Rock Oyster Festival 2024 Cornwall
This July, Dinham House will host the Rock Oyster Festival Cornwall. The leading UK food and music festival is overlooking the beautiful Camel Estuary near Padstow. Headlining the music side…
Derby Folk Festival 2024, Derby, UK
This autumn will see Derby buzz with the Derby Folk Festival held in the city centre. Held from 29 September to 1 October, the festival will include a host of folk musicians. The festival is…
7 of the Quirkiest Festivals in the UK
We like quirky things in the UK. And what is more quirky than a festival? From Morris dancing, to bog snorkelling and even pledging you’ve never quarrelled with your spouse…
Bob Marley One Love Experience at Saatchi Gallery
London Begins at 40 Music Editor Robert Spellman reviews the new Bob Marley exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. The best experience to be had at the Bob Marley One Love…
EFG London Jazz Festival Preview
The EFG London Jazz Festival is a highlight in the UK capital’s music calendar, explains Robert Spellman. Out of the November gloom comes the EFG London Jazz Festival for 2023…
Bridlington Kite Festival, UK 2025
The Bridlington Kite Festival close to the popular Yorkshire coastal resort is held in May 2024. There will be a wide array of kites in various different colours and designs over the two days…
London Music Gigs Round-Up
Summer’s fading but the beat goes on. There are some fantastic shows to take you into the autumn, so London Begins at 40 music editor Robert Spellman has compiled an…
The Elixir of Love, Waterperry Gardens
Mark Bibby Jackson visits Waterperry Gardens near Oxford for a performance of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love set in the most spectacular setting. Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love started the…
Green Man Festival 2024, Brecon Beacons, Wales
Held in the beautiful Black Mountains, in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales the four-day Green Man Festival is a must for the UK’s festival lovers this August. This year…
Music Album Releases in July
London Begins at 40 music critic, Robert Spellman, casts his eye across some of the latest music album releases in July, so you can enjoy music in the comfort of…
L’amico Fritz at Holland Park Opera
Julia Bright watches the delightful L’amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni at the Holland Park Opera, one of this season’s four productions. L’amico Fritz is a far cry from Cavalleria Rusticana…
London Live Music in July, August
As the doors finally creak open to the capital’s music spaces, London Begins at 40’s music columnist Robert Spellman offers a selection of London live music in July and August…
Eastival Food and Music Festival
The team behind Dinerama, Hawker House and Giant Robot have joined forces with the founder of Eastern Electrics to bring you Eastival: one unmissable day of food and grooves from…
Thamesmead Festival, Southmere Park 2021
Thamesmead Festival returns to Southmere Park this August. With last year’s festival creatively parlayed into a series of markets, the return of this unique, community-minded festival is eagerly anticipated by…
Bring Into Being, Chiswick House & Gardens
Chiswick House and Gardens will host a new artistic programme Bring Into Being from May to October that will include bespoke art installations by Turner-Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger, acclaimed…
15 UK Music Festivals 2021 Guide
Robert Spellman has rounded up 15 UK music festivals this summer that are due to go ahead covid-permitted for Travel Begins at 40. The idea of a summer music festival…
21 Reasons to Visit Colombia in 2021
Colombia is a country of contrasts. Where the past lives seamlessly with the present; where much loved cities border unexplored terrain; where mountain ranges kiss deserted beaches, all waiting to…
Derby Festé Street Festival 2023
The streets of Derby will resound with dance, music, comedy and contemporary circus this September, as Derby Festé hits the ground running for a thirteenth successive year…
New Mexico Road Trip: UFOs, Ghost Towns & Country Music
On their two-and-a-half week New Mexico road trip Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise discover a Land of Enchantment and a rich cultural heritage. You quickly understand why they call New…
Festival Verdi 2020, Parma and Busseto, Italy
To mark its 20th anniversary the Festival Verdi 2020 is taking to the streets of Parma and Busseto in Emilia Romagna, Italy. The festival celebrates the music of Giuseppe Verdi…
Spoleto Festival 2024, Spoleto, Italy
The spectacular Umbrian city of Spoleto will once more host the Spoleto Festival (Festival di Spoleto) this summer. The 67th Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds will take place from 28…
Waterperry Opera Festival 2024, UK
Just like most festivals and events in the Uk this summer, the Waterperry Opera Festival has faced numerous challenges. However, the team has devised an innovative approach…
Jamaica Holidays Revisited
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise return to the Caribbean to go on their Jamaica holidays and discover great Caribbean food, wonderful birdlife and the home of reggae. Some thirteen years…
UK Staycation Ideas to Learn a New Skill
From the Hebrides to Cornwall, Irene Caswell runs through some UK staycation ideas where you can learn a new skill – from beekeeping to surfing or even playing the fiddle…
