Cars, crafts and colourful kids’ shows
The first two months of 2019 saw a fantastic variety of events for the Horsham District Year of Culture.
There are plenty more to come with something for all the family to enjoy. Whether you like the music, finding out about our culture through talks and drama or being more hands-on and perhaps doing some writing or crafting, there’s an event for you.
WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT? The Year of Culture 2019 sees an extra special event across the Horsham District on Sunday, March 24.
The District Showcase Tour will see around 40 of the best vehicles representing the five main motor-based events in Horsham touring the District’s villages, including Billingshurst, Pulborough, Storrington, Steyning and Henfield. There will be vehicles from Horsham Piazza Italia, Horsham’s Great British Weekend, PlumJam, Horsham FrenchFest and Horsham AmeriCARna. There will also be a range of fun family activities.
If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of Leonardslee Gardens, you could spend the evening there with the Shipley Arts Festival on March 29. You can enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful gardens, followed by drinks, canapés, and a concert of Piazzolas ‘Four Seasons of Buenos Aires’, performed by the Stradivarius Piano Trio and special guest guitarist George Robinson. There will also be dinner and an auction in aid of Sussex Arts Academy and Chestnut Tree Hospice.
The Year Of Culture Paint Night is on March 29 at Horsham Park Barn. This is for adults who want to try painting in a fun, comfortable environment. Bring a bottle of your favourite tipple and some snacks and create a fabulous Horsham-themed painting.
Treat Mum on Mother’s Day weekend to the English Romantics concert at St John’s Church in Coolhurst. This is dedicated to the wealth of English Choral Music, performed by Horsham Chamber Choir with Organ accompaniment. They will perform favourites like Stanford’s ‘Beati quorum via’ and Elgar’s ‘Give unto the Lord’, as well as the ‘Mass Princeps Pacis by William Lloyd-Webber, father of two rather famous sons!
The first weekend in April sees the Sussex Guild Contemporary Craft Show take place. Designer makers will be displaying a variety of superb crafts, which have been created in workshops and studios across Sussex and the adjoining counties. Meet the designers with their ceramics, furniture, jewellery, metalwork, printmaking, textiles and woodwork.
Chickenshed are at the QE2 School on April 6 with three different theatre shows, each one suitable for a different age group of children. Their shows encourage young children to develop and explore the world around them through song, music, movement and a truly sensory experience. They are informal, lively and amazingly engaging as the performers and audience share the same space. Children are encouraged to join in and help make the story happen. Every show has plenty of colourful puppets and live songs.
Admission: One Shilling is at The Capitol on April 6. Actress Dame Patricia Routledge and concert pianist Piers Lane tell the extraordinary story of Myra Hess and her famous wartime National Gallery concerts. Through spoken word and piano music by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann and Chopin, hear how these lunchtime concerts began, and how they continued while bombs rained down on London.
Cruising Through The Ranks – From Cadet to Commodore on Thursday, April 11, in Henfield Village Hall is supporting the RNLI and the Friends of St Peter’s Church. Commodore Ian Gibb MBE MNN will entertain with his tales of 43 years at sea with the P&O Company, followed by 22 years as an Elder Brother of the Corporation of Trinity House. His vast knowledge covers the changing face of passenger vessels and their passengers from the early 1950s, culminating in his attaining command of the P&O Flagship ‘ORIANA’ on her entry into service in 1995, followed by an ‘alteration of course’ as a willing servant of Trinity House to ensure the continued safety for the seafarer around the English and Welsh coastlines.
This is just a selection of the wonderful events happening in March and April. Find out more at www.hdculture2019. co.uk or pick up a #HDYOC19 programme from one of our outlets across the Horsham District. Please check booking information and prices prior to attending an event.
You can follow @ hdculture2019 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.