festival regularly pulls in thousands of families lured by the unique prospect of seeing Santa Claus arrive in Norfolk from the North Pole by sea.

The town’s main shopping street will then remain the focus of the festive fun as a whole host of acts keep visitors entertained from 10.30am to 8pm. A fair will be operating on The Quay from 10am onwards and the annual Christmas Tree Festival will take place in the Congregational Hall in Clubbs Lane from 10am to 4pm.

Christmas lights switch on is at 4.45pm. Santa is due to arrive on the Quay at around 6.15pm before heading for his grotto at Playland amusements to see children from around 7pm onwards.

The crowds will then be further entertained by a spectacular fireworks display over the Wells Marshes.The Quay will be closed to all traffic from 4.30pm to 8pm.

Celebrate the magic of Christmas at Holkham with a Candlelight Tour of the Hall. See each stateroom beautifully adorned with sweet-scented pine trees, greenery, sparkling decorations, and twinkling lights. Each room will have its own theme and your guide will tell you all about the inspiration behind each magical setting.

Make your visit extra special with a Champagne, Candlelight, and Creators of Christmas tour - your unique chance to meet the faces behind Christmas at Holkham. How about extending the Christmas magic by joining us in the beautiful Chapel in Holkham Hall between Christmas and New Year for a Candlelight Experience with ‘Nativity’: a moving-image artwork by Martha Fiennes.

Have they been naughty or nice? Treat the children to our sell-out event, An Audience with Father Christmas, where they will meet our singing band of Ukulele Elves before sitting down for stories and surprises with Father and Mother Christmas.

There is also the annual Festive Food Fair. The fair showcases the best of local and regional food and drink, and our live cookery theatre will feature demonstrations from renowned local chefs.

The Hunstanton Christmas Day Swim has been staged from the main beach for over 50 years and draws over a hundred swimmers and many hundreds of spectators who cheer on the very game participants. Many swimmers not only brave the icy water but also fancy dress to raise money for charity. The swimmers will parade into the sea at 11am. Refreshments available from the Waterside Bar on Hunstanton Central Prom. The event raises money for the Round Table. For a registration form, visit Hunstanton Round Table Christmas Day Swim. Present the registration form at the Oasis Leisure Centre at 10.30am on Christmas Day.

For an evocative winter walk head to Walsingham Abbey in Norfolk from the 2nd January 2021, where snowdrops cast a new light upon the crumbling stone of the old abbey. This is a perfect spot, tucked away with a beautiful stream which can run fast and high. Glorious helibores and aconites as well as the carpets and carpets of snow drops. Walsingham Abbey is famous for the beautiful ruins of the Priory of our Lady of Walsingham, one of the medieval world’s most important places of pilgrimage. Destroyed after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538, today the ruins stand among lawns, with woodland and river walks extending to 18 acres.

Traditionally the opening to the travelling season, King's Lynn Mart has a special place in the hearts of the travelling showpeople. During the later half of the nineteenth century the King's Lynn Mart was a spectacular event in which Frederick Savage of King's Lynn displayed his latest roundabouts and fairground attractions to the showmen. This display of new machines and amusements continues today with the showmen vying to display the latest amusements. Traditionally, this is the first funfair in the Showmen’s calendar where new rides are tried out and old favourites brought out from winter storage.

The 817th Kings Lynn Mart which opens on the 13th February 2021 includes the same traditional rides and stalls as well as new rides called the Tornado, Over the Falls and the Fighter, which is a smaller version of the popular ride, Extreme. The 'Booster' pendulum ride will be back, as will the ride he calls the 'Crazy Shake' after it was introduced 'with success last year'. For two whole weeks from Valentines day, the town will see thousands of people come and experience all the fun of the showman's travelling fair. The mart is still due to be held at the Tuesday Market place.

Children's Day, in which all rides are reduced to £1 except for the Booster, dodgems and cars, will be taking place on Monday, February 18 of half-term.

Magazine 2 Massingham Fun Run -

Sunday February 21st 2021

RUN, WALK or CYCLE 10 miles along the Peddars Way on this great family day out.
£20 an adult and £10 a child donation asked for ~
Starting at 9.30am at Magazine Wood, heading south along the Peddars Way to the finish at the Massingham Dabbling Duck pub, who will be providing a bacon butty and hot drink on your arrival!

In 2020 raised money for EAAA in memory of Caroline Sanderson
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suzy-martin2

Over 60 pop-up shops, artisan and craft stall and loads of food exhibitors to tempt your taste buds! Market runs from the 27th to the 29th March 2020. This is a great opportunity to stock up on great food, find a special gift or just enjoy a great day out.

Deepdale Spring Market is part of the Deepdale Hygge, our celebration of the beautiful North Norfolk Coast, with live music (Friday & Saturday), the North Norfolk Coast Hygge Fair (Saturday) and activities throughout the weekend.

A very different way to enjoy the dramatic Blickling Estate. The Night run goes through the ancient woodlands that surround the house that some say is still haunted by Anne Boleyn. Choose from two routes, a 3km and 7km traffic free exploration. Head torches are essential and you could still have time for supper after if you get a move on!

Pensthorpe has for many years been home to the very popular SpringWatch series on the BBC.

The Bird and Wildlife Fair, which will run at Pensthorpe Natural Park, near Fakenham, on May 16 and 17, was previously known as the Norfolk Bird and Wildlife Fair. Pensthorpe Bird & Wildlife Fair will feature guest speakers, demonstrations, walks and talks, and book signings. The event is a celebration of nature-spotting in Norfolk and will bring together experts in the fields of optic equipment, wildlife-inspired art and crafts, books and wildlife and nature holidays.

Historically, it’s been pincers at dawn between neighbouring fishing towns Cromer and Sheringham. For the past eleven years, Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival has brought the two towns together to celebrate the bounty of the North Sea and the world-famous seafood produced by both coastal resorts. Recently hailed by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the best food festivals in the UK, the seafood spectacular stars local delicacies from the deep and attracts more than 20,000 people to north Norfolk every year.

This year’s festival runs from May 16 until May 18, starting with the Grand Opening Variety Concert at the Pier Pavilion Theatre in Cromer. There’s a host of events, including heritage demonstrations, a cookery theatre, the “Bootiful” Boat Art Trail and the Scrumptious Seafood Trail which includes more than 35 local restaurants, cafés, pubs and snack bars.

There’s also a street market packed with local produce, live music during the day and at night, street performers, heritage and seafaring crafts and children’s activities.

Fashion, food and having a flutter – it has to be the annual Ladies Day at Fakenham Racecourse. A key date in the Norfolk calendar, thousands of people stream through the gates to witness the thunder of steeds bearing down on the finish line and the roar of the crowds interspersed with the popping of corks and the rumble of conversation as visitors enjoy the day.

The Norfolk Superhero Challenge 2020 is a unique quadrathlon event that has raised huge sums for local charities. The Norfolk Superhero Challenge combined courses across land and sea, centred around the coastal village of Burnham Overy Staithe. More than 130 resilient racers take on the best of Norfolk’s scenery – and the worst of its weather – before crossing the line in a gruelling quadrathlon

The quadrathlon consists of swimming 1 mile from Gun Hill to the quay at Burnham Overy Staithe with the incoming tide. Kayak a 4 mile course through the creeks of Burnham Overy Staithe. Cycle a 45 mile circular route on North Norfolk’s most scenic roads. Finally run -8 miles across tracks, sand, mud and marsh. Come and cheer on the returners from around 2 hours after the start. It restores your faith in the human spirit!

From comedy to cuisine, politics to pop Holt Festival brings you the best in music, theatre, fine art and the spoken word in a glorious celebration of the arts.

During festival week, briefly and dazzlingly, it is home to musicians, poets, actors, dancers, artists and comedians.

There are venues all over town, in pubs and hotels, in tents and school halls. There are performances at the church, the Auden Theatre, in the bookshop, and the magnificent open-air Theatre in the Woods.

If you are looking for a quiet time in the countryside, this is not it. If you're looking for cultural nourishment, some belly laughs, and the pleasure of seeing some top-flight internationally recognised performers, you're in the right place.