Saturday
4 May
Ely Eel Day in Jubilee Gardens,
10.30am -4.00pm
This celebration of all things slithery encompasses everything from eel
throwing to eel tastings but it also has a serious side. The day itself, an
annual festival, commemorates traditions that all too often ebb away, with folk
music, dancing, historical displays, games, craft and food stalls. It starts
with a procession through the city headed up by Ellie the Eel – a giant version
of the snake-like fish. Music is
provided by Ely’s Samba Band. The procession snakes through the city, along
Waterside and arrives at the Jubilee Gardens. Once there, families can compete
in Eel Throwing, everyone can tuck into
smoked and jellied eels washed down by a special Eel Day brew. As eels are an acquired taste, there is a hog-roast, pizza and various food
vendors an an alternative. Eel Throwing is based on the popular village fete
game wellie throwing. The procession – and the day’s events – start at 10.30 at
Cross Green, which is next to the Cathedral.
Wicken Fen: Wild Wicken '50
Things' Weekend, 10.00am-5.00pm
Come along and discover the new 2013 '50 things to do before you're 11
3/4' list. How many will you be able to do? Lots of things going on throughout
the weekend for all the family. Saturday 4 May - geocaching (10am - 3pm),
minibeast hunting (10.30am - 12.30pm), pond dipping (1.30 - 3.30pm), snail
racing (5-6pm) Sunday 5 May Geocaching (10am - 3pm), Wild Art and mud
activities (10.30am - 12.30pm), pond dipping and den building (1.30 - 3.30pm).
Drop in any time during these sessions to have a go.
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
Every weekend this month try your hand at pond-dipping with all the
equipment provided to help you make magical discoveries. As you cross the footbridge from the car park
to the visitor centre, take a minute to listen and look for the secretive water
voles that make Welney their home. Spend
a day out exploring the reserve with our Spring is in the air discovery trail
and make sure you don't miss a thing with our Spring activity clipboards
(recommended 50p donation). Then watch
breeding birds displaying and sitting on nests from the wigeon cafe over a bite
to eat at lunchtime.
Fitzwilliam Museum: Family First
Saturdays, 2.00-4.00pm
On the first Saturday of each month visit our Fitz Family Welcome Point
in the Courtyard and collect drawing materials, activities and trails to use
throughout the museum.
Cambridge Botanic Garden:
Crowning Glory, 11.00am-3.00pm
Be King or Queen of the Garden for the day and have your picture taken
sitting on our Garden throne.
Sunday
5 May
Living History Day at Oliver
Cromwell’s House, 10.00am-4.00pm
Step back in time to the 17th Century with our Costumed Guides. Learn
how to spin wool, sample some smoked eel; and hear about life as a Roundhead.
Come and meet our Historical Re-enactors and see their display on St Mary's
Green outside Oliver Cromwell's House.
Wimpole Estate: Wild Camping
& Wilder Games, 6.00pm-8.00am
Come and celebrate the launch of the 2013 '50 things to do before
you're 11 3/4s' by camping at Wimpole and enjoying some fun games and
activities. Come and camp at Wimpole and enjoy an evening of fun and games
before getting up early to enjoy the delights of a dawn chorus. The dawn chorus
begins at 5am and is being led bird expert Louise Bacon. It will be family
friendly and is included in the price. Booking essential. This event is aimed
at families with children over the age of 4 years.
Wicken Fen: Wild Wicken '50
Things' Weekend, 10.00am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Monday
6 May
May Day At Denny Abbey
Come and join us at Denny this May Day. We have stalls from local craft
makers to delight and tempt you. There will be the chance to dance around the
museum’s maypole outside the Stone Barn. The Friends of The Museum will be
raising funds for the museum with their ‘preloved’ bric-a-brac stall.
Anglesey Abbey: Bank Holiday
Family Fun - Wild Art Day, 11.00am-1.00pm and 2.00-4.00pm
Drop into different points around the wildlife discovery area and staff
will help you try your hand at wild art in its many forms, mini land art,
sculpting mud faces, ephemeral natural art, outdoor printmaking. Take home some
of your masterpieces or leave them to inspire others. Help us design a range of
collectable ‘50 things’ badges that will be given out at the property when you
achieve target points on your ‘50 things’ challenge.
Ickworth: 50 Things to do before
you're 11 and 3/4 years old intro day, 11.00am-3.30pm
Join us to find all about the 50 things you can do before you're 11 and
3/4year's old. We'll be close to the play area having fun doing some of the
activities. You can sign up for the campaign and find out how you can be
involved.
Wednesday
8 May
Wicken Fen: Mucky Pups...Messy
Muddy May, 10.15-11.45am
Seasonal fun and adventure for under 5s. This month it's all about mud
- building, painting, and getting it between your fingers and toes! Booking
essential.
Thursday
9 May
Wicken Fen: Mucky Pups...Messy
Muddy May, 10.15-11.45am
For information, see 8 May
Saturday
11 May
Chatteris Community Cinema: Film
Day - Hotel Transylvania (U), 2.30pm
Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's lavish five-stake resort,
where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they
are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited
some of the world's most famous monsters--Frankenstein and his bride, the
Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more--to celebrate his
daughter Mavis's 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary
monsters is no problem--but his world could come crashing down when one
ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Sunday
12 May
Haddenham and Aldreth: Blossoms
and Bygones, 12.30-5.00pm
If you walk down Haddenham High Street on the afternoon of Sunday 12th
May, you might think you have somehow returned to 1863. No sign of it might be
Empire Day. Children in smocks and pinafores engaged in a hoop trundle hurtle
down the middle of the road. Many of the usual gardens will be open, and many
of the usual attractions, stalls and events will be there on the day, including
the delightful tractor-trailer buses which ferry everyone around the village
The Gallery is hosting a Victorian garden party, with cream teas and croquet.
The school is running traditional games and races in the High Street (closed to
traffic for the afternoon), where there will be activities all day, including
musicians and morris dancers. There are also plans afoot for a Temperance Hall
(Keep Calm and Have a Cup of Tea), maypole dancing, and bell-ringing. As you
wander down the High Street you will also see blue plaques on the shops and
houses, telling you who lived there in 1863 and some of the history of the
buildings. Travel down a 'time tunnel' towards Aldreth and you will literally
see the years flashing past, until you arrive at 1943. Since the highly
successful VE Day Blossoms and Bygones, Aldreth has retained a 'forties' theme
for the day, attracting enthusiasts for the period from all over the country,
and they will again be hosting themed games, activities and exhibits.
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Kettle’s
Yard: Studio Sundays, 1.00-4.00pm
Drop in practical art workshops for all ages. Join
us to make your own artwork inspired by our exhibitions and collection. A
chance to explore, chat, sketch, make and play.
Wednesday
15 May
Cambridge
Arts Theatre: The Gruffalo’s Child, 1.30pm
One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s child ignores her father’s
warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t
really exist... does he?
Thursday
16 May
Cambridge
Arts Theatre: The Gruffalo’s Child, 10.30am and 4.30pm
For information, see 15 May
Friday
17 May
Cambridge
Arts Theatre: The Gruffalo’s Child, 10.30am and 1.30pm
For information, see 15 May
Saturday
18 May
Swaffham Prior Village Feast,
2.00-4.00pm
We will be going back to the traditional early summer Feast. Details
will be posted in the Swaffham Crier. Also see the website for more
information. Website: http://www.swaffhampriorvillagehall.co.uk/
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Cambridge
Arts Theatre: The Gruffalo’s Child, 11.00am and 2.00pm
For information, see 15 May
Sunday
19 May
Stretham Feast (all afternoon)
12.30pm Church service, 1pm Parade - Ely Military Band, trailers and
the Arco Iris Samba Band, 1.45pm Companion Dog Show. Pedigree and fun classes,
2pm Fayre on the Recreation Ground. Activities at the fayre include: Children’s fair; Connections Youth Bus;
Looney Balloony; Hog Roast; Raffle - First prize Nexus tablet; Pickled Pig
Cider; Gladiator battle inflatable. 2.10pm Mini World cup on the all weather
surface: matches for year 7's and under and years 8 - 10. Plus many, many
stalls and activities yet to be confirmed.
Prickwillow Drainage Engine
Museum: Fire Engines and Military Vehicles, 11.00am-4.30pm
Fire engines including the historic City of Ely appliance in steam,
military vehicles and memorabilia exhibits. Hot & Cold Food - Engine Runs -
Lots to enjoy for all the family.
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Cambridge
Arts Theatre: The Gruffalo’s Child, 11.00am and 2.00pm
For information, see 15 May
Thursday
23 May
Ely Cinema:
Life of Pi (PG), 3.00pm
The son of an Indian zoo owner finds himself
shipwrecked with a tiger, and their relationship develops into one of mutual
dependence. BAFTA & Oscar nominated.
Saturday
25 May
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
Arts and craft activities in the pond room; Activity clipboards to take out on the
reserve (suggested 50p donation); Self-led pond-dipping with all the equipment
provided on the reserve; Spring is in the air discovery trail, pick up a
leaflet and find out about art in nature around the reserve.
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Sunday
26 May
Welney WWT: Family pond dipping,
9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 4 May
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Kettle’s
Yard: Studio Sundays, 1.00-4.00pm
For information, see 12 May
Monday
27 May
Shepreth Wildlife Park: Love
Your Zoo Week
The annual BIAZA zoo event. This year we will be raising funds and
awareness for the EAZA SouthEast Asia Campaign. Asian animal fun and games
throughout the day, with all funds raised going to support SouthEast Asian
conservation projects.
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Tuesday
28 May
Denny Abbey: Paint a Cow,
12.00-4.00pm
Our children’s drop-in session during May half-term is all about cows!
We’re giving children a fun chance to be creative and paint one of our large
fibre glass model cows any colour they want! Come along, pick up a paintbrush,
and give our cows a makeover, and make sure they stand out from the common
herd. PLUS – turn detective to find where Daisy the Cow is hiding around the
museum; practise milking a cow*, sit on a cow*, and make a working cow* to take
home with you, and also learn how to recognise one cow from another (and, more
usefully, from a bull!) (*These cows are not real cows, but our large,
fibreglass models. There should be real cows to look at next to the museum, but
these are not for painting!)
Wicken Fen: Pond dipping and
minibeast hunt, 10.30-11.15am, 11.15am-12.00pm, 12.00-12.45pm, 1.45-2.30 pm,
2.30-3.15pm
Come and discover the minibeasts that live at Wicken Fen. 30 minute
pond dipping session, followed by minibeast hunt. Booking essential.
Cambridge Botanic Garden:
Prickly Friends workshop, 10.30am-12.00pm and 1.30-3.00pm
Discover the amazing world of
the hedgehog, one of our best-loved garden heroes, with Hugh Warwick,
hedgehog-championing ecologist and author of the book, A Prickly Affair. Minimum
age 6 years.
10.30am-12.00pm: http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Event.aspx?p=27&ix=346&pid=2718&prcid=0&ppid=2718
Kettle’s Yard: Half-Term Family
Taster Day, 10.00-11.00am, 11.15am-12.15pm, 12.30-1.30pm
For families with children aged 5-12. Join us for a mixture of
hour-long family workshops. IN THE GALLERY: Artist Filipa Pereira-Stubbs slows
the world down with a movement workshop responding to Katie Paterson’s
exhibition. IN ST PETER’S CHURCH: Examine the microscopic world of fossils and
experiment with drawing with artist Jane Waterhouse. IN THE HOUSE: Capture
light and play with shadow with artist Janine Woods.
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Shepreth Wildlife Park: Love
Your Zoo Week
For information, see 27 May
Wednesday
29 May
Wicken Fen: Buzzy Bee Party,
10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00-4.00pm
Come and party insect style! Learn the waggle dance moves. Booking
essential.
Anglesey Abbey: Half Term Family
Fun - Bird Bonanza, 11.00am-1.00pm and 2.00-4.00pm
Join in with our bird bonanza, get expert tips on bird watching and use
our guides and binoculars to identify our wide range of garden and woodland
birds. See how we carry out our nest box surveys and find out how to make your
own bird boxes and feeders for back home.
Kettle’s Yard: Time Squish,
10.00am-12.00pm
For children aged 5-8 and their carers. Compress a day of life into a
fossil with artist, Lara Jones.
Ely Cinema, The Croods (U),
3.00pm
The Croods is a prehistoric comedy adventure that follows the world's
first family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has
always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular
landscape, the Croods discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic
creatures -- and their outlook is changed forever.
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Shepreth Wildlife Park: Love
Your Zoo Week
For information, see 27 May
Thursday
30 May
Ickworth: Allotment day fun,
11.00am-3.00pm
Plant it, grow it, eat it....Come down to the walled garden and plant
your own seeds. You'll get a tag next to everything you've planted so you can
come back and see how it's going. Plant a sunflower seed and join our facebook
competition to see how large it is growing. Complete one of your 50 Things to
do before you're 11 ¾ challenges.
Denny Abbey: Paint a Cow,
12.00-4.00pm
For information, see 28 May
Wicken Fen: Pond dipping and minibeast
hunt, 10.30-11.15am, 11.15am-12.00pm, 12.00-12.45pm, 1.45-2.30 pm, 2.30-3.15pm
For information, see 28 May
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Ely Cinema, The Croods (U),
3.00pm
For information, see 29 May
Shepreth Wildlife Park: Love
Your Zoo Week
For information, see 27 May
Friday
31 May
Anglesey Abbey: Half
Term Family Fun - Pond dipping, 11.00am-1.00pm and 2.00-4.00pm
Drop into pond dip sessions in our wildlife area. See if you can catch
a fish and find some frogspawn whilst you discover what's in our pond.
Welney WWT: Half term family
activities, 9.30am-5.00pm
For information, see 25 May
Shepreth Wildlife Park: Love
Your Zoo Week
For information, see 27 May
