Catching up with a few more ideas

I am back with a quick update before we head off again to North Norfolk for a bit of beach life. But before I go here's a quick roundup of what's on in the next week:

The North York Moors Chamber Music Festival has already started and continues until August 28th. I am really sorry to be missing this as there are some wonderful performances at various churches in the North York Moors area. The Finale concert at St Hilda's Church, Westcliffe, Whitby, includes Widor's Toccata and Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals.

The Dutch House in Crayke is running a Summer Day Camp until September 2nd where kids can get involved in a range of creative activities. You need to book ahead on 01347 889431. We went along here just after it opened so a few things weren't yet established such as the wildlife garden. The cafe is nice, light, airy and child-friendly. My only small gripe was that I thought it was a little on the pricey side for drinks and cakes. If you are in that area though it is worth checking out and I would like to go back to see how it is developing.

Scarborough Art Gallery is continuing with its Mog-themed events with Mog's Birthday Party on Monday, August 30th from 11am-4pm. There will be plenty of activities and the promise of a slice of cake. Have a look at their website for lots of other events over the holidays.

There are fossil hunts and dinosaur discovery days in and around Whitby from Monday, August 23rd-Friday, Aug 27th. Have a look at the Scarborough Museum Trust website for details. There are also family fun days at the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough. The next one is August 25th, then September 1st.

There's a Little Boots Safari on August 21st and 22nd where accompanied kids can go on a guided trail. Meet at Rievaulx Abbey car park. Book on 01439 772738. There are lots of other events including archaeology activities, forest exploration, walks, family mountain bike rides.

Scarborough Castle has a medieval knight and princess academy until August 20th and Whitby Abbey has a pirate academy until August 27th.

Over Bank Holiday weekend there is a Fighting Knights activity at Scarborough Castle and a pirate weekend at Whitby Abbey.

Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, is being performed at Mount Grace Priory on August 22nd.

If you haven't ever been to the York Maze then it's worth a visit. My husband, David,  took the boys last year and they had a great day there. Entry in isn't terribly cheap at £8.95 for adults and £7.95 for kids with under 3s going free but if you allow a full day there, it's value for money as there is so much more than the maze to see including play areas, huge sandpit, a giant inflatable trampoline, a pyramid of bales to climb, a quad bike circuit, crazy golf and animals to feed. On August 28th they are staying open until 10pm so you can see the maze by torchlight for a different experience.

There's a medieval re-enactment at the Ryedale Folk Museum on August 29th and 30th and this coming week they are holding a cottage cooking week where you can sample cooking from medieval to Victorian times.

The Yorkshire Museum in York opened at the beginning of this month. Until the end of August they have an event called Summer Fun in the Labs running. Next week they have a making fossil cast event on.

Festivals and Shows

Depending on the weather we are either heading up to Rosedale Abbey on a camping weekend or going to see a couple of shows at the Puppet Festival in Beverley which is a lovely enough place to visit anyway. I've written a preview below. If we do go camping, I'm planning to do a round up of local campsites as a couple of people have been interested in knowing where to go.

Otherwise, here are a few events that are going on this weekend:

Ryedale Festival is on from July 16th - August 1st.  The festival offers a varied programme including soloists, orchestras, chamber music across several venues in Ryedale.

The Malton Show takes place in Scampston Park on Sunday, July 18th. Agricultural attractions, farm exhibits and class entries.

The Ryedale Folk Museum is having a French Day on Sunday, July 18th. Cooking, dancing and lessons in the school room.

Love in Shakespeare at Mount Grace Priory. Enjoy an evening of Shakespeare's most popular plays.

The 1812 Theatre Company are performing 84 Charing Cross Road from Weds, July 21st to Sat, July 24th at 7.30pm at Helmsley Arts Centre.

Twenty 20 has just opened at The Stephen Joseph Theatre from July 13th - September 11th. A one-act play taking the audience on a whistlestop tour of today's short attention span world. The Mikado continues until Sept 4th. Midsummer Night's Dream continues until July 31st.

Malton Cinema is continuing with The Twilight Saga Eclipse for Twihards who have yet to catch it. Also in the lounge is The Reader, a wonderful film which finally gave Kate Winslet her Oscar last year. The cinema has imminent plans to go 3D. I'll keep you posted once I get a firm date.

Preview
Beverley Puppet Festival
July 16th -18th
I know Beverley is not Ryedale, Moors and Coast but this is the sort of event that I would travel to see. We went to Beverley Puppet Festival a couple of years ago and were really impressed with the shows. The shows are mainly geared up for the infant year age group of primary school. We saw a couple of shadow puppet shows, Alice and The White Rabbit by Indigo Moon Theatre Company and Little Red Riding Hood. These cost us just a few pounds for tickets but the traditional Punch and Judy show outside was free. This year's shows include Pinocchio, Chicken Licken, The Ugly Duckling, The Story of the Willow Pattern Plate. There's also a performance by Edinburgh Fringe sell outs, The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre for 12 + to adults.

If there is anything else you would like to include please leave me a comment.

An Owl Safari, Tractors and Engines and a favourite cafe

Here are a few pointers for your week ahead. I hope you find something to enjoy. I'm not sure how far we will get as I have a four-year-old's party to organise for Saturday so will be frantically cake baking and planning party games.

Wind in the Willows which had its debut at Helmsley Arts Centre last weekend is on at Terrington Village Hall at 6.30pm on Thursday, July 8th.

Ryedale Folk Museum is holding a Tractor and Engine Day on Sunday, July 11th and to celebrate Bastille Day next Wednesday, July 14th, there's a picnic from 6-9pm.

Join an Owl Safari at The Robert Fuller Gallery on Saturday, July 10th from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There is also An Introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies on Sunday, July 11th in the morning and afternoon. Booking details on 01759 368355. Tickets £7.50.

There's a Vintage Vehicle Weekend on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Saturday and Sunday, July 10th & 11th where classic and vintage vehicles will be on display along the railway.

If you're up this way and looking for refreshments I can highly recommend the lovely Grosmont Gallery and Jazz Cafe. The building has seen life as an undertakers, a joiner's workshop and a petrol station but now has its walls adorned with art, comfy sofas and plenty of space for a cappuccino, cake and a look at the artwork. We've been here with kids. It's big enough to absorb them and their noise especially with the bribe of a cake! Their new exhibition, Blue Bay Watch, featuring local artists including Ian Mitchell, runs from this weekend to August 8th. The cafe is open from 11am-5pm, April to October.

The original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car is at Nunnington Hall this weekend, July 10th & 11th.

The Hidden Gardens of Hovingham. On Sunday, July 11th several homes in Hovingham are throwing open their garden gates. The event runs from 1pm-5pm. £4 on the day.

The English Lavender Festival takes place at the award-winning Yorkshire Lavender in Terrington on Saturday and Sunday, July10th & 11th. There will be a chance to learn about lavender for cooking as well as for health and beauty and its therapeutic benefits at one of the most beautifully situated gardens in the area.

The Mikado, which opens at the Stephen Joseph Theatre on Thursday and runs until September 4th, has already had some good previews in the national press. Director Chris Monks has this time set the Gilbert and Sullivan masterpiece on the cricket pitch.

Ryedale School's Wind Band and Jazz Band are at Helmsley Arts Centre with a repertoire of classic and contemporary music on Sunday, July 11th. The band is made up of pupils in years 7-11. By the way, the arts centre has its own blog which is worth a look at to find out what is going on behind the scenes.

Artsmix is holding an arts and crafts fayre in Malton on Sunday, July 11th from 11am-4pm. Artsmix aims to showcase emerging artists and there will be art, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and more on sale.

Malton Cinema is showing Letters to Juliet, Shrek Forever After, Twilight Saga Eclipse (both of these are best to book ahead for), and in the Lounge there's The Reader and A Single Man, which I reviewed last week.

Helmsley Arts Centre is showing Remember Me on Wednesday, July 7th at 7.30pm.

If there are other events you know of or would like me to include, I will happily do so. Just leave me a comment.