Welcome to the 2019 Nene Valley Festival, an event which celebrates the natural and historic assets of this beautiful landscape. Enjoy a diverse programme of events aimed at both residents and visitors to the region, inspiring more people to connect with the wildlife and heritage of the Nene Valley. We are delighted to be presenting nine days of exciting events taking place at a variety of venues from Northampton to Peterborough. The programme has been designed so there is something for everyone to enjoy, whether you are interested in cultural heritage, local history, archaeology, food and drink, the arts or leisure activities. We would like to thank all our festival partners, local organisations and businesses for their continued support, with particular thanks to our main funder, the Nenescape Landscape Partnership Scheme and Heritage Lottery Funding. We look forward to seeing you soon! 3 The Nene Valley is easy to find and never far away... Just one hour from London, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge. 5 SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER CYCLEFEST NENE VALLEY A popular family event in partnership with FESTIVAL LAUNCH Northamptonshire County Council's 'Cycle Northants'. Enjoy pedal powered activities such as Celebrate the launch of our nine day programme smoothie making, scalextrics, a cycling challenge at Cathedral Square with a celebration of and bike themed arts and crafts. Peterborough’s heritage for Peterborough Heritage Open Days (with properties open all weekend). Stanwick Lakes. NN9 6GY. 11am – 4pm. Enjoy family heritage activities for all the family. Free activities. Car parking charge applies. T: 01933 625522 www.stanwicklakes.org.uk Peterborough Cathedral Square. PE1 1XB. 11am - 4pm. Free event. HIDDEN HERITAGE T: 01832 742064 nenevalley,net TOUR Your entertaining guide to the fascinating and undiscovered past of Peterborough - from earliest times, to the secrets of the Saxon abbey and Cathedral precincts, to the modern city. Tour starts outside Peterborough Museum. PE1 1LF. 2pm. Turn up or pre-book. Adults £5 / U 16’s £3. T: 01733 864663. www.vivacity-peterborough.com LAST NIGHT AT THE PROMS BOOKING ESSENTIAL An early evening concert to allow audiences to return home to catch the last half of the great British institution of the Last Night of the Proms, The Rushden Town Band, directed by Adele Hudson join with soprano Maureen Brathwaite to enjoy perennial favourites Jerusalem, I Vow to Thee Great memories of Nene Valley Festival 2018 My Country and of course, Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia! BLUE BADGE GUIDED Oundle School Great Hall, 12 New Street, PE8 4GH. WALK OF OUNDLE (WEST) 6pm. £10. £4 under 18. BOOKING ESSENTIAL T: 01832 274734 www.oundlefestival.org.uk Enjoy a guided walk of Oundle. Learn more about RAUNDS FAMILY a noisy well, a puking infant, pubs galore and a FUN DAY modern monstrosity! (part of Cyclefest at Stanwick Lakes) Start at Talbot Hotel. PE8 4EA. Enjoy the cycle route from Stanwick Lakes to 2.15pm. Free. Raunds and discover everything that Raunds has T: 01832 742064 or book via nenevalley.net to offer. Live music and entertainment, including a balloon modeller, family games and free BOTH SIDES OF refreshments are all available on the town square. PHIL COLLINS Collect a map and enjoy an historic walk around BOOKING ESSENTIAL the town to include St Peter’s Church with its Enjoy the Greatest Hits of Phil Collins & Genesis. splendid sequence of late medieval wall paintings. The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough. NN8 1XA. The Square, Raunds, NN9 6HP 12pm - 3pm. 7.30pm. Tickets £24 (£22). Free event. T: 01933 622087. This symbol T: 01933 270007 indicates the event www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/castle-theatre is part of the ARTS CINEMA CYCLING FAMILY FOOD/DRINK HISTORY 6 SING-A-LONG-A THE LEATHER IN SHAKESPEARE GREATEST SHOWMAN (also 18th of September) BOOKING ESSENTIAL Leather is everywhere! Not least hidden in the Singalonga Productions, producers of Sing-a- words of our beloved Bard, William Shakespeare. long-a Sound of Music and Sing-a-long-a GREASE Through a selection of objects from the National brings you their newest show, the smash hit film Leather Collection, visitors can explore the true musical that everyone can’t stop singing - The meaning behind Shakespeare's leathery terms. Greatest Showman! The National Leather Collection presents an exhibition entitled 'Leather in Shakespeare', which pairs objects from the museum's historic collection with leather-related lines from Shakespeare's plays to demonstrate their true meaning. Falstaff may have a beard like a glover's paring knife, but what does that look like? What was a paring knife used for? National Leather Collection, 35 Princes Walk, Northampton. NN1 2EL. 10am – 4pm. No booking required. Facilities are provided by the Grosvenor Centre and are not located at 35 Princes Walk itself, but The Key Theatre, Peterborough. PE1 1EF. within a short walking distance. 2pm and 7pm. £16.50 / £12.50. T: 01733 207239 T: 07483149514 nationalleathercollection.org https://vivacity.org/whatson/theatre-and-arts/ sing-a-long-a-the-greatest-showman/ THE NORTHAMPTON HERITAGE FAIR NENE VALLEY The Northampton Heritage Fair is an annual event BREWERY TOUR held as part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme which is now in its 25th year. BOOKING ESSENTIAL Enjoy a 90 minute tour and guided tasting at this The event brings together a variety of local groups independent brewery producing a wide range of – each with a common interest in Northampton’s cask, keg, bottled and canned beers. rich heritage – to showcase what they have to offer. Nene Valley Brewery. Oundle Wharf. PE8 4DE. 11am. £10 per person. Abington Park Museum. NN1 5LW. T: 01832 272776 www.nenevalleybrewery.com 11am - 4pm. Free admission. T: 01604 838110 www.northampton.gov.uk/museums VISIT IRTHLINGBOROUGH THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Irthlingborough is an ancient settlement famous for (9 - 14 September) its church with its lantern tower. As part of Heritage Open Days, enjoy tours of the church including the BOOKING ESSENTIAL crypts and cellars. Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a cast of phenomenally talented actors and musicians tell Buddy Holly’s story, from his meteoric rise to fame to his final legendary performance at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Royal and Derngate Northampton. NN1 1DP. 7.30pm. Tickets from £11. St. Peter’s Church. NN9 5SE. T: 01604 624811 www.royalandderngate.co.uk 10am – 12pm. Free. Tel: 01933 650866. MUSIC NATURE SPLASH RUNNING THEATRE WALKING 7 SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER TO TOWER TOURS, CATHEDRAL HIGHLIGHTS TOUR, ALMONERS SUNDAY 15 SEPTEMBER HALL AND LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE AND MORE! GAIA, AN ARTWORK Part of Nene Valley Festival Launch BY LUKE JERRAM and Heritage Open Days Weekend (19 August – 15 September) Explore the inside of Peterborough Cathedral from Gaia, is a seven metre diameter sphere, featuring above and learn more about the key features of 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the earth’s the Cathedral. Part of the Nene Valley Festival surface. It will hang under the central tower inside launch on 14 September and Heritage Open Days the Cathedral. weekend from 14-15 September. • Tower Tours - 11.30am and 2.30pm Saturday and 2.30pm Sunday. • Cathedral Highlights Tour - 11am, 12pm and 1pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday. • Library Open House - 10.45am and 12.45pm on Peterborough Cathedral. PE1 1XS. Please visit the Saturday and 11.45am and 1.15pm on Sunday. website for opening times. Free. T: 01733 355315. • Almoners Hall Open House - 10.45am and www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk 12.45pm on Saturday and 11.45am and 1.15pm on Sunday. PETERBOROUGH HERITAGE • Infirmary and Table Hall Tour - 1pm and 3pm OPEN DAYS WEEKEND on Saturday. Part of Nene Valley Festival Launch Peterborough Cathedral. PE1 1XS. T: 01733 355315. More than 30 buildings in Peterborough and the www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk Visit Peterborough Cathedral website and nenevalley. surrounding villages have signed up to take part net for details of additional tours, talks and costs. in this year’s Heritage Open Days weekend, which will be celebrated in Peterborough from Friday 13 September to Sunday 15 September, with a couple SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER TO of events the following weekend. www.heritageopendays.org.uk TUESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER WILLIAM SCOTT ABBOTT TRUST GUIDED TOURS AT SESSIONS HARVEST FESTIVAL HOUSE NORTHAMPTON CELEBRATIONS BOOKING ESSENTIAL Enjoy a guided tour around Sessions House Sacrewell. PE8 6HJ. 9.30am - 5pm. Northampton, a rare example of a 17th century T: 01780 782254 www.sacrewell.org.uk Courthouse. It served the purpose it was built for over 300 years and it still keeps a character and OUNDLE MUSEUM appearance which would be recognisable to then - FROM HORSE TO HORSEPOWER men who built it. Find out more about the transition from working Architecturally, it is one of the highest quality with horses to steam power and the combustion buildings in England, decorated by the top engine over the last 200 years and the changes craftsmen of the day. It is now a Grade 1 listed that these made within the local community. With building. It lies at the centre of the town and the special focus on historical changes to transport county and was built to be the administrative heart including exhibits on Arthur Howitt’s leather of Northamptonshire. supplies shop, Donegani’s garage, the introduction of the train to Oundle, the development of the Sessions House. George Row, Northampton. NN1 north bridge and bypass plus many more model 1DF. Prices £1.50 senior citizens, £4 family tickets, vehicles old and new to see. £3 per person, £1 under 16. 14 September 10am and 1pm. 15 September 12.30pm. 16 September 10am Oundle Museum. PE8 4BW. Saturday 11am - 5pm and 1pm. 17 September 10am and 1pm.