Belthane: What’s Happening May Bank Holiday in Wiltshire?

I don’t want to be the burden of bad news, you can blame my stupid, stupid phone weather app; Friday looks okay, 12% chance of drizzle on Saturday, 50% on Sunday…. But honestly, right, you don’t want to believe that, I don’t trust it one iota and I don’t even know what an iota is. Subject to change, inconsistent, and just, well, blinking annoying, weather apps are for people who can’t be bothered looking away from their phone and up into the sky anyway, it’s the bank holiday weekend, it’s time to party, so get up, come on everybody.……

Ill-perceived as dull, there’s more events going on in Wiltshire over the weekend than people! So, rather than my Facebook rundown, I need to draft it into an article… here’s what we’ve found to do over the Belthane, or May Day Bank Holiday. Bear in mind, it’s time consuming to add links to all the events, and for those still undecided what to do, I need to push this out today. Therefore, there’s only one link you need, and that’s to our event calendar, where all the details and ticket links are. Be fast though, stuff is selling out!

For the hardcore, eager to get out and about, Thursday 28^th April looks like this:

Leading up to DOCA’s weekend festivities in Devizes, the Festival Quiz Night is happening in The Shambles, with quizmaster Don. In Swindon, Hannah Rose Platt plays with full band and Jules Hill in support at The Tuppeny, it’s comedy night at the Victoria, and finalist in 2016’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, who moved onto to then hosting, Joel Dommett, presents his Unapologetic tour at the Wyvern.

Friday 29^th, here we go, little toe in the water:

Live music options aplenty, Calne’s brilliant Britpop covers Six O’clock Circus play the Three Crowns Devizes, and equally, for all things mod, The Roughcut Rebels are at The Barge in Seend Cleeve.

We loved these guys at the Gate a few weeks ago, for blues-rock check out The Worried Men at The Barge on HoneyStreet. Megson play Marlborough Folk Roots Club at the Town Hall, in, as you might guess, Marlborough, but for more punky vibes check out Blunder & Bluff at the Three Horseshoes, Bradford on Avon, or legendary Peter & the Test Tube Babies at the Vic, Swindon.

The Teddy Rocks Festival kicks off in Blandford, there’s a celebration of Luther Vandross at the Wyvern, Swindon and it is also the local talent show final time at Chippenham’s Neeld Hall, Take The Stage.

Saturday 30^th April is firing on all cylinders:

There’s the monthly Kids Cookery Class for ages 11-16 at Vaughan’s Kitchen Cookery School, but eyes are on Devizes as DOCA’s Street Festival will be in the Market Place; it’s free, it’s fantastic, it’s the best day out you’ll have in Devizes. Further along the Brittox, it’s also the Born2Rum Festival at our glorious rum bar, The Muck & Dundar, and The Leon Day Band play The Southgate.

Either side of Devizes is looking awesome too, with the Urchfont Scarecrow Festival one side, and SOLD OUT Seend Beer Festival on the other. There’s also the Wiltshire Spring Sing with PG Choirs at Neeld, Chippenham.

John Langham is at The Barge, HoneyStreet, Tom Jenkins at Trowbridge Town Hall. Six O’clock Circus play The Jenny Wren, Calne, Alkahest Meeking & Bad News First at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford on Avon, and the Bee Ska’s at Swindon’s The Woodlands Edge. Staying in Swindon, the Wyvern has Paul Merton, show offs!

Sunday 1^st May; pinch punch:

Devizes International Street Festival continues in the Market Place, be there, or don’t forget around 5pm, Jon Amor does his residency at The Southgate, this week featuring Marcus Bonfanti.

The Vine Tree Inn, Norton has a mini-festival, VineFest, and Trowbridge’s Pump presents The Rider. Crash UK play The Lamb, Marlborough, and The Mike Hoddinott Band at the Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

It’s the start of Cloth Road Arts Week at Trowbridge Town Hall, and The Bootleg Shadows play Swindon Arts Centre, while Balletboyz are at the Wyvern Theatre.

Monday 2^nd May, and it’s not quite over:

Marlborough Rotary have a Bank Holiday Boot Sale on The Common, and Swindon Festival of Literature kicks off with a fortnight of events for your book worms: Isabel Hardman & Caroline Williams at Lydiard Park Conference Centre, and Charlie Corbett at Lower Shaw Farm.

Tues 3^rd, you thought it was all over, but it’s not now:

Crazy For You starts a run at Bath Royal Theatre, ending on the 7^th, and Elizabeth I: Virgin on the Ridiculous too, running Wednesday too. Then, there’s heap of Swindon Festival of Literature events, with Naomi Shragai, A.C. Grayling and Jon Alexander all at Swindon Arts Centre, and Sue Birley at the Central Library, Regent Circus, and An Evening with Gill Sims at the Wyvern Theatre.

Wed 4^th and May just doesn’t come up for air:

Reef, yes Reef plays The Oak in Marlborough, thanks to Sound Knowledge, and Corinne Bailey Rae is at Bath Forum. An interesting Stephen Lowe play at Bath’s Rondo Theatre called Touched, running until 7^th May. Swindon’s Literature Festival continues with Abigail Williams, Benedict Allen and Xanthi Barker & Charlie Gilmour, all at Swindon Arts Centre, and there’s a Lunchtime Recital at the Wyvern.

And before you know it, it’ll be the weekend again, and there are loads of great stuff, including one-liner genius Gary Delaney coming to Devizes Corn Exchange, while Marti Pellow is at Bath Forum on Thursday. Birdsmen at Long Street Blues Club in Devizes, The Skandals at the Vic, Swindon, both on Friday. The Devizes Cancer Research fundraiser, Stert Car Boot Sale on Saturday 7th, and Saturday, hip hop fans, the Scribes are playing Trowbridge Town Hall, and that is not to be missed!

There’s so much going on locally, if you browse other websites which wait for organisers to contact them to add listings, you’ll be left in the dark. Devizine goes out of its way to search for the best events, of all kinds, in our local area and this makes it the most comprehensive and probably the silliest too! Have a great Belthane; I’m going to keep calling it that, so you’ll all turn pagan overnight!

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