Never too early for the C word when it comes to booking tickets
This week: Arty light trails and other festive events, paper artist Suhail Shaikh at The Atkinson, celebrate 10 years of Sunny Bank Mill
I’ve just returned from 10 days in Cape Town where spring is bursting out of every corner, surprising you with splashes of parma violet purple and rubber duck yellow among the lush green leaves.
In the 10 days I was away, the UK has dispatched Halloween and Bonfire Night and is firmly in the run up to Christmas. My local Sainsbury’s even has ‘Merry Christmas’ signs in the windows and two of the houses on the street where my daughter’s piano teacher lives have festive lights in their front windows.
Even if I wasn’t still unpacking sunblock and washing the summer dresses from my suitcase, I would find all this a bit premature. But when it comes to booking Christmas events you can’t ever be early enough. Tickets start whizzing out in September.
So here are a few of my picks for arty things that will get you in the yuletide spirit in case you don’t yet have every weekend between now and December 25 booked up with shopping trips, school fayres and annual visits to see Auntie Mabel.
The Nutcracker Reimagined
Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu joins with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Brass and Percussion Ensemble to each perform different parts of Tchaikovsky’s music in this new telling of the traditional Christmas tale. A narrator and two ballet dancers help bring the piece to life. I saw a version of this a few years ago with my daughter, who was then five. She was captivated.
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, December 30. Tickets £11-30 here.
Georgian Christmas
Discover what Christmas was like when the Wordsworths lived at Dove Cottage, Grasmere, 200 years ago. Try out some Georgian Christmas crafts such as making pomanders and wreaths, decorate some gingerbread stars, and dress up in costume as you learn about what the Wordsworth family ate and celebrated on Christmas day.
Dove Cottage, Grasmere, December 21. More details here.
Monteviot Lights
The natural beauty of the Scottish borders will be illuminated in Monteviot House and Gardens’ inaugural winter light trail. The 1.5km route from Harestanes Visitor Centre takes you through beautifully-lit gardens and woods to a winter fairytale.
Monteviot House and Gardens, Jedbergh, November 30 to December 3 and December 6-10. More details here.
Glow at Bridgewater
A rainbow dancefloor with a playlist of Manchester anthems, yew domes festooned with fairy lights and a halo light show by Jago Juggling Arts will greet visitors to Glow at RHS Bridgewater this festive season. And if you’re feeling a bit chilly, you can buy hot Vimto or mulled wine from a Tuk Tuk.
RHS Bridgewater, Salford, November 15-December 30. Tickets for members are priced £8.95 for adults (or family guests): £8.95, £4.45 for ages 5-16. For non-members: £14.95 adults, £7.95 ages 5-16. Children under-5 go free. Book here.
Light Organ Late x Aron Kyne and Thabo Mkwananzi
Local artists Akeelah Bertram, Adam Glatherine and creative technologist Simon Fletcher invented Light Organ, an interactive artwork that brings sound to life. Usually, visitors are invited to sing, talk and clap into the microphones to activate a series of 40 large pipes, transforming the noises they make into a sculptural display of colourful, glowing lights.
But for one night only musicians Aron Kyne and Thabo Mkwananzi will be performing in Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s chapel to bring light into the winter’s night.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, December 7. Tickets £10 adults, £5 under-18s here.
Yuletide
Wild Rumpus, the team behind Just So and Timber festivals, have worked with artists and storytellers to create an illuminated trail, where winter witch goddesses have captured the moon and sun and shapeshifting snow hares play tricks on us all. You are led to the Yuletide Gathering for wild folk bands and stories around the fire.
Tatton Park Gardens, November 24-December 23. Tickets priced £20 adults, £12 under-16s (£25 adults, £17 under-16s on December 22 when there is a special Solstice event). More details here.
We’re Also Buzzing About…
Cut, Fold, Glue: Paper artist Suhail Shaikh transforms the simple sheet of paper into multidimensional art works, reflecting the ideas, thoughts and reactions that arise from his perception of the evolving world around him. See his delicately intricate work at The Atkinson, Southport, from November 25 to February 24, 2024. More here.
Woven Stories: Celebrate Sunny Bank Mill’s 10th anniversary and meet some of the Leeds venue’s artists, including current Dutch artist-in-residence Monika Loster from 12-4pm on Sunday (November 12) More here.
Thank you for taking the time to read Stored Honey. If you’d like to get in touch, I’m on X/Twitter or you can message me in the comments or by dropping me a line at tostoredhoney@gmail.com.
Have a great week,
Laura
