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Welcome to February

With so many places to visit and things to do this month we’ve squeezed in as much as we can from the Feb Fest, February Frolics and Valentine’s Fun to Star Gazing, Science Workshops, Wildlife and Local Walks. As always we’ve included lots of local businesses to help you with whatever you need doing. Run your own business? We‘d love to include you too, just book your space online today.

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Cold-blooded Animals 17th - 19th Feb 10.30am & 2pm, age 3+ Free Explore the world of cold-blooded animals, from snakes and turtles to fish and frogs. Handle the specimens, touch their scales, feel their smooth skin and find out how they keep warm and cope in cold weather. Behind the Scenes Tour 25th Feb 2.30pm, from £13 Take a look behind the scenes at Tring’s worldrenowned bird collection. Learn about the lengths explorers went to collecting these remarkable specimens and discover how they are conserved and used by researchers today. Akeman Street Tring HP23 6AP nhm.ac.uk

Out & About

NGS Open Gardens

Harpenden Museum

Open: Tues, Thurs & Sat: 11am - 3pm free Display: Harpenden Schools - from the early days of the British and Board schools to today. Exhibition: The Lydekker Family of Harpenden Lodge Richard Lydekker (1849-1915) was a worldrenowned and widely travelled naturalist and author, some of his books on the flora and fauna of the world in the late Victorian times can been seen in this exhibition, alongside examples of his beautiful illustrations now photographed and enlarged. Such was his research that in 1896, the Lydekker Line was named after him, an imaginary line that marks the change in animal and plant species in Indonesia based upon their differing environments. Exhibition: Life in Harpenden during WW1 from 1st Feb Learn how life in this quiet village changed after 1914 with the influx of soldiers, the Sherwood Foresters, the military hospital in Milton Road, Zeppelin raids in Rothamsted and scouts entertaining the troops. History Society Talks 8pm, £5, students free High Street Methodist Church AL5 2RU 24th Feb: Luton Hoo & Harpenden - the people and properties that link the Hoo Estate and the town 24th March: Tenants in the Middle Ages Harpenden Museum, EMC, Rothamsted Park AL5 2FR harpenden-history.org.uk

Natural History Museum Tring

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year until 26th April 10am - 5pm free Highlights of the stunning pictures taken by talented young photographers from across the globe capturing the beauty and fragility of the natural world.

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Walkern Hall 31st Jan & 1st Feb 12 noon - 4pm, £6, please book A winter woodland garden, set in eight acres, the carpet of snowdrops and aconites is a constant source of wonder in winter. This Medieval hunting park is known more for its established trees such as the Tulip and a magnificent London Plane which dominate the garden. Home-made soup, tea, coffee and cakes will be available. Walkern Hall, Stevenage SG2 7JA Benington Lordship 10th Feb 11am - 4pm, £9 child £4 A seven acre site with a ruin of C12 Norman keep and C19 neo Norman folly. See spectacular snowdrops and spring bulbs, a formal rose garden, walled kitchen garden with vegetables, gravel garden and wildflower meadow, orchard with perennial meadow, lake, naturalistic planting of main border with wildlife friendly and drought tolerant plants and unspoilt panoramic views over parkland. Cream teas will be available. Benington Lordship, Stevenage SG2 7BS ngs.org.uk

IWM Duxford

In the Cockpit: Spitfire N3200 Feb selected dates from £50 A unique opportunity to sit inside the cockpit of an airworthy MK.1 Spitfire and hear the story of how the N3200 flew with the 19 Squadron from Duxford during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. American Air Museum Walking Tour until March selected dates adults £10 See the largest collection of American military aircraft outside of the USA, including the Lockheed U-2 spy plane, the fearsome A-10 'Thunderbolt II' ground attack aircraft, the WW2 B-17 'Flying Fortress' heavy bomber and the massive eight-engined B-52 'Stratofortress' in service from 1955 to the present day. Cambs CB22 4QR iwm.org.uk

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Out & About St Albans City Walks

Historic St Albans 1st, 8th,15th, 22nd Feb 11am Ghosts and Ghouls 5th & 19th Feb 7.30pm City Centre Highlights 7th Feb 2.30pm £10, please book online stalbanstourguides.co.uk

Dark Skies

7th Feb 4.45pm £2, £5 includes film & talk An immersive evening celebrating the beauty of the night sky, experience the stars with reduced artificial lighting and minimal light pollution. 3.30pm: Film: Night Burns Like Cigarettes, and a talk considering if darkness could really play a greater part in our future world. Hertford Castle SG14 1HR hertford.gov.uk

Herts Wildlife Trust

Guided Walk: Winter Photography 7th Feb 10am - 12 noon Join volunteers for a walk through the beautiful Nature Reserve and learn tips and tricks for capturing photographs of the scenery and nature. Free, donations welcome Cassiobury Park Watford WD18 7LG Guided Walk: Basic Winter Tree Identification 12th Feb 10am Take a walk through the beautiful Gobions Wood and uncover the subtle clues that reveal a tree’s identity. Dress warmly and wear sturdy footwear. Brookmans Park, Potters Bar AL9 7AF Help To Build A Bee Tower 21st March 11am - 3pm There are over 270 species of bee in the UK, they are all important and lead amazingly interesting lives, though many are disappearing from our environment. Learn about some of them, and help give them a home by helping build a collection of bee towers. Stocker's Lake, Rickmansworth WD3 1NB hertswildlifetrust.org.uk

Waddesdon 14

Guided Tours: Putting the House to Bed 7th Feb - 1st March Sat & Sun, 11am & 1pm, Take a behind-the-scenes look in the house,

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explore the collection stores, learn about the conservation techniques used to care for the collection and view the academic apartments, not normally open to the public. £29 Zoolab Live Shows 14th, 15th, 21st & 22nd Feb 10am - 4pm, £5 Get hands-on with snails, spiders, snakes and more, and learn about Native Species at this interactive show that will inspire you to get outdoors and appreciate the amazing animals around us. Ages 3 -10 Eythrope Parkland Spring Tours 18th - 20th Feb & Weds from 4th March - 29th April £15 Enjoy a tour of this private parkland and woodland garden with Eythrope’s garden guides. Guided Winter Walking Tours 18th Feb - 22nd March Weds & Sun 11.30am Free included in grounds admission See seasonal highlights including the Elephant Family, Daffodil Valley and winter and spring blooms. Wear warm clothing and walking boots. Mother's Day Afternoon Tea 14th & 15th March Enjoy an afternoon tea with a selection of sweet fancies and savoury treats. £39.95, child £18.50 Bucks HP18 0JH waddesdon.org.uk

St Albans South Signal Box

8th & 18th Feb & 8th & 22nd March 2pm - 5pm free Visit the largest preserved Midland Railway signal box in the UK open to the public and next to a mainline railway. Operate working signals, see a point, signalling demonstrations and more. 5 Ridgmont Road AL1 3AJ sigbox.co.uk

The Libraries

My Book Crush: Quiet Bookclub 12th Feb 5pm free Harpenden Library Discuss your favourite literary heartthrobs, before the quiet reading group. Craftea 24th Feb & 31st March 3pm - 4.30pm Just bring your craft project and join in Coffee and Craft Social, Harpenden Library Talk: Swordsmen of the Silver Screen 14th March 6.30pm £7.70 Harpenden Library Join sword-master Andy Wilkinson as he demonstrates Olympic fencing and theatrical swordcraft, alongside film clips and insights into the actors and fighting experts from the halcyon days of Hollywood swashbucklers. Andy has been a director, actor, stuntman, screen-writer, producer, fight-choreographer, stage combat instructor, author, and award-winning fencer. herts.spydus.co.uk Children's LEGO Clubs £4.40, please book Harpenden: Mondays 3.45pm St Albans: Fridays 4.30pm Harpenden Library, High Street AL5 2RU St Albans Library, Level 2, The Maltings AL1 3JQ hertfordshire.gov.uk

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NOW for some Entertainment UH Arts

Firm Foundations Part II: The Legacy of St Albans School of Art until 20th Feb free Exhibition celebrating 150 years of the School of Art. Art + Design Gallery, Hatfield AL10 9AB Romeo + Juliet: A St Valentine's Concert with James Mayhew 8th Feb 2pm & 4pm £15, £12 As the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra plays the spectacular repertoire, James Mayhew will paint illustrations in perfect synchronicity with the music. Prokofiev - Extracts from Romeo and Juliet and Extracts from The Love for Three Oranges Suite. Fates & Destinies 22nd March 4pm £18, £15 de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra will deliver these fiery repertoires. Mozart – Overture to Don Giovanni / Dvořák – Violin Concerto in A minor Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4 in F minor Weston Auditorium, University of Herts, de Havilland Campus, Hatfield AL10 9EU uharts.co.uk

The Pioneer Club

Young Pioneers Night 1st Feb 5pm £7 An event run by local college students with bands The Limestones, Slaughter Theory and Vulva. The Trash, The SGs & Ramona Marx - Punk/ Reggae Party! 7th Feb 7pm, from £12 14+ Local musical legend The Kevolution is hosting a night of punky reggae shenanigans! U18s to be accompanied by an adult at both events The Pioneer Club Heathlands Drive, St Albans AL3 5AY pioneerclub.co.uk

their boss, who’s secretly pursuing Susanna, and also by a rival with a contract and a grudge! To Have & To Hold 27th - 28th Feb & 4th - 7th March 8pm 1st March 2.30pm £15 After 60 years of marriage Jack and Florence have refined the art of bickering and carved out a tolerable life. When their grown-up children arrive old tensions stir and buried truths begin to emerge. A warm, uproarious and sometimes difficult watch, love in the second half of life. The Playlet’s the Thing 14th March 3.30pm & 7.30pm £15, child £8 A variety show from Shakespeare to their own original works performed by Theatrix Performing Arts young talents. Me & My Girl 26th - 28th March 7.30pm & 28th March 2.30pm £15 It’s EastEnders meets Made in Chelsea, when cheeky Cockney Bill learns he’s the long lost heir to the Earl of Hareford, and is whisked away from London to the grand halls of aristocracy as he’s expected to leave behind his roots and Sally, the girl he loves. Abbey Theatre, St Albans AL1 2DL abbeytheatre.org.uk

The Old Town Hall

Russell Hicks: This Time It’s Personal 6th & 7th Feb 8pm, £19, 16+ Last year's show was all about his life in the UK. This year is all about him and it’s personal! Josh James: Doin' Alright 11th Feb 8pm £16 One of the most exciting names to breakout in Abbey Theatre UK comedy. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood Dan Tiernan: All In 13th Feb 8pm £17, 16+ 5th - 7th Feb 8pm £15 Expect explosive energy, razor-sharp punch lines, Penelope, wife of Odysseus, endures 20 years of and tightly-packed gags about a man on the brink. waiting when her husband goes to fight in the Sherlock Holmes: The Death & Life Trojan War. She fends off the attentions of greedy 14th Feb 8pm, £16, 14+ suitors, while hearing news of Odysseus’ romantic In this wryly humorous one-man tale of murder, adventures. When he finally comes home he kills mystery and the occult the world's greatest her suitors and inexplicably hangs Penelope’s detective refuses to leave the stage! maids. A powerful performance that questions Daniel Foxx: How Lovely 21st Feb 8pm £19 justice, memory and the voices history leaves Join Daniel as he navigates dating in your 30s, Le behind. Creuset addiction and 12-step skincare routines. The Marriage of Figaro 8th & 14th Feb 2.30pm Screaming Blue Murder 23rd Feb 8pm £11.99 10th, 11th & 13th Feb 7.30pm In Mozart’s comic masterpiece Figaro and Susanna Resident monthly comedy club with Sally-Anne Hayward and Andrew Bird. 18+ are ready to marry, but the plans are disrupted by 18

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General Medical Emergency Ward 10 26th Feb - 1st March £16, £12, 12+ Every hospital, medical-based, doctors-and-nurses cliche-ridden drama in a comedy mash-up spoof! The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE oldtownhall.co.uk

Joining Russell will be a stellar lineup of some of the best stand-ups on the circuit today. Rebecca Ferguson: 15 Years Stripped Back 28th Feb 7.30pm, from £35 With hits, including Glitter & Gold, Nothing’s Real but Love and Shoulder to Shoulder. Jimeoin - Pandemonium 8th March 7.30pm Eric Morecambe Centre A hilarious evening with one of live comedy’s From Gold to Rio 6th Feb 7.30pm £28 universally acclaimed true masters. A full 8-piece band and Chris Clark as Simon le Bon and Lee James as Tony Hadley perform songs An Evening with Denise Van Outen: Songs, Stories & All That Jazz 10th March 7.30pm from two of the UK’s most iconic bands including Gold, Rio, True, The Reflex, Save A Prayer, The Makings Of A Murderer: The Undercover Lifeline, and Girls on Film. Detective 13th March 7.30pm A Foreigners Journey 7th Feb 7.30pm Murder, She Didn’t Write 25th March 7.30pm Playing the music of legendary bands Foreigner They’ll create a classic murder mystery on-the-spot and Journey including hits Don’t Stop Believin’, in this ingenious improvised comedy. Cold As Ice, Feels Like The First Time, I Want To Lieven Scheire - Science & Side-Splitting Know What Love Is, Waiting For A Girl Like You, Comedy 27th March 7.30pm and many more. An Evening with Steve Cradock Living The Life of Riley 8th Feb 7.30pm 28th March 7.30pm Heart-warming, heart-breaking and hilarious, a play Featuring songs by Ocean Colour Scene. about the dynamics of an ordinary family trying to Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2FR cope with everyday life including a diagnosis of everyonetheatres.com autism for their youngest son. Barn Theatre Biff To The Future 12th Feb 7.30pm, 12+ A heartfelt and unauthorised parody exploring the Dancing at Lughnasa highs and lows of a life chasing power, fame and 6th - 14th Feb 8pm & 14th Feb 2.30pm fortune, reliving Biff’s encounters with Marty and A summer of joy and heartbreak as five sisters Doc across the centuries. dance on the brink of change. Stuart Michael - The Psychic Medium Seasons of Love 13th Feb 7.30pm 20th & 21st Feb 8pm & 21st Feb 2.30pm A thrilling and intriguing night of psychic A collection of poetry, songs and prose. mediumship. Comedy at the Barn 28th Feb 8pm A History of Colour: BLUE! 18th Feb 8pm Because life’s too short not to laugh at the wrong With The Arts Society Harpenden Evening things. Britain’s Art Deco Architecture Jazz at the Barn: Sara Dhillon Quartet 19th Feb 10.30am 13th March 8pm With The Arts Society Harpenden Area Sonorité Music at the Barn The Cavern Club Story 20th Feb 7.30pm 14th March 8pm The story of the most famous venue in music, Live music where elegance meets imagination. having hosted The Beatles, Cilla Black, The All Our Children Rolling Stones, Queen, Status Quo, Adele and 27th March - 4th April 8pm Oasis, to name but a few. & 4th April 2.30pm K-Pop Party 21st Feb 2pm & 6pm Set in 1941 in a small German clinic, where the The ultimate live concert experience of Korea’s people are quietly trying to navigate a world losing global music phenomenon. All ages its moral compass. A play reminding us of the Chuckl. Harpenden with Headliner Russell Kane enduring power of empathy and moral courage. Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST 27th Feb 7.30pm barntheatre.co.uk

NOW for some more Entertainment The Alban Arena

Professor Brian Cox: Emergence Preview 14th March 7.30pm Madama Butterfly 18th March 7.30pm One of the most colourful and exotic operas, performed by the Dnipro Opera, from Ukraine, with a live orchestra of over 30 musicians. Ardal O’Hanlon - Not Himself 19th March 7.30pm Towel Animals? A.I.? Chair Yoga? Cauliflower as a main course? No current idiocy is left un-examined. This is a testament to the healing power of humour. Talking Pictures Festival of Film 21st & 22nd March 10am - 7pm With film and TV history, special guests, comedy, music, magic and fun. Gary Davies Disco For Grown Ups 80s Party! 27th March 8pm, 18+ Evening with Jermaine Defoe 31st March 7.30pm Expect entertainment, banter and a full insight into his time at Tottenham FC. The Alban Arena, St Albans AL1 3LD everyonetheatres.com

LDN Wrestling: Live & Unleashed! 17th Feb 7.30pm Drama, excitement, and larger-than-life characters. Peter Andre - The Best of Frankie Valli 18th Feb 8pm £48 A celebration of the timeless music of four boys who started singing under a streetlamp in New Jersey. With The Maltings Theatre songs including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, My Eyes The Actress 26th Feb - 7th March £15 Adored You and many more. Lydia Martin, is a renowned leading lady and it’s the Boyband In The Buff: Starring Gareth Gates night of her last performance; in her dressing room 20th Feb 7.30pm, 18+ visitors come and go, and their interactions are funny, A cast of ripped and talented performers, belting out sad and even downright brutal! hits of the ‘90s and ‘00s, from Backstreet Boys to Take Baby Broadway 8th March 3.30pm £13.50 - £15 That, in a show that’s nostalgic and naughty. A fun interactive family concert of songs from hit Jim Davidson - Last Man Standing…Just! musicals and films featuring West End singers. 21st Feb 7.30pm £31, 18+ St Albans AL1 3HL ovo.org.uk Jim’s back to do what he does best: making us laugh St Albans Organ Theatre and reminding us why he’s still standing! Organ Concert 7th March 3pm Cirque Entertainment 26th Feb 7.30pm from £28 With Phil Kelsall. Please book A blend of circus, music and performances with aerialists, fire performers, acrobats, jugglers and West Mechanical Instrument Concert 8th March 3pm End vocals with songs from Take That, Kylie Minogue, 320 Camp Road AL1 5PE stalbansorgantheatre.org.uk Queen, Beyonce and more. Nigel Kennedy: Virtuoso 4th March 7.30pm St Albans Symphony Orchestra Concert A classical, jazz, and contemporary repertoire from the 14th March 7.30pm UK’s greatest living violinist. Expect breath-taking Manuel De Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat / Music from Bach, alongside the most delicate rendition of ‘A the 1919 Diaghilev ballet / Jean-Michel Damase’s Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square.’ Flute Concerto / Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No.2 Totally Gaga 5th March 7.30pm St Albans High School for Girls AL1 3SJ saso.org.uk The sensational Georgia Crandon and her stellar live The Stranger by Agatha Christie band perform Gaga’s greatest hits, Bad Romance, 25th - 27th March 8pm & 28th March 2.30pm Poker Face, Born This Way and more. Presented by High Street Players. £12 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour - Red Southdown Performing Arts Centre, Film Programme 6th March 7,30pm, 12+ Harpenden AL5 1QQ hsplayers.org.uk Join the world’s top adventure filmmakers and thrill-seekers as they climb, ski, paddle and ride Hardynge Choir 60th into the wildest corners of the planet! Anniversary Concert 28th March 7.30pm Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show Performing Mozart's Requiem, Mozart's Exsultate 11th & 12th March 10am, 1pm & 4pm Jubilate and Haydn's Te Deum with the Hertfordshire Troy Hawke ‘Never Stop, Never Change!’ Classical Orchestra and a quartet of professional 13th March 7.30pm, 14+ soloists. £20, student £10, child free Angry security guards, barked compliments and St Nicholas Church, Harpenden AL5 2TP crossed wires abound as Troy navigates various hardyngechoir.org conversational minefields. 20 07983 588313 wendy@theNOWmagazines.com

Science, watch explosive shows and visit their science stations. Willows Activity Farm, St Albans AL4 0PF willowsactivityfarm.com

Sustainable St Albans

Out & About Valentine Illumination

12th - 14th Feb 5.30pm - 9.30pm St Albans Clock Tower will be transformed into a glowing celebration of love with a special Valentine light show, and red and white lighting illuminating George Street, French Row and Waddington Road throughout February.

RAF London Half Term STEM Week 14th - 22nd Feb Bubbly Maths Show 14th - 17th Feb 11am & 2pm Interactive bubbly maths show featuring giant bubbles. Age 4+ £6.50 Aircraft Access 17th - 19th Feb 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm £12 Get up close and personal with the Bristol Sycamore, Hawker Tempest, English Electric Canberra and Gloster Meteor. Laser Tag Sessions 19th - 22nd Feb 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm Age 7+ £6.50 Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL rafmuseum.org.uk

The Bishop of St Alban’s Garden

14th, 15th, 21st & 22nd Feb 2pm - 4pm Open for the annual snowdrop display. Wear suitable footwear. Proceeds to Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust. (weather and snowdrops permitting). £5, child free, dogs on leads welcome Abbey Gate House, Abbey Mill Lane, St Albans AL3 4HD

Open Day: Victorian Terrace Eco House 14th Feb 9.30am & 11.30am Understand insulation, airtightness, ventilation, breathability and ask all your questions, while at the Eco house. Free, donations to Sustainable St Albans welcome Our Planet Our Future Book Club: Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope & Healing in a Divided World 26th Feb 7.30pm venue to be confirmed sustainablestalbans.org

Shuttleworth

Murder Mystery: Valentine's Special 14th Feb 7pm £78, 18+ Love is in the air, but death is close behind. Why not dress up for the live ultimate immersive theatre experience. Includes a drink on arrival and dinner. Scale Model Exhibition 15th Feb from 9am Explore hundreds of beautifully crafted models in the Engineering Hangars. £19.50 Engineering Open Workshops 21st & 22nd Feb from 9am Discover what it takes to restore, rebuild and operate one of the world's most extensive collections of working vintage agricultural exhibits, veteran and vintage vehicles, and aircraft from the earliest days of flight. £25 Casino Royale Night 28th March 7pm £60, 18+ An unforgettable Bond-themed Casino Night, try your luck at the fun-money casino tables, enjoy canapés and drinks and the music of Bond with a live jazz trio. Dress to impress - think Bond, elegance, and a touch of mystery. Biggleswade SG18 9DT shuttleworth.org

Hatfield House & Park

Valentine’s Day Candlelight Concert 14th Feb 6.30pm £40 -£60 A romantic evening of love songs by candlelight in the beautiful Tudor Palace. Lambing 14th - 22nd Feb Watch the new-born lambs take their first steps in February Film Week 16th - 20th Feb the Lambing Barn and keep an eye on expectant Mother’s Day Champagne Carriage Tour ewes as you might be lucky enough to see a 15th March 10am, 12 noon, 2pm & 4pm £60 lamb being born. Also enjoy the indoor and Enjoy a Champagne tour of Hatfield Park in a outdoor play, and daily animal activities. horse-drawn carriage travelling from the Old Mead Open Farm, Leighton Buzzard LU7 9JH Palace, through the woodland and into meadopenfarm.co.uk exclusive areas of the park. Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea 15th March February Frolics 14th - 22nd Feb Easter Explorers 28th March - 12th April See live lambing, newborn lamb bottle feeding demonstrations and lots fleecy fun at this baaHatfield AL9 5HX rilliant day out. Enjoy hands-on fun with Mad hatfield-house.co.uk 22

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only. For toddlers up to 5 years. Free with admission Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable LU6 2LF whipsnadezoo.org

Berkhamsted Half Marathon & 5 Mile Fun Run

1st March £38 Starting at Berkhamsted Cricket Club, the run will track through the beautiful Chilterns countryside, raising funds for various local charities, including The Hospice of St Francis. Berkhamsted Cricket Club, Castle Hill HP4 1HE berkorun.com

Out & About Roald Dahl Museum

Wonka Collection Cabinets from 15th Feb For a limited time, see rare items featured in the 2005 film adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, from Golden Tickets and chocolate bars to Willy Wonka’s top hat, coat and cane. Free with Museum admission Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Half Term Storytelling 14th - 22nd Feb Led by expert storytellers who will bring the words to life and you can join in with noises and actions. Free with Museum entry Workshop: Clay Factory Landscape 16th - 20th Feb age 5+ Create your own fantastical factory landscape, experimenting with textures and patterns using a range of tools and materials. £5 + museum entry, Charlies Child Heroes Village Trail 19th Feb 11.15am & 2.45pm £5 age 6+ Join expert guide and storyteller Michael on a magical walk through Great Missenden. Bucks HP16 0AL roalddahlmuseum.org

Luton Hoo Estate Talks

Celebrating Early 20th Century Women Estate Workers 23rd Feb 10.30am, £7.50 Lady Wernher, a widow before, during and after WWI, was supported by female staff who were so important they are now celebrated with monuments flanking the Wernher Mausoleum. An Estate Responds to National Change 1900-1950 30th March 10.30am, £7.50 lutonhooestate.co.uk

Heat Press Printing Workshop

22nd Feb 10.30am Using a variety of materials experiment with textures, patterns and colour, printing small fabric samples with ink, papers and a heat press. Mill Green Museum, Hatfield AL9 5PD millgreenmuseum.co.uk

Toddler Safari 24th Feb - 15th July

The perfect way for kids to let off steam and learn about some of the animals, in this mini adventure, exploring the natural world. During term time 24

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Film: The Phoenix of Gaza

21st March 3.30pm £10 Documentary film and Q&A with journalist Yousef Alhelou capturing a portrait of Gaza in July 2023. Please book St Albans URC, Homewood Road AL1 4BH tinyurl.com/stalbansphoenix

Easter Holidays Fun

28th March - 12th April There’s plenty to do at Knebworth this Easter including the Adventure Playground, Drop slides, Fort Knebworth, the Maze, Knebworth Gardens, the Dinosaur Trail and tours of the House. Knebworth House, Stevenage SG1 2AX knebworthhouse.com

Salvation Army Hall

Memory Lane Café Mondays 2pm - 3.30pm Tea, chat and activities. Intergenerational Choir Tuesdays 12.45pm - 1.30pm term time Inclusive choir for all, just turn up. 01582 768278 Leyton Green, Harpenden AL5 2TG harpenden.gov.uk

Volunteers Needed!

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity have two shops and a trolley service at Luton & Dunstable Hospital all run by volunteers and the charity are on the lookout for more volunteers. If your resolution is to support your community why not get in touch for more information. Email: CharityHub@bedsft.nhs.uk

Rennie Grove Peace Compassionate Cafés provide spaces for

those affected by any type of loss who would like a friendly chat and a chance to meet others over a cup of tea. There’s no need to book, just turn up. St Albans Cathedral Café AL1 1BY 1st Monday of the month 2pm - 3.30pm Well Bean Café Harpenden Trust Halls AL5 1PU 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month 2pm - 3.30pm renniegrovepeace.org

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W lun e als ch o trip es & enjoy s to the get atre h er

 A great way to meet new people  No need to read music  No auditions  Not for profit

Harpenden Salvation Army Hall AL5 2TG Wednesdays 10.45am - 12.15pm Wheathampstead Mead Hall AL4 8BP (free parking) Mondays 1.30pm - 3pm

Feb Fest

Wardown House, Museum & Gallery LU2 7HA

Shakespeare in a Suitcase: Hamlet 16th Feb 11.30am & 2pm £6, age 8+ A family drama of revenge, justice, and moral dilemmas, reimagined for young audiences. With just two actors, one musician, seven props and a suitcase! A Square World 18th Feb 11.30am & 2pm £6, age 3+ A story of friends who enjoy the same routine day after day, until an unexpected change is forced upon one of them. This endearing, funny show looks at the unfairness of being left out in a world designed for everyone else but you. Hat Factory Arts Centre Luton LU1 2EY Clay Play Workshop 16th Feb 10.30am & 1pm Get messy, unleash your creativity and express yourself at a fun-filled clay crafting workshop. £6, age 4+ Last Unicorn Airways 16th Feb 11.30am & 2pm Join two whimsical baggage handlers as they recreate a round-the-world adventure aboard the final flight of Last Unicorn Airways, opening suitcases full of trinkets, fine clothes, alluring smells and exciting tales. £6, age 4+ Get Lost & Found 17th Feb 11.30am & 2pm Magical puppetry, an ingenious pop-up book set, original music and interactive play will delight young audiences and encourage them to immerse themselves in a unique participatory story-telling. £6, ages 4 - 7 Four Go Wild in Wellies 18th Feb 11.30am & 2pm An adventure with bobble hats, scarves and tents with a life of their own and, lots of fun in wellies! £6, ages 3 - 5 Little Murmur 19th Feb 2pm Combining visual design and technology with dance and humour, while exploring the warped and exaggerated realities of living in a world that doesn’t reflect how you feel inside. £6, age 7+ Big Red Bath Bubble Disco 20th Feb 10.30am & 1pm Join celebrated children's author Julia Jarman for a live reading of her splishy splashy picture book. £6, age 2+ Stockwood Discovery Centre Luton LU1 4LX Tales that Dance 17th Feb 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm Join in African and Caribbean folktales. Why does the Leopard have spots? What makes the Gecko so grumpy at night? go along to a joyful immersive storytelling experience to find out. £6, age 5+ Circus Skills Workshop 19th Feb 10.30am & 1pm Try juggling, plate spinning and acro-balance, then once you’ve impressed everyone with your amazing skills, have a go at clowning too! £6, age 5+ culturetrust.com

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NOW at St Albans Museums St Albans Museum + Gallery

St Peter’s Street, St Albans Exhibition: Worlds Connected until 22nd Feb Multi-sensory exhibition exploring connections between St Albans and the Islamic world, from scientific discoveries to a fondness for coffee! Exhibition: Inns & Alehouses in Victorian St Albans until 15th March free Learn about the venues that served the city's population from beer houses to taverns and the reasons they flourished or failed as St Albans moved into the 20th century. Community History Day 7th Feb 9.30pm - 4.30pm free, please book Discover new research, learn heritage skills, and celebrate St Albans’ diverse stories with discussions, presentations and workshops. Calligraphy Workshop 8th Feb 10am £40 Learn how to create beautiful hand-lettering suitable for personalising an array of stationery. Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth & Power 11th Feb 7pm £10, Zoom £6 A journey from the Stone Age to the present day, immersing us in history's most glittering civilisations and major economic milestones, as seen through the lives of women. Celestial Explorer Explore the cosmos in the University of Herts mobile planetarium. Please book: Earth, Sun & Moon 17th Feb 10.15am £4.75 Tour of the Solar System 17th Feb 11.45am £6.50 Our Sky & Beyond 18th Feb 11.45am £6.50 Workshop: Sun, Moon & Stars Clay Modelling 19th Feb 10.15am £6.50 Workshop: Dragons & Dragon Eggs Modelling 20th Feb 10.15am £8.50 Make a hanging decoration of a sun, moon or star or create your own dragon or dragon egg. ‘Wilde’ Immersive Film Screening 26th Feb 7.30pm £7.50 Watch the 1997 biopic starring Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde. This dramatisation of the fall from grace of author Oscar Wilde was filmed in the courtroom of the Museum, where this screening will take place. 32

Talk: The Hidden & Erased Women of Science 19th March 7pm £10, Zoom £6 Learn, among other things, who really discovered the structure of DNA (because it wasn't the men who got the Nobel prize), who did Einstein's maths for him and the astounding number of other ‘brilliant men’ who never published another paper after their wives died.

Verulamium Museum

St Michael's Street, St Albans AL3 4SW Religion in Verulamium: Tolerance & Fusion? 6th Feb 10am - 4pm Explore how Celtic beliefs in Verulamium were transformed by Roman gods and rule. This new exhibition, using objects and images from Verulamium and beyond seeks to answer these questions and asks whether Romans tolerated all religions equally. Romans vs Celts Wargames 15th Feb 11am - 3.30pm free with admission Roman and Ancient Briton model soldiers will be gathered for a large wargame. Go along and join in, roll some dice, and see if you can decide their fate as the soldiers battle over a village of roundhouses and a Roman Villa. Archaeology for Families 16th & 20th Feb 10.30am included with admission A fun, friendly introduction to archaeology. CSI Verulamium Experience 20th March 7pm £40 Join this immersive, interactive evening led by The Forensic Experience. Using actual forensic techniques and equipment, filmed suspect interviews and actual crime scenes to investigate, can you and your friends work together to discover the suspects and solve the crime. Weekend Gallery Talks 2.30pm St Albans Tour Guides lead regular gallery talks at Verulamium Museum on Saturdays and Sundays on a variety of topics. Check the website for details, included with entry

stalbansmuseums.org.uk 07983 588313 wendy@theNOWmagazines.com

NOW at the Cathedral

The Whales until 4th Feb Three colossal sperm whale sculptures will soar above the Nave, come and see these magnificent creatures, created by artist Tessa Campbell Fraser. Whales Lates 1st & 3rd Feb times vary A chance to immerse yourself in this mesmerising artwork after dark. Please book Abbey by Night 4th Feb 8pm & 8.30pm Be transported back in time to the medieval abbey as you encounter the fantastic stories of the past under candlelight. Tower & Treasures Tour 5th Feb Exploring the shrines, wall paintings and medieval architecture of the cathedral as well as climbing the tower to see the ringing chamber, belfry and views from the roof. £20 Be a Chorister for a Day (Boys) 7th Feb 2pm A chance for boys in years 3 and 4 to experience the life of a chorister and sing with the Cathedral Choir at Evensong. No experience necessary, please book Two Together, Forever? 8th Feb 1.30pm Monks, priests and popes were supposed to be celibate, but if you look closely you can find couples, hear their stories and vote to give your opinion. £6 Choral Compline 8th Feb 6pm Sung by the Cathedral Youth Choir in the candlelit Lady Chapel, this short service offers gentle choral music and time for silence and reflection. Tour: Amazing Architecture 10th Feb 2pm & 27th Feb 10.30am £12 Discover 1,000 years of history from Norman foundations to modern additions. Wall Paintings Tour 11th Feb 10.30am £12 The Cathedral houses a remarkable collection of rare medieval wall paintings, hear about the techniques used to create them and how they have survived. Luther Vandross - The Candlelight Concert 12th Feb 7.30pm A soulful tribute under the glow of candlelight. Talk: A Heavy Yoke: Theology, Power & Abuse in the Church 12th Feb 7.30pm £12 / online £6 34

Talk: The Wars of the Roses 14th Feb 10.30am Learn about how the power struggle for the throne between the royal houses of York and Lancaster left its mark on the fabric and people of the monastery in the 1400s and 1500s. £12 Soul Plates 14th Feb 7pm £55 Join Dinner Ladies for this special edition of their Supper Club in the Lady Chapel. Enjoy a 3 course menu designed to mark an evening of conversation and shared experience with loved ones. The World Within: Creativity & Retreat 18th Feb 7.30pm £12 / online £6 Award-winning author Guy Stagg explains the impulse to withdraw and asks what is gained and what is lost by stepping back from society. Tower Tour 21st Feb 10am Climb 211 winding steps to the spectacular Norman Tower. £15, £12 Swing into Spring with the Tim Boniface Quartet 21st Feb 7.30pm £10 - £30 Expect onstage interaction and stunning individual skill as some of the UK's finest jazz musicians play a delightfully swinging repertoire. Martin Luther King, Jr. & the Civil Rights Movement Wednesdays 25th Feb - 25th March 7.30pm 5 week course. The St Albans Mystery Plays 27th Feb 7pm See Old and New Testament stories come to life as never before, with medieval-inspired music, dancing and singing. All washed down with a glass of mead. Divine Designs 11th March 2pm £12 Come and encounter the work of the medieval abbot whose fascination for mathematics and astronomy led him to invent one of the most technologically advanced clocks of his time. Serenity & Hope 14th March 7.30pm £6 - £25 St Albans Chamber Choir presents a programme of spiritual music from lamentation, longing and repentance to serenity and renewal. Hertfordshire Chorus - Simply Mozart 21st March 7.30pm £36, £26, £10, £5 Experience the emotional power of Mozarts Requiem and the youthful flair of his Vesperae Solennes de Confessore and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik one of his most instantly recognised orchestral works.

St Albans Cathedral AL1 1BY stalbanscathedral.org 07983 588313 wendy@theNOWmagazines.com

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Image Mobile Hairdressing

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AJR Building Services Open Plan Solutions

25 15

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RTI Auto Services Ltd

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30 26 & 27

Hearing Services

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Small Stars

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35 35

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16 16

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The Verminator

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Home Sweep Home

Front Cover

Plumber

DJ&M Plumbing Services Ltd

Cleaning Merrivac

Dance & Drama

4 4

Penny Waterman School of Dance Stagecoach

Electrician

St Albans Sparks

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Lumin Wealth

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The Bespoke Flooring Company

Funeral Directors Austin’s

2 Back Cover

Garage Doors

The Complete Garage Door Co

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AR Landscapes Ltd Detail Gardening & Maintenance Greenleaf Garden Company

25 & 39

Property Maintenance The 50 Plus

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Abbey Law Rayden Solicitors

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Fircroft Tree Surgery Ltd

Waste Management

37 36 37

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Cloud 9 Glazing O’Neill Home Improvements

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