Festivals and Events in Bedford-00-7585

February

Many Bedfordshire events cluster between Easter and autumn to take advantage of longer daylight hours and better weather, but this does not mean there is nothing on offer during the cold winter months. For instance, if you are keen on tasting ales and beers, why not visit the Luton Beer Festival in February at the Hightown Sports and Arts Centre? The only place you might get wet is the bus queue.

March

As we go into March after recovering from that hangover, Bedfordshire events include the Festival of Music, Speech and Drama in Bedford to appeal to your finer instincts. Alternatively, if you've got kids (or can borrow some), there is Easter Excitement at Mead Open Farm at Billington, near Dunstable. Here, kids can see and sometimes touch and feed all their favourite farm animals while following the Easter Egg Hunt.

April

Also at Easter, there is the Luton Easter Hat Parade and Show celebrating this town's heritage as a hat-making centre (which is why their Football Club is called the Hatters). Another event in Luton is the parade and celebrations for St George's Day that bring many locals and visitors out onto the streets. Pubs offer one-day-only special prices and restaurants serve up traditional English fare such as sausage and mash.

May

May, with its warmer and hopefully cloudless skies, sees the proper start to the year's events. All that sunshine makes for thirst, so head off to the Bedford Local Beer and Food Festival at the White Horse. The keyword here is local, with a chance to sample foodstuffs made and grown in Bedfordshire. Dunstable and Luton both hold their carnivals in May, with Luton including a street party.

Traditionalists might want to see the Medieval May Day celebration at Bromham Watermill on the Ouse. Set in seven acres of beautiful land alongside the river, this 17th century mill makes for a good day out on any fine day. However, if you like your technology more recent but still want to visit a mill, then go to the Stotfold Mill Steam Fair and Country Show near Sandy. And finally in May, you might be thinking of improving your garden, in which case the Wrest Park Garden Show might be worth a try.

June

It's June and the sun is now hopefully blazing down from a cloudless sky over Bedfordshire. With any luck, the wind will be blowing as it is time for the Bedford International Kite Festival at Russell Park. If the rain is pouring down and the wind has died, then you could always go to the movies via the Filmstock Festival in Luton and this one of the more popular Bedfordshire events according to local Bedford news.

July

July brings the ever-popular two-day Bedford River Festival with dragon boats, raft racing, a carnival parade, live music and lots of stalls to spend your money. You might want to try the Park and Ride facilities as parking in town will be difficult. Alternatively, there is the Bedfordshire Country Show at Old Warden Park or the Linslade Canal Festival.

August

This month brings the Proms in the Park at the Twinwood Arena in Bedford, and music lovers can also try the Glenn Miller Festival at Clapham or The Original Flying Proms at the Old Warden.

September, October, November

There's now a Steam and Country Fair at Old Warden and a Folk Festival at Dunstable, plus a Woodworks Festival at Marston Moretaine. Visit the Annual Craft Fair at Great Barford for those Christmas presents. And finally there is the Dunstable Tudor Festival or see the Luton Lights go on.