Back to School Blues? Not in Harpenden! 🎒✨

The holidays are winding down, those dreaded temporary traffic lights are back on the High Street, and yes, the school run starts again next week! But before we wave goodbye to summer completely, Harpenden's got one last hurrah of brilliant events to keep everyone entertained. From art exhibitions and quiz nights to a spectacular family festival that'll make you forget all about packed lunches and homework schedules, here's everything happening in our lovely town this week! 🌟

Thursday 28th August

9:30am-12:00pm - Games & Glue kicks off at High Street Methodist Church with a nature-themed morning perfect for primary school kids (plus a free play area for the little ones). It's just £2 per child and you can even grab an optional picnic lunch if you order by 11:15! 🌿

10:00am - Business networkers, your moment arrives with Harpenden Business Buzz at The George. No pressure, no membership fees - just rock up anytime before noon, chat with local business folk, and leave whenever suits you. From £13.55 and infinitely more fun than staring at spreadsheets! 💼

8pm - Quiz time at The Harpenden Arms! Gather your dream team of up to 6 brainiacs and prepare for some serious mental gymnastics. Thursday night just got a whole lot more competitive! 🧠

Friday 29th August

10:00am-12:00pm - Stay & Play for under 5s at High Street Methodist Church - completely free and with lego plus activities for older siblings too. Because nobody likes leaving the big kids out! 🧸

10am-2pm - It's Family Open Day at Harpenden Leisure Centre - children's yoga, rookie lifeguard sessions, extra family swims, and a balloon modelling wizard! Plus there's a friendly giant bee making appearances (don't worry, it won't sting). Some sessions need pre-booking via Everyone Active! 🏊‍♀️🐝

7-11pm - The George wraps up your week beautifully with live music. Perfect for unwinding after a busy week! 🎵

Saturday 30th August

10am-5pm - Art lovers rejoice! The rescheduled Art on the Common features 50 local artists in a tented village opposite Park Hall. From paintings to pottery, photography to jewellery - it's basically Christmas for your cultural soul! 🎨

11am - Harpenden Library welcomes Pets as Therapy - because sometimes you just need a furry cuddle to make everything better! 🐕

12pm-10pm - The big ticket item! The High Octane Family Festival at Hertfordshire Showground! We're talking live music, jaw-dropping stunts, hot air balloon experiences, fairground rides, inflatable madness, and those magical night glow balloon shows. It's like someone threw all the best bits of summer into one epic weekend! 🎈🎡

9:30pm-midnight - Late night rockers can catch Bad Penny (a classic rock trio) at The Plough & Harrow. Perfect for when you need your weekend to go out with a bang! 🎸

Sunday 31st August

10am-4pm - Art on the Common continues - because one day of artistic brilliance simply isn't enough! 🖼️

12pm-10pm - The High Octane Family Festival rolls on for day two at Hertfordshire Showground - if you missed Saturday's excitement, here's your second chance to experience the magic! ✨

Monday 1st September

3:45-4:45pm - LEGO Club at Harpenden Library! £4.40 gets your little engineer some serious building challenges that'll boost their problem-solving skills. Under 8s need a grown-up wingman, and booking is essential! 🧱

Tuesday 2nd September

2:15-2:45pm - Story time at Harpenden Library - all welcome, donations appreciated. Because every child deserves a good story! 📖

10am-2pm - Art enthusiasts, feast your eyes on Hillary Taylor's exhibition at The EMC! Running until 29th September (Monday-Saturday), featuring everything from Harpenden townscapes to Hong Kong cityscapes, plus music-themed drawings and sketches with a delicious sense of humour! 🏙️

9pm - The Engineer hosts their weekly quiz - max 6 per team, £1 entry, and cold hard cash prizes await the victorious! 💰

Wednesday 3rd September

10:30am-1pm - Get your creative juices flowing with Glaze Time pottery painting at the Inn on the Green! Whether you're making memories with friends, seeking some painting therapy, or crafting the perfect gift - book a table and let your inner artist loose! 🏺

8pm - The Amble Inn Quiz kicks off for your midweek brain workout! 🤔

Ongoing Delights

Don't miss the FREE WWII Exhibition at Harpenden Museum (EMC lower floor) running until September 25th, open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Plus there's a fascinating exhibition celebrating George Hogg (1915-1945) - a Harpenden hero who's practically unknown here but celebrated across China for marching 60 schoolboys 700 miles to safety! 🎖️

Rugby enthusiasts, drop a line to [email protected] to get involved!

The Summer Reading Challenge continues at the library with this year's "Story Garden Crew" theme - it's like Pokémon but with books! 🏉📚

And if you fancy a day trip, the Sunflower Festival is in full bloom with 7 acres of golden gorgeousness, plus a mountain of hay bales to climb, games galore, and photo ops aplenty! 🌻

Special Mention

3:30pm & 7:30pm (30th August) - Harpenden's own Dom Childs is part of something rather spectacular! Supernova Spectaculars hits Bedford Corn Exchange with a mind-blowing sci-fi orchestral extravaganza featuring Star Wars, Interstellar, and more, complete with 3D holograms and laser shows! 🚀

What a week ahead, Harpenden! Get out there and make some memories! ✨

 Got a local event or special day you'd like us to feature? We'd love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at [email protected] and we'll shine our spotlight on your community happenings! ✨

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