Make this the year YOU do the summer season
From Glyndebourne to Ascot, how to get the hottest tickets
Ever fancied a jaunt to Ascot or Glyndebourne? While you may think these renowned British events are reserved for the super-connected and well-to-do, in fact they’re open to all of us — and easy to get in to once you know how. From the Chelsea Flower Show to Wimbledon, make 2017 the year you do the social season in style . . .
Glyndebourne May 20–August 27, glyndebourne.com
One of the world’s oldest and most prestigious opera festivals, Glyndebourne has been held at a country house among the rolling hills of the South Downs, near Lewes, east Sussex, annually since 1934.
Booking for non-members online opens on March 5, with tickets ranging from £10 (standing) to £250.
expect to pay from £110 for a ticket in the stalls.
If you don’t know your castrato from your contralto, and want to swot up in advance, pick up a copy of The Bluffer’s Guide To Opera (£6.99, Waterstones).
There are also 45-minute ‘insider’ talks for £9 a ticket, which promise to fill you in on the inner workings of staging an opera — and end 30 minutes before the start of each performance.
There is no official dress code, but it is customary to wear formal evening dress — though, english summers being what they are, bring cardigans and pashminas, too.
Society stalwart Liz Brewer says: ‘Don’t be afraid of putting on a full evening gown and getting the train there. It’s the easiest, fastest way: the traffic is terrible.’
There is a free return coach transfer service for ticket-holders at Lewes station.
Performances start late afternoon, with a 90-minute interval for dinner and champagne. ‘If the weather’s dodgy, book to eat at one of the restaurants,’ adds Liz. ‘Otherwise, the tradition is to take a fabulous picnic.’
RHS Chelsea Flower Show May 23-27, rhs.org.uk/chelsea
TICkeTS are on sale online now for the world’s most famous horticultural extravaganza. Prices range from £35 to £63, but will increase on April 10. The first two days of the show, Tuesday and Wednesday, are only open to members of the royal Horticultural Society and membership (£42.75 per year, rhs.org.uk/join) will also give about a 20 per cent discount on standard tickets.
This year, there will be gardens inspired by Canadian freshwater lakes, Mexican architecture and Maltese quarries.
Garden designer Bunny Guinness says you should go to enjoy ‘a mass explosion of colour’ and the chance to hobnob with the great and the good: ‘I always see more famous people at Chelsea than anywhere else in the world.’ enjoy a picnic in the Plateau in ranelagh Gardens, where you can listen to live music from the bandstand.
Alternatively, visit one of the numerous restaurants or food courts for everything from a sandwich or ‘posh’ fish and chips to the Dorchester Hotel’s floral afternoon tea (£65 per person).
If you want to avoid the queues, go early morning or late evening and, Bunny counsels, have ‘a good game plan’ because you can’t cover it all in a day.
Royal Ascot June 20-24, ascot.co.uk
IT IS called royal Ascot for a reason; Her Majesty has attended every ‘royal Meeting’ during her reign and the royal Procession is an iconic part of the proceedings.
The Queen Anne Stakes is royal Ascot’s ‘curtain raiser’ on Tuesday, June 20, while the Gold Cup on Ladies’ Day on the Thursday, June 22, is a social highlight.
But it is the Wednesday that is the bookmakers’ favourite and when most of the betting takes place. Friday and Saturday are quieter and tend to attract a younger crowd. Make sure not to miss the royal Procession at 2pm each day when the Queen and the royal Party arrive in open horsedrawn carriages.
Horse-racing pundit John McCririck advises: ‘Get there early and, ideally, leave before the last race — the traffic can get horrendous. Or you can stay behind for the traditional community singing at the bandstand after the racing.’
When it comes to the famous royal enclosure, McCririck tells me: ‘They wouldn’t let riff-raff like you in there! They won’t let you anywhere near it unless you’ve been recommended by someone who has been a member for four years and you’ve got the right paperwork signed.’
But don’t fear — there are, of course, other options. Being in the Windsor enclosure gives you first sight of the royal Procession and has you within metres of the horses as they sprint down the straight mile. The Queen Anne enclosure offers uncompromised views of the dramatic final furlongs.
And the village enclosure — new for 2017 — puts you closest to the action for the exciting finale to each race. You choose your enclosure when you book online.
Tickets are on sale now — ranging from £26 to £82 — but will increase in price on March 31.
If you opt for the Queen Anne enclosure or the village enclosure, remember that ladies must wear a hat, headpiece or fascinator, midriffs must be covered and shorts and anything sheer or strapless are strictly prohibited.
In the Windsor enclosure, smart clothes are ‘encouraged’, but there is no dress code.
Finally, don’t forget to bring a luxury picnic hamper to enjoy in the car park before or after the races. number 7 Car Park is reserved for royal enclosure members only, but number 1 Car Park is a suitably smart place to enjoy your lunch.
Wimbledon July 3-July 16, wimbledon.com
THe ballot for advance tickets for the general public has closed. But there is a special ballot for players of local leagues.
So, dig out your racket and join a league: after you’ve played a round, you’re automatically entitled to free British Tennis Membership, which you need to enter the ballot at the Lawn Tennis Association site,
lta.org.uk. If that seems too much like hard work, ticketmaster.co.uk releases an allocation of several hundred Centre Court and Court 3 tickets online at 9am the day before play.
The other option is to queue on the day. Tickets for all courts are available daily, except for Centre Court tickets on the last four days.
Tickets range in price from £53 to £175 for Centre Court, but you can get a Grounds ticket for just £25, which allows you access to all of the smaller courts, where public seats are unreserved.
While Wimbledon’s players have to observe strict rules regarding dress, spectators get an easy ride.
Technically, anything goes, but opt for smart-casual summer dress if you don’t want to stand out from the crowd — and, if you wear a sunhat, make sure it doesn’t obstruct anyone else’s view.
Tennis etiquette is stricter in other areas. You should enter or leave a stand only at a change of ends and ‘never during a tie-break’.
You must not make any kind of noise during a rally and make sure never to applaud a net cord (when a ball makes contact with the top of the net) or double fault.
You are allowed to bring your own food and drink or you can pre-order an afternoon tea picnic (with Devon scones and strawberries and cream) for £39.50.
The Proms July 14-September 9, royalalberthall.com
‘WHen the Proms season comes, life changes; a kind of light comes into your diary.’ So says the venerable Sir David Attenborough.
Described as the ‘world’s greatest classical musical festival’, the BBC Proms are most famous for the Last night, when Land Of Hope And Glory and rule, Britannia are accompanied by roaring from a flag-waving audience.
There is no dress code, but remember: if you are going to any Prom but the Last night, there are no flags or patriotic hats.
The Proms programme is not published until April, and tickets don’t go on sale until May — standing tickets usually start from £6 and seats from £7.50. They can be ordered online or by phone (0845 4015 040).
Many can be nabbed on the day, too, but be prepared to queue if you do it that way.
If you don’t mind standing up, you can get a Promming season pass, which allows you guaranteed entrance until 20 minutes before each concert.
Last year, a half-season pass cost £144, while it was £240 for one covering the whole two months.
Cowes Week July 29-August 5, cowesweek.co.uk
THIS eight-day sailing regatta may be one of Britain’s most dynamic events — taking place on the Solent’s five mile-wide channel between the Isle of Wight and the South Coast of england — but spectators can see most of the action free of charge from the Cowes shore.
Between 800 and 1,000 keelboats — ranging from state-of-the-art racing machines to classic day boats — feature in up to 40 classes, with amateur sailors competing alongside Olympic and World Champions. expect to see up to 8,000 sailors race per day.
The key here is booking ferry tickets from the mainland as the ferry capacity gets full quickly. (Go to visitisleofwight.co.uk)
Start off at the area between the Castle of the royal Yacht Squadron and the cannons, where you can see the boats as they set off.
Then enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch in front of one of the big screens broadcasting the action, before venturing along the Green towards egypt Point later in the afternoon to watch the fleet as they finish.
Or you can enjoy the spectacle from the water.
Spectator boats go out on hourlong trips at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm, departing from Trinity Landing on Cowes Parade. A one-way costs £12.50 for an adult and £8 for a child.
Tuesday is ‘Ladies’ Day’ — be sure to wear the customary dress (anything with navy-and-white stripes). On the day, appropriately dressed ladies receive special offers and discounts at bars and pop-up shops — yes, there’s a reward for being properly turned out. How civilised!