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harpenden

July 2026

NOW

promoting local businesses, events and much more since 2006

Welcome to July...

...with Music, Food, Theatre, Kite and Archaeology Festivals there’s lots going on, and that’s not all, just have a look through to find an amazing amount to do from the Highland Gathering and St Albans Comedy Garden to Open Air Theatre, the Kimpton Horse Show and Children’s Summer Holiday Activities, just check out the Out & About pages to see what’s on. To make sure you don’t miss out, the magazines are available to read online every month, and as always there’s 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.

Jane & Wendy

@theNOWmagazines

Advertise in the August magazines

Book online today theNOWmagazines.com Deadline 6th July wendy@theNOWmagazines.com 07983 588313

Out & About

Abbey Gatehouse Open Garden

Sundays until 11th Aug 2pm - 4pm £5, child free

Visit the Bishop of St Albans’ hidden garden. Abbey Gate House, Abbey Mill Lane AL3 4HN

Roman Theatre Open Air Festival

until 31st Aug Imaginative live theatre and music, in the UKs oldest producing theatre. ovo.org.uk

St Albans Museum + Gallery

Exhibition: A Growing City until 31st Aug free

Discover how St Albans has been the base for names such as Ryders’ Seeds, Sanders’ Orchids and more.

Romans Unearthed 1st - 31st July

Explore the city as it was 2000 years ago, all within the digital world. You just need a smart phone. Get Guerilla Gardening 5th July 1pm

Learn how to transform a neglected corner of your neighbourhood into a vibrant garden. Please book Mosaic Masterclass 11th July £70

Summer Craft Workshops:

28th July Sausage Dogs & Other Creatures

4th Aug Papercraft Garden Scene

11th Aug At the Bottom of the Garden 18th Aug Ceramic Tile Painting 1st Sept Play with Clay stalbansmuseums.org.uk

Luton Hoo Estate

Open Wednesdays until 30th Sept 10.30am - 4pm £7.50, £2.50

See the Capability Brown designed walled garden. Outdoor Theatre: As You Like It 8th July 7pm A fantastically funny bicycle-powered production from The Handlebards. Please book

The Bug Hunt 24th July £5, child £2 Children’s Summer Workshops 10am - 12pm 30th July The Fragrant (smelly) Garden 6th Aug The Kitchen (tasty) Garden Ages 4 -11, please book £10

Luton Hoo Estate LU1 3TQ lutonhooestate.co.uk

Hitchin Festival 27th June - 31st July

Art exhibitions, concerts, theatre, comedy, an art trail and more. hitchinfestival.co.uk

Bedford Summer Sessions

2nd July Deacon Blue 5pm, from £60.25

3rd July UB40 feat. Ali Campbell 5pm, from £52.15

4th July Tom Grennan 5pm, from £60.55

5th July Paul Weller 5pm, from £67.30

Bedford Park MK40 2PF smmrsessions.com

The Alban Arena

Aladdin 2nd - 4th July

Waves 11th July 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Dance and musical theatre styles with a live band. Bollywood Dance Spectacle 12th July 4.30pm

Sweet & Sour: The Ultimate Tribute to Sabrina

Carpenter & Olivia Rodrigo 18th July 5pm

Juvenile Ensemble Auditions: Beauty & the Beast

19th July 2pm

The Simon & Garfunkel Story 24th July 7.30pm

Using projection photos and original film footage. St Albans AL1 3LD everyonetheatres.com

Hatfield House & Park

Live Music at The Coach House Kitchen

3rd July 6.30pm £10 With A Twist of ABBA.

Beekeeping Experience

12th July & 9th Aug 9.30am - 3pm £125

Battle Proms Picnic Concert 18th July 4.30pm

Celebrate 25 years of the Battle Proms. From £44.50

Folk by the Oak Festival 19th July 12pm from £66

Outdoor Theatre: The Jungle Book

31st July 5.30pm £17.34, child £13.01

Outdoor Theatre: Romeo & Juliet

7th Aug 5pm £17.34, child £13.01 Age 10+

The Great Fete 8th & 9th Aug 12 noon - 10pm

With three stages, comedy, a kids’ zone, funfair, dance acts and sing-along bands.

Hatfield AL9 5HX hatfield-house.co.uk

Whipsnade Zoo

Animal Awareness Days Free with zoo entry

3rd July World Meerkat Day

14th July World Chimpanzee Day

29th July International Tiger Day

Join the Zoo Crew! 18th July - 2nd Sept

With role-play and costume dress-up activities. Dunstable LU6 2LF whipsnadezoo.org

Todd in the Hole 3rd - 5th July

Family-friendly music and food festival. Stevenage SG1 2JE toddinthehole.co.uk

Abbey Theatre

Sheila’s Island 3rd - 4th & 7th - 11th July 8pm & 4th & 5th July 2.30pm Darkly humorous play.

STAJE in Concert 16th July 8pm £15, child £12.50

High-energy concert by this local jazz ensemble. St Albans AL1 2DL abbeytheatre.org.uk

Festival on the Field 4th July 12pm-10.45pm

Sir John Lawes School, Harpenden AL5 4QP festivalonthefield.co.uk

The Hardynge Choir 4th July 7.30pm

A concert of sea shanties and madrigals. Wheathampstead Memorial Hall AL4 8AY hardyngechoir.org

Dine for Wildlife 4th July

Black-tie charity ball. £75

Herts Zoo EN10 7QA hertfordshirezoo.com

Chilfest 4th July

Retro music from Level 42, Toploader, The Christians and Tony Hadley. Tring HP23 5NS chilfest.co.uk

Kimpton Folk Festival 4th July 11am - 11pm

A day of amazing live music on 3 stages, and family-friendly fun. kimptonfolk.uk

Hertford Castle

Beer & World Food Festival 4th July 12pm-6pm .

Teddy Bears Picnic 19th July 12 noon - 4pm, free

Rock at the Castle 2nd Aug 12 noon - 7pm

Performances by local musicians featuring a wide range of genres, suitable for all the family. Free Hertford SG14 1HR hertford.gov.uk

 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

Out & About

Redbourn Festival 4th & 5th July

A weekend of free events, entertainment and activities. Redbourn Common AL3 7DA redbournfestival.org.uk

Art on the Common

4th July 10am - 5pm & 5th July 10am - 4pm

Over 70 local artists & live music. Harpenden Common St Albans Cathedral

Faith in Felt Exhibition 4th - 16th July

Tour: Turbulent Tudor Times

6th July & 5th Aug 10.30am £12

Telling the turbulent story of the English Reformation. Tour: Flora & Fauna 8th July 10.30am £12

See how plants, animals and religious symbols recur in stained glass, stone carving and decoration.

Somewhere 2 Sing in Concert

10th July 7.45pm & 11th July 1.30pm, 6.20pm & 8.30pm

With popular songs from Billy Joel to Karl Jenkins with over 120 singers. £10 - £26

Tower Tours 11th, 12th, 15th, 25th, 26th July & 8th, 9th, 12th, 22nd, 23rd & 26th Aug

View the city from the roof and you might even see the tall buildings of the City of London.

More to Explore: Graffiti Hide & Seek 12th July 1.30pm

Uncover some of the Abbey’s harder to find graffiti.

Summer Organ Festival

13th July The Masterpieces 6.30pm

Revealing the organ at its most searching and sublime. 20th July Bach & Friends 6.30pm

Smart, stylish and full of baroque brilliance.

27th July The Favourites 6.30pm

From a galaxy far, far away to British pomp and organ thunder. Star Wars, Elgar’s Nimrod, Bach’s mighty Toccata and Fugue in D minor.

The Peasants' Revolt Tour 15th July 2pm In 1381 St Albans Abbey was threatened with destruction. Learn about the events and their aftermath. £12

An Evening of Radiohead 17th & 18th July 7.30pm

Making your Mark Tour 21st July 12.30pm £12

See how visitors to the Cathedral across the centuries have ‘scratched’ their mark on the building. Tower & Treasures Tour

22nd July 10.30am 25th July 1pm & 1st Aug 10.30am

Stained Glass Tour 24th July 10.30am £12

Guitar for Gaza 25th July 7.30pm

An evening of beautiful music in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Summer Holiday Club 27th - 31st July £150

Space-themed activities, games, creativity and discovery for primary-aged children.

Family Music Day: WOOFYT Interactive

Organ Model 27th July 12.30pm £10

Work as a team to build and play your own one-octave organ. Age 9+

Family Music Day 27th July

A joyful, family friendly day of musical discovery, with activities, live demonstrations and a performance of Peter and the Wolf. stalbanscathedral.org

Sun, Sand & Shared Calendars

Tips for navigating co-parenting through the summer holidays

The summer holidays for co-parents can be a logistical minefield balancing childcare, holidays and work commitments. Here’s my advice as a family lawyer, having seen these situations with clients.

Instead of fixating on “my time” with the children, focus on “our children’s summer” this is key to a friction free summer.

Planning ahead, early communication and flexibility - decide early which parent the children will be spending time with across all holidays. Be flexible with dates and travel times, allowing the children time to transition from one home to the other.

Organise passport handover and travel consent - do not wait until the last minute to handover your children’s passports. Agree when they should be handed over and then returned. Also don’t forget any parent with Parental Responsibility needs to provide consent for their children leaving England and Wales even for a short holiday. Consider preparing a signed letter of consent to travel ahead of each holiday. Identify gaps when childcare is needed and agree how it’s sorted and paid for. Stress free handovers - if tensions exist meet somewhere neutral and public, such as the park,

for handovers. Be brief and focus on the children. Use a shared calendar or parenting apprecord holidays and childcare arrangements in a shared calendar or parenting app so both parents know ‘what, where and when’ for all arrangements.

Agree “screen time” - if possible, set the same rules and boundaries regarding technology and screen time.

Avoid the competition trap - avoid competing over activities and holidays. It shouldn’t be about who can provide the most extravagant holiday. Involve the children, get their input into what they would like to do over the holidays.

Following the above tips can improve the coparenting relationship for the benefit of the children. Understandably of course, there may still be tension between parents. It is important to focus on the children and their needs - if there are disagreements, clear and focused discussions should take place to iron out the problem areas to satisfy both parents, and most importantly ensure the children have quality time with their parents.

Katie Skinner

Chartered Legal Executive & Senior Associate Rayden Solicitors Harpenden

We are a small friendly law firm and understand that when facing a legal problem it can be stressful, so our aim is to make you feel as comfortable as possible and assist you with achieving the results you desire by listening to you. We specialise in Conveyancing, Family Law, Immigration, Litigation, Landlord and Tenant, Road Traffic Offences and Private Client, and our rates are very reasonable for this area. Book a free 20 minute appointment to discuss how we can help. There is free parking for an hour right outside. Prepare for the future and protect yourself and your family.

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Out & About

Shuttleworth

Summer Fete Open Weekend

4th & 5th July 10am - 6pm £7.50, child free

Summer Air Show

25th July 9pm - 9pm £37, child free Flying Proms Air Show

15th Aug 10am - 10pm £60, child £25 Alder Drive, Beds SG18 9EA shuttleworth.org

Chiltern Open Air Museum

Buckinghamshire Music Trust Summer Festival 5th July Enjoy live music from local young musicians. Bottlefolk 12th July

A relaxing day of folk music on the bandstand. Classic Vehicles Show 18th & 19th July

Heritage Crafts Weekend 25th & 26th July

Live demonstrations of thatching, blacksmithing, woodturning, chair making, spinning, chainmail making, pottery and historic cooking. £15, child £11.50

Newland Park, Bucks HP8 4AB coam.org.uk

Wrest Park

Sunday Music 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th July 10am - 5pm Enjoy a wonderful day of live music.

Great British Summer 18th July - 6th Sept 10am5pm Fairground, circus skills, puppet antics and more. Silsoe, Beds MK45 4HR english-heritage.org.uk

Eric Morecambe Centre

Me & Ron 7th - 12th July Musical comedy.

The Arts Society Harpenden Evening 15th July 8pm Tony Rawlins: Baroque on a Roll: Classical Music in the Modern Media.

The Arts Society Harpenden Area 16th July 10.30am A Boy from Lowestoft: The Life and Works of Benjamin Britten. Chuckl with Milton Jones & Special Guests 24th July 7.30pm Harpenden AL5 2FR everyonetheatres.com

Tring Natural History Museum

Treasures of the Rothschild Library Tour 7th July 3pm £15

Museum Highlights Tour 6th Aug 3pm £6

Akeman Street, Tring HP23 6AP nhm.ac.uk

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 8th - 11th July 8pm & 11th July 2.30pm £12

With the Highstreet Players, outside Cornelia’s Café, Church Green, Harpenden hsplayers.org.uk

Wheathampstead Village Day 11th July 12 noon - 10pm With dance taster classes, circus workshops, stalls, activities, live music and more. Marford Playing Fields AL4 8AY wpcevents.co.uk

Zara Angeline 11th July 7pm £11.50

Heart-stirring pop and folk music. The Maltings Theatre AL1 3HL ovo.org.uk

Heartwood Forest

Woodland Creation & Management Walk 11th July

Moth Catching Demonstration 11th July 9pm-12am Tree ID for Beginners at the Arboretum 26th July

All walks are free, but please book

Heartwood Forest AL4 9DQ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Knebworth House & Gardens

Iron Maiden Concert 11th July 1pm, from £145.08

Film Location Tour 25th July, 1st, 8th & 15th Aug

Hear about the estate’s rich cinematic history.

Garden Theatre: The Big Bad Wolf

26th July 6.15pm, £18, child £12, age 5+

Hands on History 29th July 11.30am & 1.30pm

Discover what life was like in Tudor England.

Garden Theatre: Othello 2nd Aug gates 6.30pm, £20, £12

80s by Moonlight 21st Aug 7.30pm

This electric live band and stunning vocalists will have you dancing all night long! £30, child £17.50

Motown by Moonlight 22nd Aug 7.30pm

Stevenage SG1 2AX knebworthhouse.com

Harpenden Highland Gathering 12th July 10.30am - 5pm £10

Scottish themed family fun day.

Rothamsted Park AL5 2LX

St Albans South Signal Box Open Days 12th & 26th July & 9th & 23rd Aug 2pm - 5pm

5 Ridgmont Road, St Albans AL1 3AJ sigbox.co.uk

Outdoor Theatre at Waddesdon

Free with grounds admission, please book 12th July The Tempest 12 noon

19th July The Railway Children 12 noon & 2.30pm 24th July A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1pm 26th July Twelfth Night 12 noon

31st July Sword in the Stone Workshop 12.30pm / Show 2pm Ages 5-10

5th Aug Everywhere’s a Beach 1pm & 3pm

Taking place on a giant revolving beach parasol! 6th Aug The Hound of the Baskervilles 1pm 12th Aug The Three Musketeers 2pm 26th Aug Treasure Island 1pm

Bucks HP18 0JH waddesdon.org.uk

Guided walk Exploring the Nickey Line 13th July 7.30pm please book sustainablestalbans.org

Young Pioneers U18 Open Mic 15th July 6.30pm free

A chance for young performers to share their music. The Pioneer Club AL3 5AY pioneerclub.co.uk

Barn Theatre

Death by Woody Allen

15th - 18th July 8pm & 18th July 2.30pm

No-one is afraid to die, they just don’t want to be there when it happens!

A Tribute to Miles Davis: Kind of Blue - Live 24th July 8pm

100 years of Miles Davis 1926 - 2026. Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST barntheatre.co.uk

Highfield Park

Bat Safari 16th July 9pm -10.15pm, please book £8

Bubbles & Boules 18th July 2pm - 4.30 pm

Open play boules for all ages, please book £15

Hill End Lane, St Albans AL4 0RA highfieldparktrust.co.uk

Out & About

Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust

Summer Tree Identification Workshop 16th July 10am - 3.30pm free, please book Panshanger Park, Hertford SG14 2NA

Guided Walk: Summer Tree Identification 22nd July 10am - 12 noon free, please book Astonbury Wood, Aston SG14 3RY hertswildlifetrust.org.uk

The Old Town Hall

Live at The Old Town Hall 16th July 8pm £10

An electrifying night of local musical talent. Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club 27th July 8pm

Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE oldtownhall.co.uk

Summer Spectacular 17th July - 2nd Sept

Packed with family fun, outdoor adventures, and splashing excitement! Willows Activity Farm, St Albans AL4 0PF willowsactivityfarm.com

Herts Archaeology Festival 18th July

Learn about archaeology from industry professionals, enjoy family friendly activities and demonstrations and take a tour of the baths with archaeologist Kris Lockyear. Please book, £6.25, child £2.10 Welwyn Roman Baths AL6 9FG millgreenmuseum.co.uk

Dunstable Downs

Festival of Archaeology

18th & 19th July 10am - 4.30pm £2

Calling all mini archaeologists for ancient craft making and an artefact show and tell with a real-life archaeologist!

Summer of Play 20th July - 31st Aug (except 1st & 2nd Aug) 10.30am - 4.30pm free Activities including football, cricket, hockey, table tennis, athletics, soft archery and frisbee golf.

Kites Connect Festival

1st & 2nd Aug 10am - 5pm, free Grab your kites and join in.

Big Camp 14th - 16th Aug

Pitch a tent for a two-night camp. Expect camp fires with marshmallows and stories, sunset walks, nature arts and crafts, and lots of outdoor games and activities. £110 for up to 2 adults and 3 children Whipsnade Road, Dunstable LU6 2GY nationaltrust.org.uk

St Albans Comedy Garden

22nd - 26th July

Featuring Jack Dee, Tom Allen, Sara Pascoe, Henning Wehn, Josh Widdicombe, Ross Noble and more. Verulamium Park, St Albans stalbanscomedygarden.co.uk

Bedford Festival Fringe

22nd - 26th July

Featuring over 100 performances, spanning comedy, theatre, live music, film, dance, and spoken word. quarrytheatre.org.uk

Celtic Warrior Experience

24th July & 3rd, 7th, 10th, 14th, 21st Aug

Unleash your inner warrior at this action-packed day of prehistoric skills, archery and adventure.

Summer Adventure Camp

4th - 5th & 11th - 12th Aug age 8 -11 years

A journey of wild discovery where you can master archery, fire-lighting and tribal drumming to build confidence and ancient skills in the woods.

Archery & Axe Throwing Experience

15th & 16th Aug age 8+.

Test your aim and sharpen your skills with expert tuition in archery and traditional axe throwing

Brickendon Lane, Brickendon SG13 8NY celticharmony.org

Shaw's Corner

Outdoor Theatre: Candida 24th & 25th July

doors 5.45pm, performance 6.30pm £23

One woman, two men, and an eternal triangle of exuberant personalities! With his home as the backdrop, enjoy this exciting new production of Shaw’s play, Candida, for his birthday weekend!

Ayot St Lawrence AL6 9BX nationaltrust.org.uk

Shenley Park Walled Garden:

Open Air Theatre

Sherlock Holmes: Hound of the Baskervilles 24th July 7pm

With live music, audience interaction and more mystery than you can shake a magnifying glass at!

Peter Rabbit 9th Aug 2pm

Treasure Island 9th Aug 7pm

Radlett WD7 9DW shenleypark.co.uk

Kimpton Horse Show 26th July

Hitchin Road kimptonhorseshow.co.uk

Stockwood Discovery Centre

Stockwood Garden Party

28th - 30th July 11am - 3pm drop in free Wander through the gardens and discover a vibrant programme of live shows, storytelling and hands-on activities.

Colourscape 7th - 9th Aug £13.20, all ages

A walk-in labyrinth of colour and light

London Road Luton LU1 4LX culturetrust.com

Pop-up Paper Tales

28th - 31st July 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm

Make a townscape out of paper, complete with a popup fox! £5 plus museum entry

Roald Dahl Museum, Bucks HP16 0AL roalddahlmuseum.org

Don't Worry..... Bee Happy

31st July 11am, 1pm & 3pm free, ages 3-6

An interactive musical storytelling adventure. Rothamsted Park, Harpenden harpenden.gov.uk

Harpenden Museum

Exhibition: Interwar Development 1919-39