Editorial
Top picks, not the whole kitchen sink
A bit more curation, a bit less faff, and absolutely no pretending that an event with two words of description is somehow a must-see.
Featured right now
Summer holidays near you
The summer holidays are prime time for family-friendly local plans, pop-up workshops, activity days, theatre bits, trails, and all the things that stop everyone climbing the walls by week two.
Editor's pick
Summer holidays, sorted
Family outings, workshops, activity days, shows, and the nearby summer plans worth actually knowing about before the group chat starts panicking. We have already done the digging, so this page pulls together the stronger local picks in one cheerful place.
We do the legwork
Behind the scenes, we check a frankly silly number of local websites, listings, and feeds so you don't have to spend Friday night opening seventeen tabs.
We keep the useful stuff
A top pick needs proper details, a sensible location, and enough substance to be worth recommending. Three vague lines and a mystery venue will not cut the mustard.
We keep it local
These pages still use your location where they can, because a brilliant event forty miles away is less of a helpful suggestion and more of a logistical challenge.
Start Here
This weekend, sorted
Three handy places to begin: family plans with proper details, free picks that still clear a decent quality bar, and rainy-day backups for when the weather starts acting like it has a personal grudge.
Top Picks
Families this weekend
Ten family-friendly picks with proper details, decent venues, and no mystery listings that leave you guessing.
Have a nosey →Top Picks
Free things this weekend
A smarter list of local free picks for the weekend, chosen for quality, clarity, and the sort of detail that saves a wasted journey.
Have a nosey →Top Picks
Rainy day picks this weekend
A shortlist for damp weekends: likely-indoor plans, cosy venues, and fewer reasons to pretend your coat is more waterproof than it is.
Have a nosey →Seasonal
Big dates and seasonal moments
The long weekends, festive stretches, and single-day occasions that send local venues into a mild flurry of admin. From bank holidays to Valentine's plans, these pages gather the stronger nearby picks as the dates creep closer.
Seasonal
Valentine's Day near you
14 February 2027
The nearby Valentine's plans worth bothering with: dinners, tastings, concerts, date nights, and anything more inspired than panic-booking the nearest table for two.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
International Women's Day near you
8 March 2027
The nearby International Women's Day plans worth knowing about: talks, exhibitions, performances, workshops, markets, and community events with something useful to say.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
What's on over Easter
26–29 March 2027
A curated Easter guide for the stronger nearby picks: egg hunts, spring outings, family plans, and other bits worth circling on the calendar.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
May bank holiday weekend
1–3 May 2027
The first long weekend of the warm half: spring fairs, open gardens, Morris dancing, and all the maypole-adjacent fun worth putting in the diary.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Spring bank holiday weekend
29–31 May 2027
The last long weekend before the schools break up: village fêtes, outdoor concerts, and the final excuse to be outside before summer officially happens.
Have a nosey →Seasonal
Pride Month near you
1–30 June 2027
Nearby Pride Month picks with a bit of sparkle and some actual substance: performances, talks, screenings, markets, workshops, and community events worth showing up for.
Have a nosey →Seasonal
Summer holidays near you
18 July–31 August 2026
A handy summer-holidays shortlist for nearby family plans, workshops, shows, activity days, and other bits that stop the six-week stretch turning into a logistical fever dream.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Summer bank holiday weekend
29–31 August 2026
The last long weekend of summer: outdoor cinema, food festivals, park events, and all the cheerful end-of-August plans worth getting dressed for.
Have a nosey →Seasonal
Heritage Open Days near you
11–20 September 2026
Nearby Heritage Open Days picks worth a proper nosey: hidden buildings, local history walks, special openings, talks, tours, and the sort of places usually shut behind an unhelpful door.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Halloween weekend
30 October–1 November 2026
The nearby Halloween plans worth bothering with: pumpkin trails, spooky family bits, late-night nonsense, and the seasonal chaos with enough detail to trust.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Christmas events near you
1–31 December 2026
The festive nearby plans worth knowing about: markets, lights switch-ons, Santa visits, choir concerts, and all the Christmas bits that make December feel properly December.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Bonfire Night weekend
4–6 November 2026
The nearby fireworks, bonfires, torchlit parades, and autumn evenings worth actually layering up for.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
New Year's Eve near you
31 December 2026–1 January 2027
The nearby New Year's Eve plans worth knowing about: parties, fireworks, ceilidhs, pub nights, family countdowns, and anything else that beats staring at the telly by default.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Mother's Day weekend
6–7 March 2027
The nearby Mother's Day plans worth knowing about: lunches, concerts, crafty family bits, garden wanders, and all the nicer ways to avoid a panic-booked petrol station bouquet.
Have a nosey →
Seasonal
Father's Day weekend
19–20 June 2027
The nearby Father's Day plans worth knowing about: pub lunches, steam trains, brewery tours, family outings, and anything more inspired than asking where he fancies and getting 'oh, anywhere'.
Have a nosey →What Editorial Means Here
More magazine shelf, less jumble sale
The aim is not to be grand about it. It is simply to give the stronger stuff a proper moment in the sun. Shorter lists. Better explanations. Less poking around trying to work out whether an event sounds brilliant or baffling.
Over time this section can grow into weekend round-ups, local themes, and other handy guides that make the site feel more like a cheerful neighbour and less like a filing cabinet.
More On The Way