🌟 FESTIVAL FEVER HITS HARPENDEN! 🌟

Get ready to loosen those belts and warm up those vocal cords, Harpenden! This week is absolutely bursting with excitement as our beloved Food & Drink Festival takes center stage on Saturday alongside the Real Harpenden Beer Festival, while the Statty Funfair keeps the thrills spinning all week long. From baby rhymes to beer tastings, quiz nights to classical concerts, and everything in between - there's literally something for everyone! So grab your appetites, your dancing shoes, and your sense of adventure because this is one week you won't want to miss... 🎉🍺🎠

Thursday 11th September

10:00am - 10:30am & 11:30am - 12:00pm - Baby Rhyme Time at Harpenden Library 👶 Two sessions of guaranteed cuteness overload! Watch tiny humans attempt to clap along while generally being adorable and slightly chaotic. Donations welcome - though honestly, the entertainment value alone is priceless!

5:00pm - 10:00pm - The Statty Funfair on Harpenden Common 🎠 Because nothing says "sophisticated market town" like a proper funfair plonked on the Common! Those thrilling rides will either make you feel 8 years old again or remind you why you're definitely not 8 years old anymore. The exciting stalls are perfect for winning teddy bears you absolutely don't need but will definitely treasure forever.

8:00pm - Quiz Night at The Harpenden Arms 🧠 Thursday's weekly battle of the brains is here! Gather your team of up to 6 clever clogs and prepare for that moment when you confidently shout "MADAGASCAR!" only to discover the answer was actually "What year was the Battle of Hastings?" Serious brain-teasing action guaranteed, along with at least one argument about whether that obscure 80s song counts as "general knowledge."

8:00pm - 11:00pm - Mik & Anne Open Mic Duo at The Plough & Harrow 🎵 Live music magic from this talented twosome! Whether they're covering classics or treating us to original material, it's always a proper treat. Plus, there's something wonderfully civilized about live music in a proper pub - makes you feel like you're living in a Richard Curtis film.

Friday 12th September

9:30am - Body Tone with Rachel at The Harpenden Trust 💪 Start your Friday with some fitness above the Co-Op! Rachel's classes are legendary for being both effective and surprisingly fun. Book online at bookwhen.com/classeswithrachel before you chicken out and decide that Friday morning lie-ins are actually a form of self-care.

9:30am - 11:30am - THC Networking Breakfast at Red Gables 🤝 Business networking that doesn't make you want to hide under a table! Meet fellow local entrepreneurs over proper coffee and delicious treats in their lovely new meeting room. Members get in free, non-members pay £15+VAT - which is basically the cost of a fancy London coffee anyway, but here you get actual human connection thrown in.

12:00pm - 10:00pm - The Real Harpenden Beer Festival on Harpenden Common 🍺 Over 50 real ales, perries and ciders await your expert judgment! There's also a DJ, because apparently even beer festivals need a soundtrack now. This is the 12th year running, which means it's practically a Harpenden institution. Time to develop some very serious opinions about hops!

5:00pm - 10:00pm - The Statty Funfair on Harpenden Common 🎠 More funfair shenanigans continuing into Friday evening!

Saturday 13th September

12:00pm - 6:00pm - Harpenden Food and Drink Festival across town centre and Common 🍴 The absolute crown jewel of our weekend! More than 70 food and drink stalls are descending upon us like a delicious invasion. Outdoor bars, street food, community seating areas, market stalls, funfair rides, DJs, and street entertainment - it's basically Glastonbury but with better toilets and less mud. Plus you can actually get home for a proper cup of tea afterwards! The day includes:

Children's Zone 🎨 The kids' paradise featuring Jumping Beans Soft Play (for when your offspring need to burn off energy like tiny tornadoes), Sand Art (mess contained, thankfully), Crafts from Artshed, The Mayor's Bears (yes, really!), and a children's entertainer who's probably braver than a lion tamer. It's basically heaven for under-10s and a godsend for parents who need 5 minutes to enjoy their artisan sausage roll in peace.

"The Bug" VW DJ Van 🚐 This iconic Volkswagen will be pumping out summertime classics all afternoon! There's something wonderfully British about having your DJ arrive in a vintage van. It's like Pimp My Ride met Desert Island Discs and had a very polite baby.

"Culinary Capers" Show 🎭 Ian Marchant, resplendent in chef's whites, will be performing absolutely bonkers feats with fruit, showing jaw-dropping versatility with vegetables, launching legumes with theatrical flair, chucking crockery (safely, one assumes), balancing baguettes like a carbohydrate circus performer, and generally displaying more daring deeds with dishes than should be legally allowed. It sounds completely mad and absolutely brilliant!

12:00pm - 10:00pm - The Real Harpenden Beer Festival continues 🍻 The perfect double-header with the Food Festival! It's like someone planned the ultimate Saturday - food AND drink in one convenient location. Over 50 beverages to sample, plus music from Interfunk (who sound like they should be from the 1970s in the best possible way).

1:00pm - 10:00pm - The Statty Funfair on Harpenden Common 🎡 Saturday means extended funfair hours! More time to convince yourself you're definitely going to win that giant stuffed unicorn this time, and more opportunities to regret eating that burger before going on the spinning teacups.

7:30pm - Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra Concert at St Nicholas Church 🎼 For those seeking cultural sophistication after a day of funfair madness and festival food! An elegant evening of classical music supporting the Harpenden Trust. Tickets are £20 (concessions £15), under-18s get in free, and there are refreshments - because even classical music is better with a proper interval drink.

7:30pm - "From Gold to Rio" at The Eric Morecambe Centre 🎤 Two of the UK's most iconic 80s bands brought to life in one power-packed tribute show! It's Spandau Ballet meets Duran Duran, which is basically the soundtrack to everyone's guilty pleasure playlist. £28 to relive your youth or pretend you were cooler in the 80s than you actually were.

9:30pm - midnight - Blonde Rebel at The Plough & Harrow 🎸 This 5-piece covers band will be rocking various hits until the witching hour! Perfect for those who still have energy left after a full day of festivaling. Because apparently Saturday isn't complete without live music in the pub.

Sunday 14th September

9:30am - 2:00pm - Redbourn Car Boot Sale at The Herts Showground 🛍️ The weekly treasure hunt where one person's junk becomes your new favorite thing! Cars £13, small vans £15, large vans £17, early birds who arrive at 9am pay £23, and if you want an extra large 16m pitch it's £28. Perfect for finding vintage crockery you didn't know you needed and books you'll definitely read "someday."

10:00am - 11:30am & 1:00pm - Heritage Open Day at Rothamsted Manor 🏰 FREE entry to this stunning Grade I-listed manor that's usually more locked up than the Crown Jewels! Two time slots available to explore this architectural beauty and its gorgeous grounds. It's like getting a private tour of Downton Abbey, but without the complicated family drama and with better parking.

Sunday mornings - Jigsaw Performing Arts at Katherine Warrington School 🎭 For budding stars aged 3-18! Two week trial available because apparently even toddlers need to audition these days. Call 01923 701803 to unleash your child's inner thespian or discover they're more suited to the technical crew.

Monday 15th September

10:00am - 12:00pm - Bennets Coffee Morning at Bennet's Royal British Legion 👶 The perfect Monday morning sanity-saver for parents and toddlers! While you desperately caffeinate, your little ones can play in a safe, welcoming space at 21 Leyton Road. It's basically therapy, but with better biscuits and the chance your child might actually tire themselves out.

10:30am - 12:00pm - Harpenden Library Coffee Morning ☕ The Monday morning institution that proves libraries are about so much more than just books! Come for the coffee, stay for the community spirit, leave wondering why you don't do this every week.

2:00pm - 3:30pm - Memory Lane Café at The Salvation Army 💙 A warm, supportive gathering for people living with dementia and their families. Sometimes the most important events are the quietest ones - this is about connection, care, and community in the very best sense.

3:45pm - 4:45pm - LEGO Club at Harpenden Library 🧱 Fun challenges that build problem-solving, spatial awareness, and creative thinking - plus it's an excellent excuse for adults to play with LEGO without judgment! £4.40 per session, children under 8 need adult supervision (probably for everyone's safety). Places are limited, so book ahead before all the good bricks are taken!

6:30pm - 8:30pm - Harpenden Business Forum at Red Gables 🤝 The inaugural meeting that could shape how our local business community is supported! It's hosted by the Town Council with support from The Harpenden Collective, which sounds wonderfully official and important. Free tickets but you must book in advance - because even inaugural meetings need proper planning.

6:45pm - Frazzled Café at Harpenden Trust Halls 💚 For when Monday has already defeated you and it's not even Tuesday yet! Free hot drinks, emotional support, and comfort among others who understand that sometimes life is a bit much. It's like group therapy but more British and with better tea.

Tuesday 16th September

2:15pm - 2:45pm - StoryTime at Harpenden Library 📖 Half an hour of literary magic for little bookworms! All welcome, donations appreciated, and guaranteed to be more entertaining than whatever's on daytime TV. Plus, you might discover your child's new favorite book or at least get 30 minutes of relative peace.

9:00pm - Weekly Quiz at The Engineer 🧠 Maximum 6 per team, £1 entry fee, and actual cash prizes! It's like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire but in a pub with beer and significantly less pressure. Perfect for settling those "I'm sure I know this" moments that have been bothering you all week.

Wednesday 17th September

10:00am - Southdown Marquetry Group at Southdown Trust Hall 😊 The fine art of making pictures with wood veneers! No experience required and all materials provided, which is brilliant because marquetry tools probably cost more than a small car. Learn this beautiful, precise craft every Wednesday with people who definitely have more patience than the average person.

10:30am - Pilates at The Harpenden Trust 🧘‍♀️ A gentle 50+ class that promises to improve your core strength without making you question all your life choices! Located above the Co-Op in Southdown. More info at pushmefitherts.com, which is possibly the best website name ever.

2:15pm - 3:00pm - Active Rhyme Time at Park Hall Community Hall 🎵 Free 45 minutes of fun, active rhymes and songs for babies and toddlers, with older siblings welcome too! It's like a mini concert where the audience participation is mandatory and absolutely nobody minds if you can't carry a tune.

4:00pm - Ballet with Zoe at The Harpenden Trust 🩰 Lively ballet lessons for 4-6 year olds who have energy to burn and dreams of pirouettes! Email [email protected] for trial classes, because even tiny dancers need to audition these days.

All day - Harpenden Garden Society Outing to Hidcote Gardens, Gloucestershire 🌸 A beautiful day trip for those with green fingers and an appreciation for horticultural excellence! Probably involves lots of "ooh, look at that clematis!" and "I wonder if that would work in my garden?" conversations.

Ongoing All Week

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays - WWII Exhibition at Harpenden Museum (EMC lower floor) 🎖️ FREE exhibition running until 25th September! Because sometimes we need reminding of the extraordinary things ordinary people can do. Check harpenden-history.org.uk for opening hours and prepare to be both educated and moved.

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays - George Hogg Exhibition at Harpenden Museum. The fascinating story of our local hero (1915-1945) who's little known here but celebrated in China with actual statues! He rescued 60 Chinese schoolboys by marching them 700 miles to safety from the invading Japanese army. He died at just 30, making this both inspiring and heartbreaking. Sometimes the most incredible stories are hiding right under our noses.

Anytime - Mini Rugby at HRFC 🏉 Getting little ones into the beautiful game of rugby! Drop a line to [email protected] for all the muddy, brilliant details. Because there's nothing quite like watching tiny humans attempt to tackle each other with maximum enthusiasm and minimum technique.

There you have it, lovely people - a week so packed with activities you'll need a personal assistant just to keep track! See you around our wonderful town! 😊✨

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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