18 last-minute things to do this May bank holiday
If you've left it a little late organising what to do for the impending long weekend and aren’t planning to spend it immersed in the Champions League Final, we have a few last-minute suggestions – from days out to festivals – from around the UK.
London
1. Be transported to Spain at Feria de Londres
Details: May 25–27; feriadelondres.com
It might be a little too late to hop on a plain to sunny Spain, but that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the spirit. A traditional Andalusian Feria, the event in Bernie Spain Gardens on South Bank features Flamenco dancing, interactive workshops and live music, complemented by an array of colourful stalls serving up Spanish tapas and cocktails.
2. Discover Early Man at the Museum of London
Details: May 28; 11am and 2pm; museumoflondon.org.uk
To celebrate the DVD release of Early Man by Nick Park, creator of Wallace and Gromit, the Museum of London is holding two free screenings of the film on bank holiday Monday. A range of drop-in, family-friendly activities are also on offer including flint-making and educational prehistoric artefact shows.
3. Tuck into Summer at Foodies Festival, Syon Park
Details: May 26–28; foodiesfestival.com
A celebration of all things edible, the food festival features some of the UK’s most popular chefs including 2018 MasterChef champion Kenny Tutt, Great British Bake Off winner Sophie Faldo and Michelin-starred Atul Kochhar cooking live at The Chefs Theatre. Street food stalls, a Prosecco and Parmesan masterclasses, chocolate making, cream pie throwing, cheese stretching and chilli eating competitions are also on offer, plus a range of activities for kids.
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The South West
4. Get creative at the Exmouth Festival
Details: May 25–June 3; exmouthfestival.org.uk
The music and arts festival held at Manor Gardens includes poetry, literature, exhibitions and live music, as well as workshops, arts and crafts, including circus skills and ceramic workshops and a writing surgery for aspiring authors. It’s also completely free.
5. Chase cheese down Cooper's Hill
Details: May 28; from 12pm (get there early for a good spot); cheese-rolling.co.uk
The lovable eccentric annual cheese rolling event in Brockworth has been running since the 1800s and sees competitors fling themselves down an incredibly steep hill in pursuit of a giant wheel of cheese. The first one to reach the finish line gets to take home the 8lb block of Double Gloucester.
6. Take to the water at the Fal River Festival
Details: May 25–June 3; falriver.co.uk
Kicking off this evening with live music running late into the night, the Fal River Festival in Falmouth, Cornwall, celebrates the best of the great British seaside. The weekend’s highlights include a range of art and craft exhibitions, street food, a mini beer festival, Jazz on the Quay, a coastal and woodland foraging course with wild cook up, the Falmouth Marine School open day, St Anthony Head Circular Walk and Mylor Beach Clean where you can help tackle the plastic problem on British beaches.
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South-east England
7. Get back to nature at the Wild Wood Festival
Details: May 26–28; kew.org
The woodlands of Wakehurst this weekend are the perfect destination for those with small children at home who were too busy to think about planning a distraction in advance. In the heart of Pearcelands Wood, the festival aims to celebrate the traditions, ecology and folklore of the wood with a range of activities including tree listening, climbing, archery, whittling demonstrations, storytelling, an outdoor play space and an aerial runway.
8. Go alternative at the Brighton Fringe Festival
Details: May 4–June 3; brightonfringe.org
While England's largest arts festival may have already kicked off, there’s plenty happening over the bank holiday weekend. Enjoy cabaret, comedy, dance and theatre performances as well as music, film and literature events. This year's programme includes the return of Fringe City – a free outdoor event each weekend – as well as the launch of Freedom Season, a programme of events designed to accommodate audiences with varying accessibility needs.
Channel Islands
9. Experience Iceland in Alderney
Details: May 25–28; alderneyperformingartsfestival.com
Today, the annual Alderney Performing Arts Festival kicks off with a haunting performance by Icelandic folk singer Osp against the atmospheric backdrop of Chateau L’Etoc, one of the many heritage properties on the island. This year’s theme is Iceland (a different island is selected each year) and includes a range of music including everything from opera in church to country music in an old London Underground carriage. Alderney Wildlife Week also starts this weekend and is packed with events that will get you up close to seals, gannets, puffins, bats and hedgehogs.
The Midlands
10. Celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday at Blists Hill Victorian Town
Details: May 26–27; ironbridge.org.uk
If you feel like your weekend might be painfully lacking in royalty following the excitement of last week’s royal wedding, you can always head to Blists Hill to help the residents celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria. Explore the authentic shops and cottages of the era and wander down streets lined with bunting to discover how the Victorians enjoyed celebrating birthdays. Don’t miss the special parade on Sunday.
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11. Head for the treetops at BeWILDerwood
Details: May 26–June 3; bewilderwood.co.uk
Young children will get a kick out of joining Mildred, BeWILDerwood's resident 'Crocklebog' of Scaaaaary Lake, at her annual Maypole event and learning the traditional dance around the maypole. There are activities such as face painting, mask making and a selection of costumes to choose from as well as treetop bridges and zip wires.
12. Watch people run uphill with a sack of wool on their back
Details: May 28; tetburywoolsack.co.uk
Another delightfully British, mildly eccentric annual event dating back to the 17th century, the Tetbury Woolsack Race sees people race up the rather steep incline of Gumstool Hill, carrying a heavy sack of wool on their backs. There is a child’s version of the race and the town celebrates with a street fair featuring entertainers, stalls and rides.
Northern England
13. Have your fill at Leeds Indie Food Festival
Details: May 10–28; leedsindiefood.co.uk
A celebration of independent food and drink, the annual Leeds Indie Food Festival is in its final weekend. Grab a #LIF18 festival passport to receive discounts, deals and goodies, and try out a chocolate making class.
Wales
14. Celebrate the Bard at the Hay Festival
Details: May 26–June 3; hayfestival.com
This year’s Hay Festival Forum focuses on the way that we produce, supply and regulate the food we eat, with talks including 'What’s the beef with meat?', 'Feeding the nine billion' and 'Culture-grown lab meat'. There are also, of course, the usual literary and musical delights to enjoy.
15. Celebrate Wales’ Year of the Sea at the Volvo ocean race
Details: May 27–June 10; volvooceanracecardiff.com
This year, for the first time in history, the Volvo Ocean Race around the world will stop in Cardiff. The free two-week event starts this weekend with the Race Village on the Cardiff Bay Barrage and will have a real Welsh feel to it. All producers – including street food vendors and bars serving real ale – will be offering locally-sourced food and drink alongside live music sessions on the waterfront.
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Scotland
16. Get green-fingered across the country
Details: May 25–28; visitscotland.com
If you haven’t been able to make it down to London for this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, there are a whole host of events going on around Scotland this weekend for the greenfingered. Events include the Scottish Rhododendron Festival and numerous Charity Garden Openings at a range of venues across the country. Check out the Visit Scotland website to find one near you.
17. Have a tipple at the Islay Festival of Music and Malt (Fèis ìle)
Details: May 25–June 2; islayfestival.com
Fèis ìle is a festival in the true Gaelic spirit, with plenty of song, poetry, history, piping and food to be enjoyed. Taking over the island on the Southern Hebrides on the last weekend of May each year, there is a diverse programme featuring traditional music, ceilidhs, Gaelic lessons, golf, bowling and - perhaps best of all - whisky tasting.
Northern Ireland
18. Become a Celtic apprentice at Armagh Navan Centre and Fort
Details: May 26–27; visitarmagh.com
This weekend, the Celts of Navan Centre & Fort in Armagh are inviting visitors to join them for a lesson in how to be a Celt, offering activities such as coracle making, wool dyeing and cloth weaving. You can also enjoy the centre’s usual highlights including the archaeology discovery room, guided mound tours, Celtic costumes and ecology trail.