Image: Tarangini Dance Group at Mela 2022. Credit: Art Asia. UPDATE 14 JULY 2023: DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS, MELA FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELLED The south’s largest Asian festival returns to Southampton this weekend, with the Mela coming to Hoglands Park on Saturday. Last year saw more than 27,000...
Under the Covers July 2023: Meet local prize-winning children’s author Ali Sparkes
By books editor Carolyn Thomas. As the long summer holidays approach, parents all over Southampton will be juggling jobs and other commitments while keeping their children entertained. So it seems a good time for some reading recommendations! Not only is time with a book immensely enjoyable – when it’s...
Winchester Poetry Festival returns for 2023
The programme for Winchester Poetry Festival 2023 is live and tickets are on sale now. Winchester Poetry Festival invites readers, writers, poetry-lovers and the poetry-curious to join them at The ARC, Winchester on 13-15 October for their flagship event – Winchester Poetry Festival 2023. There are 22 events you...
Suburban Safari: City Farm
By Katie Isham. Long summer days call for another farm outing. Our city is blessed with fields of farms stashed away in the suburbs. One of these is Southampton City Farm in Millbrook. There’s been a farm on this site since the mid-1970s so if you’ve never been, what...
Author Neil Gaiman joined Mayflower Theatre audience of The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Image: The Ocean at the End of the Lane company with cake. Credit Stuart Martin Photography. Neil Gaiman, the author behind the best-selling novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane which was adapted for stage by Joel Horwood, directed by Katy Rudd visited the National Theatre’s smash-hit...
Local events and businesses, July 2023
Maskers – Jane Eyre open air performance ‘Jane Eyre’. Adapted from the novel by Charlotte Bronte On the lawns of Townhill Park House (near Haskins Garden Centre SO 18 3RR) Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 July at 7.30 (Matinee on Saturday 22nd at 2.30pm Tickets from £13, student and...
Southampton-based author Yarrow Townsend shortlisted for national children’s book award
Southampton-based author Yarrow Townsend has been shortlisted for a prestigious children’s book award. The Branford Boase Award acknowledges particular talent among debut children’s writers alongside the hard work of their editors. Yarrow’s book, The Map of Leaves, has been shortlisted for the award, alongside six others. Yarrow said: “To be...
Southampton listings 4 – 10 July
The summer festival season rolls on. This weekend sees Let’s Rock, with headliners Soft Cell and the Boomtown Rats (pictured top) take over Southampton Common, while the Smoked and Uncut festival in the New Forest, featuring Kelis, Gabrielle, and DJ Harriet Rose. Turner Sims presents its third year of...
Southampton Keep Our NHS Public is taking part in a national day of action on Wednesday
Southampton Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) is taking part in a nationwide Day of Action for the NHS on Wedneday, July 5th from noon to 2pm in Southampton city centre. There will be a street stall and organisers will be handing out postcards and other materials, outside the Waterstones...
Dom Martin’s Buried in the Hail tour brings him to The 1865 in October
Photo by Tony Cole. Belfast-born multi-award winning artist Dom Martin goes on tour this autumn following the release of his third studio album, “Buried in the Hail,” bringing him to The 1865, Southampton, in October. “Buried In the Hail” is steeped in the Roots, Americana, and Blues genres. Dom...