LYCEUM LIVE

Crewe Lyceum is the only Edwardian theatre in Cheshire East. Over 110 years old, it’s an institution! Book tickets at www.crewelyceum.co.uk e Tiger who Came to Tea, 18th-19th July Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this family show packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-longs and clumsy chaos. Various times. Tickets £15 (£10 for group of 10).

Abigail’s Party, 28th-30th July Mike Leigh’s ferocious black comedy is a landmark of 20thcentury theatre. Various times. Tickets from £19.

Cheshire Game & Country Fair on 27th-28th August o ers an unbeatable family day out. e Cheshire Showground in Tabley hosts the best in countryside activities and entertainment in its main show arena and a host of smaller arenas and workshops. When you’re hungry, Food Glorious Food o ers a wide choice from national and local producers to specialist street food, drinks and cookery demonstrations. Open 10am-6pm, tickets £16 (child £6). www.livingheritagecountryshows.com

Joe Pasquale – e New Normal, 2nd August He’s been showing o on stage for 40 years, now he’s airing his favourite things to prove the world’s never been normal! 8pm. £27.

Coldplace, 17th August Recreating the magic of Coldplay’s live tours with lasers, screens, confetti and Xylobands. 7.30pm. £26.50.

ALL’S FAIR…

WHAT’S ON IN BRIEF

•Until 15th July, ‘Nantwich and Beyond’, Millennium Gallery, Nantwich Museum

An exciting display by AR Creative Art Group of individual responses to familiar places, using a variety of approaches. The group is based in Hough, and all the art is for sale at very reasonable prices.

•8th July, Live in the Park, Arley Hall & Gardens Arley is the stunning backdrop for this fundraising concert for the NeuroMuscular Centre, Winsford. Bring a picnic to enjoy as you watch tributes to music’s greats. 5pm. £28 (5-16 yrs £22, under-5s free).

•8th-14th & 16th-23rd July, Rainow Scarecrow Fortnight, Rainow, Macclesfield Scarecrows have taken over the village! Walk the free trail – how many can you find? 2.30-8pm. Refreshments available.

•9th July, Live Band & Acoustic Jam, Crewe Market Hall

Medieval mayhem

Beeston Castle has two great history events for you to join in with this summer! On 22nd-23rd July step back to the Middle Ages, meet characters in authentic dress and hear their tales (£12.50, child £7.50). At the Knights’ Tournament on 27th-28th August watch rivals compete in the ultimate test of strength and skill. Swords will clash, with the winner decided in the Grand Melée (£15, child £9). Book at www.englishheritage.org.uk. Castle admission is extra.

Listen up

Whatever your taste in music, you’ll nd plenty to feast your ears on at Alsager Music Festival. Head to Milton Park on 15th-16th July to enjoy over nine hours of fantastic live entertainment across multiple stages. ere’s also a real ale bar, merchandise and craft stalls, food and drink, children’s activities and charity fund-raisers. e fun kicks o at midday and continues through to 9pm. Tickets are £9 (child £6) from www. alsagermusicfestival.co.uk.

Join in with the house band or play solo/duo or with your own band. There’ll be quality sound equipment for guitars, drums and acoustic players, plus instruments to try. 3-6pm. Free. 9th & 23rd July, 6th & 20th August, Tour: Chester’s Welsh Connections A celebration of the city’s rich Welsh heritage. Learn about the foundling who became one of its greatest benefactors and why a US university is named after a Welshman. Fortnightly until 15th October, starts Town Hall 1pm. £10 (two under-16s per paying adult go free). No need to book.

•From 14th July, Moonlight Flicks at The Dean’s Field, Chester Cathedral Classic and recent films in a glorious setting, including Top Gun: Maverick Everything Everywhere All At Once, Grease and The Big Lebowski. 8pm. £12 (child £9).

WHAT’S ON IN BRIEF

•15th July, The Laughing Prop Comedy Club, Winnington Park Rugby Club, Hartford Quality stand-up from hilarious headliner Ignacio Lopez, supported by Tal Davies and Chris Washington. MC is Kevin Dewsbury. 7pm. £12.

•16th July, Northwich Krazy Races, Verdin Park. Cheer on our krazy, wacky and outrageous soapbox downhill racers as they launch themselves down Castle Street in their hand-crafted karts, and tackle over 350m of track with chicanes, obstacles, water hazards and more! 10.45am. Free to watch, entry from £150 per team.

•19th July onwards, Gas Works Exhibition, Nantwich Museum, Pillory Street Exploring the Wyche Bank area of Nantwich, its time as the gas works and what the future holds. Tues-Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. Free.

22nd-29th July, The Magic Flute, Clonter Opera Theatre, Swettenham Heath A beguiling blend of romance, comedy and philosophy, Mozart’s virtuoso score shows him at his brilliant, inventive best in this dazzling, fast-paced fantasy. Tickets from £24, under-26s free.

•23rd July, Chester Paddleboard Festival, Sandy Lane Two great events: a race at 8.30am from Sandy Lane to The Groves, then at 9.45am paddle at your leisure, with prizes for best fancy dress and outstanding sports gear!

All proceeds go to B.I.R.D. and other local charities. £10 entry. Over-16s only.

•25th July, Shakespeare on the Park, Wychwood Park, Crewe Multi award-nominated Immersion Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night is Shakespeare as it’s meant to be performed: interactive, fun and highly accessible! 6.30pm. From £14.

Heart of the park

Grosvenor Park open-air theatre is a beloved xture of Chester’s summer. Book for all shows at www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk e Wind in the Willows, 8th July-20th August An is is your chance to be covered in green powder paint from head to toe as you run, skip or dance your way around the 3km course – and have fun covering your friends in it too, all for a great cause. Join in on 6th August at 10.30am at Birkenhead Park. Entry is £15 (child £7.50), plus sponsorship. See www. clatterbridgecc. nhs.uk/charity/events/run/321/ Wirral

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1st July-27th August Shakespeare’s gleeful comedy invites us to follow our hearts and embrace our imaginations. A riot for all the family. From £25.30, kids go free!

3-2-1, GO!

Clear your diaries, folks. 3-2-1 Run Green is back and it’s gonna get messy!

Clatterbridge Cancer Charity is thrilled to announce the return of its epic fun run, at a brand-new location.

POP ALONG…

ey call the ’80s the decade that taste forgot, but that’s not true in our book –apart from the leg warmers! It was the era of Prince, Human League and Wham!, what could possibly be tastier than that? Enjoy a Club Tropicana vibe on the Dee with Chester Boats’ 80s Pop Party on 15th July, one of their Party Nights A oat. It sets sail at 7.30pm, tickets are £36.50 and include a BBQ-style bu et supper, disco with professional DJ and a glass of wine on arrival. Book at www.chesterboat.co.uk ones move through the hidden corners of the park, you’ll be greeted by beloved characters from Grahame’s story. Tickets £5. e Great Gatsby, 21st July – 27th August A raucous, hedonistic production of this American classic set in 1922 – an era of immorality, dazzling jazz and bootleg bosses. Tickets from £25.30.

Cheers, m’dears

Catch this hilarious tribute to the feisty, allfemale touring companies of the post-war era at Chester Little eatre on 1st-8th July. It’s 1955 and the Pallas Players are staging Whisky Galore, , set on the islands of Great and Little Todday, where the whisky has dried up and tensions are running high. at’s until a ship carrying 50,000 bottles is wrecked just o shore. Tickets £10 from www.chesterlittle theatre.co.uk

A cast of hundreds

Once every ve years the people of Chester create a completely new production of the greatest story ever told. e Mystery Plays are biblical tales of love, death, betrayal and redemption – don’t miss this theatrical epic staged in the Cathedral nave, from 28th June-15th July. Monday-Saturday, 7.30pm, Saturday matinee 1pm. Tickets from £25 (child £5). www.chestercathedral.com

Making Tracks 3 At Chester Cathedral

Mondays to Saturdays from 26 July to 2 September

Don’t miss your last chance to join Pete Waterman OBE and his Railnuts team for the third and final instalment of Making Tracks at the Cathedral.

This year’s 64 foot long track is modelled after Milton Keynes railway station with some very special never seen before features and trains. Like previous years, visitors will be able to drive the trains using dedicated control tablets.

DID YOU KNOW?

Come into the gardens…

Marquee will be bursting with ideas and advice from some of the UK’s nest nurseries. Family fun, live music and entertainment, plus delicious food and drink complete this spectacular summer day out. Open 10am-5pm, tickets from £29.85. Book and save at www.rhs.org.uk/tatton

Wednesday 19th is reserved for RHS members only.

Chums at Cholmondeley