Happy Half Term!
Good Morning! An action-packed Bank Holiday Weekend and Half Term Week are in prospect, accompanied by properly warm sunshine and gentle breezes too! So first a shout out for Escape Yachting, with availability on Bank Holiday Monday and next week on their fabulous Sail with Dinner boat trips on the Solent. All the pleasure of sailing with none of the hassle or stress, a glass of Champagne before you set sail and a freshly prepared two-course meal served whilst you enjoy the scenery at anchor in a picturesque location off the Isle of Wight - what's not to like!
If however you've been thinking about buying a boat of your own and prefer an engine for propulsion, a visit to BHG Marine would be timely. The brilliant Merry Fisher by Jeanneau is a winner on our local waters as are other models in the Jeanneau range, and BHG also stocks a range of well built RIBs - the perfect solution for those occasional fair-weather-only excursions, as well as incredibly useful for multiple purposes.
And now a big welcome to the boys above, clearly excited about the imminent Solent Music Festival in which they are participating next Friday evening - they're The King's Singers!
The Festival opens on Monday in St Thomas Church with Simply Symphonic: an evening of string orchestra repertoire spanning three centuries. The concert begins with Mozart's beloved Eine kleine Nachtmusik, before Festival Director Sam Haywood takes to the magnificent 1832 Érard grand piano, to direct Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major from the keyboard. The programme continues with Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite, a twentieth-century gem that reimagines Renaissance dance tunes with wit and charm. Dominika Feher will then conduct Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony, a sparkling work crafted from themes the composer wrote as a teenager. Its inclusion marks the 50th anniversary of Britten's death in December 1976, bringing youthful energy and a timely tribute to one of Britain's greatest composers.
See below for a list of all the fabulous concerts, with links to the details and programme for each. Especially mentioning the daytime family concert The Sad Snake on Tuesday for half term. The atmosphere inside that church when the music is in full flow is incredible; from personal experience tears of emotion can flow too so take a tissue!
Who Needs Chelsea!
Lymington Open Gardens Sunday 24 May 2-6pm
In the middle of the Bank Holiday Weekend, when lots of you will be looking for something to do with family or friends, here's a very special occasion for you!
Fourteen beautiful privately owned Lymington gardens will be opened to the public, for this one afternoon of the year only, to help raise funds for St Barbe Museum + Art Gallery.
From hidden courtyards and imaginative planting to sweeping lawns and vibrant borders, this year’s trail offers a rare chance to enjoy some of the town’s most inspiring green spaces while supporting this valuable local charity.
Visitors can also enjoy a range of activities across the town:
- St Barbe Museum + Art Gallery (10am–4pm): including the Open Exhibition (normal admission fees apply) and the Old School Café serving light lunches and refreshments
- Plant sales and homemade teas at the United Reformed Church (from 2pm), with proceeds supporting St Barbe
- Garden‑inspired cocktails at Stanwell House (12–8pm), raising further funds for the Museum
This year’s event also welcomes botanical artists from the New Forest Florilegium, who will be working in selected gardens and chatting to visitors about their practice and the Florilegium’s wider interest in New Forest plant species.
Maria Ragan, Director of St Barbe Museum + Art Gallery, said: “Open Gardens is a wonderful example of how creativity, community and generosity come together in Lymington. We are deeply grateful to Knight Frank, Colten Care and Lymington & Pennington Town Council for their generous support which makes this event possible. The funds raised will help sustain our exhibitions, learning programmes and outreach work, ensuring St Barbe remains a welcoming cultural hub for everyone, into the future.”
LYMINGTON OPEN GARDENS - TICKETS HERE!
Original and Affordable
It's a St Barbe Special this week! Tomorrow is the grand opening of this summer's Open Exhibition, which as always provides a highly sought-after opportunity for talented local artists artists, mainly from Hampshire and Dorse, to gain exposure and recognition for their work. Hundreds of artworks have been submitted, the best are on show!
This exhibition is not only a showcase of art but also an opportunity for us to acquire high-quality artwork at an affordable price, and with a diverse array of paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and textiles on display there is sure to be something for most tastes and budgets.
2026 ST BARBE OPEN - MORE DETAILS
News and Events Update
Next week is also a chance to view Myth to Maker: New Forest folklore in New Forest craft. A group of New Forest Marque members and artisans have been delving into the ancient legends of our Forest, to find inspiration in expressing that lore through their work. This exhibition showcases what they have produced, and demonstrates 'how the old tales can be made into liveable, touchable (and in some cases wearable) reality'.
The events for the weekend and next week have been grouped below to make it easier for you to see at a glance what you're looking for: 'Bank Holiday Weekend', 'Summer Half Term Events and Activities' and 'Solent Music Festival'.
This weekend as well as the Open Gardens in Lymington, Simply VW at Beaulieu and St Mary's Garden Fete at Pylewell, there is lots of live music - at the Turfcutters Arms tonight, and Sunday and Monday afternoons; at Monkey Brewhouse tonight and Sunday; while all day tomorrow and Sunday it's BROCKSTOCK 2026! Check them all out below - click the relevant links to find the details.
For those struggling with school holiday childcare, New Forest Activities have also been in touch to say that they're bringing back their Kids Holiday Camp 'the perfect adventure day for your child. Endless fun guaranteed!' At time of writing there were still spaces for next week's camp on 28 May; they're saying that if their day camps prove to be a hit like they used to be they will be adding more dates. So if you're interested in principle, it might be worth letting them know. (They'll also do a siblings discount!)
Looking ahead to the end of next week and hoping the fine weather continues, a mention for the Countryside Education Trust's Barn Dance: an evening of line dancing and country music which will be held at the CET's recently renovated, absolutely stunning treehouses, where cowboy hats are encouraged, a Texan chilli will be on the go, and refreshments available.
Wishing you all really excellent weekends!
Best wishes Jane
Read the rest of this week's newsletter here
And check out What's On in the Diary of Upcoming Events!
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