The Rough Guide to 50 Great UK Events 2008 NEW YORK • LONDON • DELHI www.roughguides.com Publishing information and credits Authors: Kieran Meeke and James Ellis, with Zena Alkayat, Philip Blackmore, Marc Dodd, Graeme Green, Fiona Macdonald, Paul Middleton, Chloe Scott, Lisa The Rough Guide to Scott, Karen Stetch, Chris Stocks, Andrew Williams Editor: Helena Smith Design & layout: Diana Jarvis Proofreader: Stewart Wild ion 50 Great UK T Picture research: Lucy Schweitzer, Greg Meeson c Production: Vicky Baldwin U Project manager: Emma Traynor Account managers: Dunstan Bentley (Rough Guides), od Fiona Allison (Metro) Events 2008 TR Published 2007 by Rough Guides Ltd, 80 Strand, London in WC2R 0RL © Rough Guides Ltd Printed and bound by Butler and Tanner, UK No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews. Image credits Front cover Octopus kites © National Geographic Creative/Getty; Back cover Hay on Wye Literature Festival © Andrew Fox/Alamy p.6 Royal Ascot © Tim Graham Photo Library; p.9 Hurdle Race, Cheltenham Festival © Getty; p.12 Modern Ballroom Competition © Geoff A Howard/Alamy; p.15 Antonio Maeso © Getty; p.18 British Grand Prix at Silverstone © Corbis; p.21 Tiger Woods © AFP/Getty; p.22 British National Surfing Championships © PA photos;p.25 Lin Dan at the All England Open Badminton Championships © Lawrence Looi/Corbis; p.26 Indoor Windsurfing at the London Boat Show © Getty;p.29 Erik Bloodaxe at York Minster © Asadour Guzelian; p.32 Medway Sweeps festival © Ian Goodrick / Alamy; p.37 World Bog Snorkelling Championship © PA Photos; p.41 German marble player Andreas vom Rothenbarth © AFP/Getty; p.43 Recieving Town Standard © South West Images Scotland/Alamy; p.47 Seasick Steve at the Cambridge Folk Festival © Photo by Albanpix Ltd/Rex Features; p.50 Abergavenny Food Festival © Jeff Morgan food and drink/Alamy; p.53 BedZed © Open House London; p.56 Market Hall at the Abergavenny Food Festival © Jeff Morgan food and drink/Alamy; p.59 Bulldog at Crufts International Dog Show © Corbis; p.63 Henley Royal Regatta © Getty; p.64 Stella Artois Championships © Getty; p.67 Royal Ascot © Tim Graham; p.69 Hampton Court Palace © Robert Harding; p.73 Braemar Highland Gathering © Getty; p.74 Racegoer at Royal Ascot © Getty/Anwar Hussein; p.76 Scottish sled dog rally © PA photos; p.81 Royal show at Stoneleigh © Royal Show; p.84 International Balloon Fiesta © Getty; p.89 Lewes Bonfire night © Getty/Dave Etheridge-Barnes; p.90 The Red Arrows © PA photos Many of the images in this book have been taken with cameras from the Canon EOS range. For some events it is appropriate to check in advance whether photography is permitted. If you plan to have your pictures published then you need to gain permission from any people you photograph. To cover all possibilities, it's wise to ask your subjects to sign a model release form. The publishers and authors have done their best to ensure the accuracy and currency of all the information contained in The Metro Rough Guide to 50 Great UK Events 2008: however, they can accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained as a result of information or advice contained in the guide. The RoUGh GUidE to 50 Great UK events Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.....45 Cambridge Folk Festival..................................46 contents Brecon Jazz Festival .........................................48 Green Man Festival .........................................49 Abergavenny Food Festival ..............................51 Open House Weekend .....................................52 inTRodUcTion.............7 Raindance Film Festival ..................................54 TS Belfast Festival At Queen’s ..............................55 TS n Photography tips .............................................57 n TE SPoRTS..........................8 TE con Cheltenham Festival ..........................................8 iconic..........................58 con World Cross-Country Championships .............10 Crufts .............................................................58 First Test Match of the Summer at Lord's .........11 Glyndebourne Festival ....................................60 Blackpool Dance Festivals ...............................13 Hay Festival ....................................................61 Isle of Man TT ...............................................14 Henley Royal Regatta .....................................62 Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Polo Final ...............16 The Artois Championships ..............................65 Goodwood Festival of Speed ...........................17 Royal Ascot ....................................................66 British Grand Prix ..........................................19 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show ...............68 The 137th Open Golf Championship .............20 Skandia Cowes Week ......................................70 Rip Curl Boardmasters Surf & Edinburgh Festival .........................................71 Music Festival ...............................................23 Braemar Highland Gathering ...........................72 Photography tips .............................................24 Photography tips .............................................75 off-bEaT....................27 SPEcTaclE..................77 Indoor Windsurfing Championships ................27 Aviemore Sled Dog Rally ................................77 Jorvik Viking Festival......................................28 Up Helly Aa ..................................................78 British and World Marbles Championship ........30 Chinese New Year ..........................................79 Bodyflight Bedford World Challenge ...............31 Royal Show at Stoneleigh ...............................80 Medway Sweeps Festival .................................33 Great Yorkshire Show .....................................82 Arm Wars XI ..................................................34 Royal International Air Tattoo ........................83 Sark Sheep Races ............................................35 Discovery Channel International World Bog Snorkelling Championship ............36 Balloon Fiesta ..............................................85 World Conker Championships ........................38 England’s Medieval Festival ............................86 World’s Biggest Liar Competition ....................39 Bristol International Festival of Kites & Photography tips .............................................40 Air Creations ...............................................87 Lewes Bonfire Night ......................................88 cUlTURE & food........2 Photography tips .............................................91 The Common Ridings ...................................42 Whitstable Oyster Festival ...............................44 EvEnTS by monTh.....96 The RoUGh GUidE to 50 Great UK events The RoUGh GUidE to 50 Great UK events 5 inTRodUcTion Nowhere in Europe has the breadth of festivals and events that we have here in the British Isles. Inspired by this, the Metro Rough Guide to 50 Great UK Events ion describes the best, brightest and downright quirki- ion T T c est events for 2008, aiming to give you a year to re- c U member. We have split the book into five categories U od – Sports, Offbeat, Culture and Food, Iconic and Spec- od TR tacle – so you can home in on your particular inter- TR in in ests. At the end of each section we also give you a list of relevant photography tips that will ensure you end up with a great portfolio of images to remember each event by. In our first category, Sport, as with the rest of this guide, we’ve tried to avoid the obvious. The Blackpool Dance Festival might not be top of eve- ryone’s list, but the resurgent interest in dance in our opinion makes it a sequinned stunner. Another criterion was beautiful and unusual settings, so the Isle Of Man TT roared into the final straight. In the Offbeat category, Arm Wars and the World Conker Championships are the last word in British eccen- tricity, while the Bog Snorkelling Championships offer a unique if bizarre location. Under Culture and Food, the Common Ridings in Scotland is a unique and colourful occasion with deep historical roots, while the bountiful produce of the Aberga- venny Food Festival should provide plenty to attract wannabe gourmets. Our choices of Iconic events provide perfect opportunities for happy snapping – from the outrageous hats of Ascot to the grace- ful sails of Cowes Week. In the Spectacle category, too, photographers are spoilt for choice, from Chi- nese New Year in London, with its drummers and lion dancers, to the jousting knights of England’s Medieval Festival in Sussex and the cross-country caper that is the Aviemore Sled Dog Rally. Whether you bring your camera along or simply immerse yourself in the collective quirks, there’s heaps to enjoy in the rich variety of events that Britain has to offer. Enjoy your 2008! 6 The RoUGh GUidE to 50 Great UK events The RoUGh GUidE to 50 Great UK events 7 sports cheltenham festival WhERE: Cheltenham Race Course, Gloucestershire WhEn: March 11–14, 2008 Why: The highlight of the National Hunt jump-rac- RTS RTS o ing season, Cheltenham may lack the mass appeal of o SP the Grand National, but for sheer occasion and atmos- SP phere it is unrivalled. WhaT: For four days in mid-March Cheltenham is transformed as the racing community from around the world converge on the town. A fixture on the racing calendar since