Tag: corhsam

Bumper Christmas Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 20th – 31st December 2023

Stop for the Noddy Holder moment, it’s Christmas! Our weekly roundup of what we’ve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire is a bumper edition this week, taking us right up to New Year’s Eve, cos I’ll be a busy as Santa on a mission this yule, and only get the standard two days off work to be with the fam, which the equivalent to you posh lot is a year off to find yourself in Goa!

Please be aware this is not comprehensive and new events can and might yet still be added to our blossoming, occasionally updating EVENT CALENDAR; they might not be added here, so do check in regularly. You can also find links to everything mentioned there, and plan ahead…..to 2024!

One other really important thing before we get going, we need donations to fund this, so, if you can this Christmas, please donate a little stocking filler to keep us going; awl, thank you, For info on how, see HERE. Please and thank you…

Ongoing: Two exhibits at Wiltshire Museum in Devizes: Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars and Eric Walrond: A Caribbean Writer living in Wiltshire. Reviewed Here.

The Kenavon Venture Santa Cruise at Devizes Wharf continues running until 23rd December.

Wednesday 20th

I assume the regular Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes is on as normal.

Panto at the Civic Trowbridge with Goldilocks & the Three Bears, two shows 4pm and 6pm.

Gav Cross: After Supper Ghost Stories at Pound Arts, Corsham.

Craig Crofton Quartet at the Bell, Bath.

Thursday 21st

Playtime! Christmas Special: A Winter’s Tail and Father Christmas Storytelling at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The Hammervilles at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Claire Martin and the Jim Mullen Trio at the Civic, Trowbridge.

Matt Owens & the DVP at the Tuppenny, Swindon.

Sladest at the Tree House, Frome has sold out.

Friday 22nd

Christmas & New Year Meals at The Memorial Pavilion in Seend with Chef Eric Lepine Seend runs until 29th December, with a Christmas Dinner special on the 24th.

Funked Up Christmas Party at the Pelican, Devizes, One Trick Pony fundraiser at the Southgate.

The Parson’s Nose in Melksham has Plan of Action.

Winter Concert at St Michael’s Church in Axford by Music for 1-4 voices, and Piano, with Emilia Lederleitnerova-Spriggs, Alice Simmons, Brian Parsons, Gilbert Simmons. A cappella 4 part carols, seasonal songs both old and new, festive piano duets and a few jazzy Christmas favourites. And some warming winter refreshment!

Hooch at The Coopers Arms, Pewsey.

Christmas Sing-a-Long at the Civic, Trowbridge.

Peloton are at The Vic, Swindon.

Karport Collective at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon. Far Cue at The Three Horseshoes.

The P’hogues at the Tree House, Frome has sold out.

Saturday 23rd

Illingworth at the Three Crowns, Devizes. Barrelhouse at The Southgate.

Apache Cats at The Lamb, Marlborough.

Frenzy at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Drama Tots Christmas Special at Kington Langley Village Hall.

Filskit Theatre: Breaking The Ice at Pound Arts, Corsham.

The Fuzz at The New Inn, Swindon. Shepherd’s Pie’s Xmas Rock-Off The Vic.

The Sweet play the Cheese & Grain, Frome.

Sunday 24th

Swing Into Christmas with Terry Franks at the Crown, Bishops Cannings.

Sing-a-Long with Jim at the Beehive, Swindon.

Leon Hunt, Jason Titley, Gina Griffin at the Bell, Bath.

Monday 25th

I haven’t got anything for Monday….oh, hold on, Noddy, come in!! I wish you all a very merry Christmas, Brussel sprouts all round!

Tuesday 26th

Xmas Rave at 23 Bath Street, Frome.

Wednesday 27th

Acoustic Jam at the Southgate, Devizes, possible, not sure.

The Shudders at the Beehive, Swindon.

K’Chevere at the Bell, Bath.

Thursday 28th

Experimental Blues Orchestra at the Beehive, Swindon

Friday 29th

Jon Amor Trio Christmas Special at The Southgate, Devizes. Mick Jogger & The Stones Experience at The Corn Exchange, Devizes.

SexJazz at the Beehive, Swindon. Rotten Aces at the Vic.

Saturday 30th

The Acrustic Badger Band & The I’s at The Southgate, Devizes. Sound Hog Disco, Karaoke at the Three Crowns.

Pop-Punk Disaster at The Vic, Swindon

Sunday 31st

Right, here we go: eyes down for a full house, it’s New Year’s Eve. I’m not going to type New Years Eve for every entry, so take it as red, it’s New Years Eve, okay?! New Years Eve parties at:

Devizes Scooter Club at The Cavalier, Devizes.

The Reason NYE Party at Seend Community Hall.

Reggae Party with Razah I-Fi at the Royal Oak, Marlborough.

Siren at The Consti Club, Chippenham.

End of Story at The Talbot, Calne.

Blue Soul at the Wiltshire Yeoman, Trowbridge. Train to Skaville at Westwood Social Club.

Party Night at the Civic, Trowbridge.

Parties at The Tuppenny, Swindon, the Beehive, and The New Inn. Rave Against the Regime plays one at The Vic.

Junkyard Dogs are the Winterbourne Arms in Winterbourne Dauntsey.

One Chord Wonders at The Sun, Frome.

Phew, I’m sure there’s more, do let me know and hopefully I’ll get time to add them. Obviously, because this is a bumper fortnight edition, I’m sure lots more will be added, so do keep your eye on the Event Calendar, as this might not be edited, cheers.

Have a great Christmas, and New Year, one and all!

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Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 13th-21th December 2022

What is this life if, full of jostle, we have no time to stand and waffle? A truckload of stuff to do this coming week, don’t let me ramble on pointlessly, you know how it works, more info and links can be found on our event calendar, HERE.

Sustainable Devizes’ Advent{ure} Reuse Christmas continues at The Little Green, Devizes, and runs until Christmas Eve. Little Red Riding Hood continues at the Wharf, but alas, is sold out.

Tuesday 13th there will be beer & carols at The Southgate, Devizes, and some Christmas Memories at Melksham Assembly Hall.

Wednesday 14th and it’s the regular Acoustic Jam at The Southgate, Devizes. Also, a lunchtime harp recital by Lise Vandermissen at Pound Arts, Corsham, and the regular Chuckles Comedy Club at Meca, Swindon.

Thursday 15th and Kairo Beats, Chloe Hepburn and PX do the Tuppeny, Swindon, while Christmas by Candlelight is happening at Meca.

Friday 16th sees the Butch Hopkins Memorial Gig at The Corn Exchange, Devizes.

Humdinger play The Cooper’s Arms, Pewsey.

80s-90s Christmas Party at Melksham Assembly Hall.

Highly recommended Monkey Bizzle play The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon, while you’ll find Bluesoul at The Boathouse, and Swinging at the Cotton Club at Wiltshire Music Centre, after a related swing dance workshop.

There’s a Rockin’ & Swingin’ Evening at Chapel Arts, Bath.

Over in Swindon, find Barrelhouse at The Queen’s Tap, Bublé at Christmas is happening at Meca, but don’t get over excited, Bublé fans, he’s not there, rather it’s some of the country’s top musicians celebrating the music, the arrangements, and the tours that the man himself has made so successful…. apparently!

The Sweet play the Cheese & Grain, Frome, with Abba tribute SOS at the Tree House.

Saturday 17th and it’s Lego club at Chippenham Library from 3-4pm.

Christmas in the Park at Hillworth Park, Devizes, though tickets to see Father Christmas are sold out now. Sustainable Devizes will be at St James for a toy and book swap (details) until 2pm. The Corn Exchange has the Devizes Christmas Vegan Fair.

Near sold out, it’s everyone’s favourite soprano, Chloe Jordan, who is at Devizes Town Hall with a Classic Christmas concert in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Devizes Community Choir are at St Johns, for a Big Sing Christmas Concert in aid of Dorothy House and Open-Doors. Highly recommended, Dr Zeebos Wheezy Club play The Southgate.

Editor’s Pick of the Week

It’s Chrrriissssssmmmasss at Marlborough Memorial Hall, when MantonFest hosts a Christmas Concert with Slade tribute Slyde, and naturally, the fantastic Barrelhouse. Despite all the amazing stuff going on this weekend, it’s not Christmas until Noddy, or least a Noddy-a-like calls it, so I’m thinking this should be Editor’s Pick of the Week.

Meanwhile, Pete Lamb’s Heartbeats play Woodborough Social Club’s Christmas Dance, and throw in a free ploughman’s lunch on the deal!

In the Sham, the Assembly Hall has The Rock-A-Toons for a Melksham Rock N Roll Club dance, and The Beverley May Band plays The Milk Churn.

Double-header at The Lamb, Trowbridge with Lucky Number Seven & The Foundations. John Kirkpatrick’s Carolling & Crumpets at Pound Arts, Corsham. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year show at Chapel Arts, Bath.

Danny and the Randoms do The Swiss Chalet in Swindon, while it’s the annual 12 Bands of Christmas at The Vic, and the Tuppeny has a DJ set from Random Rules, “I’ll Make You a Tape.”

Shy FX featuring Stamina MC at the Cheese & Grain, Frome, with The Ramonas at The Tree House, and Flash Harry plays The Cornerhouse.

Sunday 18th The Christmas Celebration of Music for Miniatures will be at Devizes Corn Exchange. It’s Christmas Party time with It’s Complicated at The Southgate, and Jamie R Hawkins does an afternoon set at The White Bear.

St Agnes Fountain play Marlborough Folk Roots club, at Marlborough Town Hall.

GBH Big Band at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, while The Worried Men plays The Three Horseshoes.

Christmas Sunday Swingout Social at Meca, Swindon, finishes off our weekend listings, and if I have to type the word “Christmas” one more time, I’m going to come over all Uncle Scrooge! Note though, this list is NEVER exhaustive, more events are coming to our attention, so keep one eye on our event calendar and the other on our social media pages.

Monday 19th, find Scratchworks Theatre at Pound Arts, Corsham with a show Wild, Wild Woods. Tuesday 20th and I’ve got nothing; hide under the duvet!

And you know what, events for New Year’s Eve are looking pretty thin at the moment, perhaps you need to send us details of what you’re doing for the big one?!

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Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 1st-7th September 2022

It might not be bank holiday, but it’s not blank holiday, if you see what I mean? Nah, forget it; here’s what’s happening over the next week in Wiltshire.

Pinch punch, Thursday is the first of September, and I’ve got nothing, yet! Do keep a check when updates come into our event calendar, the one link you need for info on all the stuff below and for planning future events.

Friday 2nd is the Wax Palace’s Kaleidoscope Festival in Erlestoke, ravers, there’s also the End of the Road Festival, Salisbury way on the Dorset border, and the Punchbowl Festival in Codford.

Closer to us, The Devizes Living Room has a “bloc-party,” on the Green, all welcome. Potterne Social Club has People Like Us, The Roughcut Rebels play The Barge Inn at Seend Cleeve, Navajo Dogs are at The New Inn, Winterbourne Monkton.

Comedy at The Boathouse, Bradford-on-Avon with Sally-Anne Heywood.

And over in Swindon, you’ll find the Groove Club Collective at The Vic, Mac N Cheese at the Queen’s Tap, and The Total Stone Roses playing Level III.

Saturday 3rd, and it’s the start of Salisbury Art Trail, running until 18th September.

It’s Malmesbury Carnival, the Melksham Food & River Festival, and Tripwire Presents Bristol Comic Con over the weekend. Lego fans check out The Cheese & Grain, Frome where there’s a Lego show and market, Brickin’ It!

Editor’s Pick of The Week

In Devizes it’s Confetti Battle time, and the Colour Rush, yay! No tokens this year, so you will just need to line up to buy you confetti so arrive early to avoid the queues. You’ll still need to line up to collect your confetti prior to the 8pm kick-off.

As far as we know Devizes is the only town in the world that has a Confetti Battle tradition. No one can remember the first official battle but we know its roots date back to the old Devizes Carnival in 1913, where confetti and rose petals were thrown by the crowd at people in the procession. The tradition evolved into a fully-fledged battle around 1955 when it was started by Jim Jennings; should make it my editor’s pick of the of the week really.

This year the Confetti Battle continues to grow and the colourful chaos has been added to with the introduction of the Colour Rush, an amazing 5 km mixed terrain fun run – what better way to arrive at a Confetti Battle than covered in multi-coloured powder!

There is no ‘battle’ as such, just a very silly half-hour during which a lot of fun is had, and a lot of confetti is thrown about. Expect to get ‘attacked’ by complete strangers throwing paper!  The Battle continues to gain popularity and 2017 saw over 3500 people take part. The event takes place at the finish line of our new Colour Rush 5k run so expect to see some exceptionally colourful visitors in the crowd.

Jennings funfair is in the Market Place on Friday 2nd September until Sunday 3rd of September operating between 5.30 pm until 11.00 pm.

The DOCA website says “keep your eyes peeled when collecting your confetti as one lucky person will receive a Golden Ticket in a confetti bag,” it continues so say, “this will entitle…” and then it ends, so I’ve no idea what the golden ticket entitles you to! Maybe they need to keep their eyes peeled on their typos, but I guess they’re too busy making fun for us all, and I, for one, bless them for it.

Staying in Devizes for confetti free events, Jamie R Hawkins will be at The Southgate, while Paradox plays The Cellar Bar of the Bear Hotel. Tamsin Quin plays the Barge on HoneyStreet.

Wiltshire BKA Honey Bee Health Day at Market Lavington, some Carnival Music by Jenny Bracey at The Crown in Aldbourne. Local Heroes Inc play Prestbury Sports Bar, Warminster.

In Swindon Moonwire and Lung at The Vic, Dragon Eye at The Rolleston, Larkhill at the Queens Tap, Echo at Coleview Community Centre and Dreuw & Will Killen at The Hop Inn.

Sunday 4th September, and there’s a RSPCA fun dog show on the Green in Devizes, and the monthly residency of Jon Amor at the Southgate at 5pm, featuring guest Nat Martin.

Composer-pianist and creative coder, Larkhall will be taking his innovative live show to venues across the UK this year, he comes to Schtum in Box on Sunday, and playing Pound Arts in Corsham on the 9th.

White Horse Classic and Vintage Vehicle Show in Westbury, and Minety has a Beer & Cider Festival.  

Rainbow Fest at The Olive Tree Cafe in Swindon, promises crafts, live Music and poetry for £2 entry (under 12 free) with all funds going to charities supporting LGBQIA+. Meanwhile, local acoustic duo Sweet Nightingale play Queens Park.

And that’s your weekend, folks. Monday 5th sees a live art Demonstration by Artist Paul Oakley at Devizes Conservative Club, organised by the Lawrence Society of Art. And that for now is all I have for midweek, but I promise to do some digging and update the event calendar more often, pinky promise.

Okay, that leaves me with stuff to get prepared for, that means buying tickets, dammit! September 10th sees the Party For Life fundraiser at Melksham Town FC, details here, get yourself a ticket for this, raising funds and awareness of Suicide prevention.

Also, the Wharf Theatre opens for its Autumn/winter season with Hedda Gabler running from 9th to the 24th. Bath Children’s Literature Festival, Devizes Food & Drink Festival, Swindon Shuffle and Swindon Folk & Blues Festival; it’s still happening, summer isn’t through…. yet!

And if you’ve still found nothing to interest you, stay in and listen to our new volume of the 4 Julia’s House compilation album, which we released last week. 35 amazing, locally-sourced songs, and all the proceeds go to Julia’s House Children’s Hospices; thank you!

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