Beat the Heat with Harpenden's Hottest Events! 🔥

Another scorching week ahead as the heatwave continues to sizzle! ☀️ But don't let the rising temperatures melt your social plans - Harpenden's got you covered with a brilliant mix of indoor activities and shady outdoor adventures. Whether you're desperately seeking somewhere cool for the kids during these never-ending school holidays, or you're a hardy soul who thrives in the sunshine, we've got everything from circus skills workshops to scarecrow festivals lined up. So grab your sun hat, stock up on ice lollies, and let's dive into this week's fantastic local happenings! 🌟

Thursday 14th August

9:30am-12pm: Games & Glue kicks off at High Street Methodist Church with a circus theme! Perfect for primary school kids to learn some juggling skills (or at least try not to drop everything!). There's also a free play area for the little ones, and it's only £2 per child. Plus, if you fancy staying for lunch, there's an optional pay-what-you-can picnic available from 12pm - just order by 11:15am. 🎪

10am: Blue Light Breakfast at Lea Grange Care Home - free tea, coffee and bacon rolls for our wonderful emergency services. Because our local heroes deserve all the caffeine and carbs! ☕🥓

3-4pm: Children's Writing Workshop with author Camilla Chester at Harpenden Library. Perfect for horse-loving bookworms and budding authors - tickets are £8 and include a copy of Project Pony! 📚🐴

8-11pm: Mik & Anne's open mic duo takes the stage at The Plough & Harrow for some lovely evening entertainment! 🎵

8pm: Quiz Night at The Harpenden Arms! Time to gather your team of six and prepare for those inevitable "how did we NOT know that?!" moments. Dave from accounting's wild guesses are optional but encouraged! 🧠

Friday 15th August

10am-12pm: Stay & Play for under-5s at High Street Methodist Church - it's free and there's lego for the older siblings too! Perfect way to ease into Friday. 🧸

12pm-5pm: The fantastic Flamstead Scarecrow Festival begins today (running all weekend)! Explore the village and meet the creative scarecrow residents who've been months in the making. Entry is by suggested donation: £5 adults, £2 children (3+), or £10 for families. Each ticket includes a festival programme with voting forms - democracy in action! 🎪

7-11pm: Live music at The George of Harpenden - because Friday nights deserve a soundtrack! 🎶

Saturday 16th August

11am-5pm: Flamstead Scarecrow Festival continues - more time to discover those sneaky scarecrows who like to "pop up unannounced"!

12-3pm: UNA Harpenden Annual Garden Party at the Quaker Meeting House on Southdown Road. Entry is £5 and you're encouraged to bring either savory or sweet dishes - basically a potluck with a purpose! 🍰

3pm: Duncan Craven performs live at The Spotted Dog in Flamstead - afternoon musical entertainment at its finest! 🎸

8pm-1am: Saturday DJ night at The George of Harpenden for those ready to dance the night away! 💃

8:30pm-midnight: Forever Young (6-piece rock & pop covers band) rocks The Plough & Harrow - quite the musical marathon! 🎵

Plus, don't miss the new exhibition celebrating George Hogg (1915-1945) at The Harpenden Museum in the EMC. This remarkable man, little-known locally but a hero in China, saved 60 schoolboys by marching them 700 miles to safety. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays! 🏛️

Sunday 17th August

9:30am-2pm: Redbourn Car Boot Sale at The Herts Showground - no booking needed, just turn up, pay, and start rummaging for treasures! 🛍️

10am-12pm: Baby & Child First Aid Class at Harpenden Trust Centre. Perfect for parents, grandparents, and carers who want confidence without the overwhelming technical jargon. It's relaxed, fun, and babies under 12 months are welcome too! 👶

11am-5pm: Final day of the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival - last chance to cast your votes and support those wonderfully creative villagers! 🎪

Monday 18th August

10:30am-12pm: Coffee Morning at Harpenden Library - perfect for mid-morning caffeine and book browsing! ☕

3:45-4:45pm: Lego Club for ages 5+ at the library. It's £4.40 per session and booking is essential - probably because Lego pieces have a mysterious way of multiplying! 🧱

Tuesday 19th August

2:15-2:45pm: Story Time at Harpenden Library - all welcome and donations appreciated! 📖

7pm: Zodiac Embroidery Workshop at The Harpenden Arms. Learn to create your perfect personalized embroidery hoop for £35 - much more relaxing than arguing about quiz answers! ✨

9pm: Weekly Quiz at The Engineer. Maximum 6 per team, £1 entry, and actual cash prizes await the victorious! 💰

Wednesday 20th August

9am: THC Monthly Coworking Pop Up at Red Gables West Common. Experience the joys of working alongside like-minded professionals in bright, contemporary spaces - £10+VAT for members, £15+VAT for non-members. ☕💻

10:30am-1pm: Glaze Time at The Inn on the Green. Pottery painting is wonderfully mindful and device-free - create some keepsakes while actually talking to people! 🎨

8pm: The Amble Inn Quiz kicks off - because apparently we can never have too many quiz nights in Harpenden! 🧠

Ongoing Delights

The FREE WWII Exhibition at Harpenden Museum runs until September 25th (open Tues, Thurs, Sat), and the George Hogg exhibition continues to tell his remarkable story.

The Summer Reading Challenge at Harpenden Library is still going strong with this year's "Story Garden Crew" theme - it's like Pokémon but with books, and significantly less likely to drain your phone battery! 📚

Finally, if rugby's calling your name (or your little one's name), drop a line to [email protected] to get involved! 🏉

What a week ahead - from scarecrows to first aid, from quizzes to embroidery workshops. There's literally something for everyone, so no excuses for being bored in beautiful Harpenden! 🌟

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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