Holiday Attractions & Events

Bewilderwood, the curious tree-house adventure park, is holding a traditional mid-summer ‘Twiggle’ fayre on August 15th and 16th that will be packed with fun, games and excitement for all the family.

Shakespeare Country attractions have been listed in the top 50 ‘British Wonders’ survey by MSN. The top 50 list, which rates the nation’s most beautiful and fascinating sights in the UK, asks which ones people have actually visited.

The summer holidays are fast approaching – but don’t panic as Willows Farm Village near St Albans is holding their brilliant Summer Spectacular event with plenty to keep children busy from the 18th July to 6th September.

If there were any doubt that Nikki Beach Marbella is one of the leading venues for jet-set living in Southern Europe, top international men's lifestyle web, AskMen.com has selected the cool Spanish beach club as one of the Top 10 Elite Beaches in the world.

Fed up with shopping the in UK high street? Need a holiday? The cure for both ailments is a weekend shopping break to the coolest capital in Scandinavia. Be prepared to find your dream clothes in this city of style, because there really is something for everyone.

Bristol is famous for its Clifton Suspension Bridge, Hot Air Balloons and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but now something else has hit the city by storm – Banksy.

Montserrat’s annual Calabash Festival, now in its fourth year, will take place from 11th – 19th July 2009. The eight-day festival will include a range of events such as the Calabash Food Fair; a hike to Montserrat’s only white sand beach, Rendezvous Bay; an island bus tour; a boat tour to Plymouth; and a gala evening at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.

Cyclists from all over the world will be heading to Poland this summer as the country’s biggest cycle race gets underway. Thousands of competitors and fans are expected to head to Warsaw ahead of the Tour de Pologne which starts on 2 August.

Next year, the Québec Winter Carnival, in collaboration with Loto-Québec, will be marked by a festive atmosphere, where music and dance will play a predominant role.

The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site will be celebrating summer with an array of festivals and special events during July.

The 2009 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup will be held on 10-15 August at Myga Surf City, where Pegasus's flying horse logo will emblazon the competing windsurfers' sails.

An American couple have cancelled their flights twice and delayed their trip home to relive their Shotover Canyon Swing experience in Queenstown – again, and again, and again, and again.

Salisbury Cathedral is running a series of imaginative art and activity sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the month of August for families with younger children.

If you are feeling creative and you fancy making and decorating weird and wonderful clothes and accessories, then go along to Mildred’s Weird Wardrobe Weekend at Bewilderwood, the curious treehouse adventure park, on 25th and 26th July.

The UK Pro Surf Tour has announced it will be returning to Sri Lanka in July this year for the “Sri Lanka Champion of Champions Surf Contest” at Arugam Bay. Renowned as one of the best ‘point breaks’ in the world, Arugam Bay is situated on the East coast of Sri Lanka, which is now accessible as a result of the recent end to the civil unrest in the country.

The distinctive taste of Cumbria and the Lake District will infuse a cruise in the coming months as the divine Ullswater ‘Steamers’ lay on Cumbrian Fayre evening buffet cruises on England’s most beautiful lake.

With trees dripping with fresh lush leaves and summer flowers splashing colour across the countryside, The National Forest is ripe for capturing that perfect shot on camera. And help is at hand for visitors to do just that.

Next month, Coast month comes to The Isle of Man, bringing a range of exhilarating activities for food fans, water lovers and adrenalin junkies. Food lovers will be in seafood heaven at the Isle of Man Queenie Festival.

An ‘Independents’ Day’ event to promote Royal Leamington Spa as the home of the ‘independent retailer’ will take place on Saturday 4 July. The inspiration for the event, which is being organised by BID Leamington, comes from American Independence Day which takes place on the same day.

Kids travel free on all Irish Ferries crossings between 4 July and 31 August when booked by 30 June and 14 days before sailing.

The 25th Annual Edmonton International Street Performers Festival laces up and steps in to Sir Winston Churchill Square with over 150 shows daily, July 3-12, 2009. Edmonton’s downtown core is magically transformed into the ultimate play zone with amazing street acts, rovers, interactive comedy characters, kids’ activities, live music and general clowning around.

The world-renowned St Kitts Music Festival has earned its cachet as the most diversified music show in the Caribbean, attracting legends including Shaggy, Shaka Khan, Busta Rhymes, Kool & The Gang and Wyclef Jean in its 13 year history.

From 9th July to 11th October, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon will display over 250 artefacts from the 16th and 17th centuries, taken from private collections from around the world. Previously exhibited in Washington DC, the Smithsonian Institution display in Lisbon entitled Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and the World in the 16th and 17th Centuries, is supported by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture.

‘A Perfect Day’, North London’s most exciting community street festival in aid of Swiss Cottage Specialist School for children with Special Needs, will be opened by Helena Bonham Carter on Sunday 13 September 2009 on Avenue Road, Swiss Cottage, London NW8. Doors will open at 12.30 and Helena will kick off proceedings on stage with the support of some of the children from the school.

With barbeque weather predicted this summer and increasing numbers of Brits choosing to holiday at home, Brighton & Hove is hotting up and preparing for a rush of visitors over the summer season.

UK music festivals are likely to contribute approximately £450 million to the British economy this year, according to PRS for Music - the organisation responsible for collecting royalties for performers. The recently-released study estimates that two million people will attend around 150 music festivals this summer.

Over 60 people were treated to a free surf lesson at Perranporth, Cornwall last Saturday 13th June for the official launch of the new Ticket to Ride Surf Academy.

Lithuanians and guests from abroad will enjoy the exceptionally festive summer of 2009 in Lithuania. The country entered the European history when it was first mentioned in a medieval German manuscript, the Quedlinburg Chronicle, so the present year of 2009 is a festive year of the Millennium of Lithuania. Also, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania is this year’s European Capital of Culture.

Those who aren’t fans of R&B should definitely avoid Maryport on 24- 26 July as this is when the Cumbrian seaside resort will be rocking to its 11th annual Blues Festival with more than 40 bands and 150 musicians performing in the main marquee, pubs and clubs or on an outdoor stage on the street.