SEASONAL & FESTIVE

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Bring families and communities closer with seasonal ideas, local celebrations and festivities both traditional and new! 

May

1. 12th – 28th May – Wellingborough Stories Festival.
2. 22nd May to 4th June – Northampton Film Festival.
3. 27th – live music and crafts in Kettering Market Place.
4. Check out our local libraries in Corby, Wellingborough, Kettering, Oundle, Irthlingborough or Rushden for seasonal craft sessions.
5. During May you can enjoy the opera season at Nevill Holt Opera.

June

1. Summer – Music, dancing and street food in parks with Fly By Bars.
2. Summer season outdoor theatre at Lyveden Chester House, Nevill Holt Opera, Rockingham Castle and Tolethorpe Hall .
3. Summer season outdoor cinema at Finedon, Boughton House and Delapre Abbey.
4. 1st to 4th – Northampton Film Festival.
5. 3rd – Music & dancing at East Carlton Park.
6. 3rd/4th – Riverside Festival in Leicester.
7. 4th – International Children’s Day in Corby
8. 10th – a festival of song at North Northamptonshire Music Festival
9. 9th & 10th – The Music Barn Festival near Barton Seagrave.
10. 10th – Market Harborough Carnival
11. 15th – 18th – Beer & Music Festival at Kettering Rugby Club.
12. 17th – 75th Anniversary of the Windrush at WACA.
13. 17th & 18th – Viking Gathering of Kings in Corby.
14. 23rd to 25th – Come And Be Festival in Moulton.
15. 24th & 25th – Roman Festival at Chester House.
16. 24th – live music and crafts in Kettering Market Place.
17. 25th – Wollaston Festival.
18. 25th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.

July

1. 1st – Family Arts Festival at Pen Green Centre, Corby.
2. 1st – Music, dancing & more at East Carlton Park.
3. 1st/2nd – Carnival and Party in the Park. in Wellingborough.
4. 1st/2nd – Hollowell Steam Rally.
5. 2nd – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
6. Creative Oundle summer events and the Oundle Fringe throughout July.
7. 7th/8th – Tannerfest near Loddington.
8. 8th – Rushden‘s Party in the Park and Chinfest in Corby.
9. 9th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
10. 15th – KettFest in Kettering.
11. 14th to 17th – BoroFest presents glass art and craft in Overstone.
12. 16th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
13. 21st – Tollyfest in Harrington
14. 22nd – live music and crafts in Kettering Market Place.
15. 22nd/23rd – Journeys Festival in Leicester.
16. 23rd – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
17. 28th & 29th –Daxtonbury Festival near Rushden.
18. 29th/30th – Music, dancing & more at West Glebe Park.
19. 29th/30th – Kids Summer Fest at The Chester House Estate.
20. 30th July – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
21. Kettering Carnival will relaunch in July 2024.

August

1. 5th – Music, dancing & more at East Carlton Park.
2. 6th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
3. 13th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
4. 18th to 20th – Northampton Balloon Festival.
5. 20th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.
6. 24th to 27th – Shambala Festival at Kelmarsh Hall.
7. 24th to 27th – Greenbelt Festival at Boughton House.
8. 26th/27th – Music, dancing & more at East Carlton Park.
9. 26th/27th – Re/action Festival in Leicester.
10. 27th – Bands In The Park in Kettering.

September

1. 2nd – Proms in the Park in Rushden.
2. 2nd – Music, dancing & more at East Carlton Park.
3. 8th to 10th – Illusive Festival at Deene Park.
4. 8th to 17th – Heritage Open Days
5. Desborough 1940s Day – early September.
6. Enjoy free street performances at Arts Fresco in Market Harborough.
7. Bardic Picnic – September comes back to the Umbrella Pavilion in Northampton.
8. Northants Open Studios runs throughout September.
9. 9th to 17th – Nene Valley Festival
10. 10th – save the date for Northamptonshire Heritage Fair.
11. 17th – Rockin’ Roadrunner Festival for adults with disabilities.
12. 29th – Music, dancing & more at West Glebe Park.

October

1. October – Spectacle of Light at Boughton House.
2. October – Black History Month – see what our Black Community Forum has planned.
3. Kaya Festival takes place in October.
4. 31st – Halloween or All Hallow’s Eve…find spooky stories on Wailingborough: A Local Ghost Story Podcast.
5. Wellingborough Museum usually host events at Halloween.

November

1. Friday 3rd November – North Northamptonshire Council‘s firework event.
2. 5th November marks the foiling of a Northants-made conspiracy, the Gunpowder Plot , which is celebrated with bonfire and fireworks events throughout the UK.
3. 12th – Diwali – make a recycled lantern, traditional Rangoli patterns and Diya lights to decorate your home or check out Diwali events in Wellingborough, Northampton and Leicester.

December

1. Christmas means magical Carol Concerts aplenty! See where our local choirs are singing in 2023 at Big About Singing Corby Community Choir, COPD singers, Corby Chordless Choir, Deep Roots Tall Trees Choir, Sing At Stanwick (SAS Choir), The Songbirds, Valley Voice Choir, Wellingborough Orpheus Choir, Wellingborough Singers and Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir
2. Love to get under a blanket on the sofa with a good movie during the holidays? Check out the best festive TV for kids and adults or find out where to stream Christmas movies.
3. In 2023, Hanukkah is celebrated from sundown of December 7th – 15th, and If you like dancing you might like these rousing Hannukah songs.
4. Take a Santa Special Train to see the Christmas lights at Corby & District Model Railway.
5. The Chester House Estate and Stanwick Lakes host various activities throughout the festive season.
6. Many of us decorate a tree during December, but have you ever wondered about the origins of the Christmas tree, that was also decorated during Yule?
7. 21st December 2022 is also the start of the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasting for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun, giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log – have a go at making a Yule log out of things you can find in your garden.
8. During the Winter Solstice you can watch a live stream of the Solstice sunrise on December 22nd from Stonehenge at the English Heritage facebook page or listen to the Winter Solstice podcast.
9. Jólabókaflóð or ‘Yule Book Flood’ is a hugely popular Christmas Eve tradition in Iceland, where families and friends gather to gift and read books.
10. Track Santa‘s progress around the world on Christmas Eve at NORAD.
11. 25th December is Christmas Day – bring a bit of festivity to your home by making your own wreath or christmas cracker. Download some free festive crafts activity ideas to make decorations from nature.
12. Kwanzaa is celebrated from 26th December until 1st January each year. See what our Black Community Forum has planned, try these Kwanzaa crafts or read some Kwanzaa poems at home.

January 2024

1. Want to make your 2024 more creative. Take part in the January Challenge!
2. Burns night is celebrated each year on 25th January with poetry readings and a special ‘address to a haggis’, which is the centrepiece of the Burns supper! See memories from local celebrations in Corby.
3. #NationalStorytellingWeek takes place from 30th January to 6th February 2024 – follow Wellingborough Library and Corby Library for loads of ideas for books and audiobooks you can enjoy completely free.

February 2024

1. Saturday 10th February 2024 marks the first day of the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated nearby in Leicester and all across Asia. Chinese New Year will be the start of the Year of the Dragon, with celebrations culminating on 24th February 2023 with the Chinese Lantern Festival – learn how to make a paper lantern or find out more about the Chinese Zodiac in Art.
2. In Japan, Hatsu is a list of ‘firsts’ that are observed during the first two weeks of each Lunar New Year, including letters and poems.
3. Tuesday 13th February 2024 is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day – why not get creative with your food and make a pancake face!
4. 14th February 2024 is Vasant Panchami, a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring – learn how to make a card with paper spring flowers.
5. Check out seasonal crafts on the Northamptonshire Libraries YouTube channel for Valentine’s Day.

March 2024

1. Light Up Leicester is a city-wide illuminated festival that will return in March 2024.
2. March is Women’s History Month – find untold stories of women at English Heritage or at the National Women’s History Museum in the USA.
3. 7th March 2024 is World Book Day and they have free digital events a Book Club and lots more!
4. 8th March is the Festival of Holi, which is celebrated by WDHA.
5. Find an event near you for International Women’s Day on 8th March.
6. 10th March is Mothering Sunday – learn how to make a bouquet of paper flowers.
7. 17th March is St Patrick’s Day, a time to celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland – see what’s on at Corby Irish Centre and in Corby town centre.
8. 20th March is International Day of Happiness – visit Action For Happiness for some ideas, such as mindful creativity – you can find a local group on our website!
9. The Have A Go Arts Festival takes place at Kettering Arts Centre in Spring.
10. LEGO lovers of any age can get creative at the Brick and Build show.
11. Easter is on Sunday 31st March in 2024 – find some creative sweets treats to have a go at making!

April 2024

1. On Friday 13th April 2024 Vaisakhi is celebrated – learn about this Sikh festival on Google Earth.
2. The Happy Hood Festival in April.
3. Passover takes place from 22nd to 30th April 2024 – find out more about this Spring festival at The Jewish Museum.
4. Eid al-Fitr starts on Wednesday 10th April in 2024 – learn how to craft a woven Eid envelope.
5. Late Spring – Raunds Festival showcases live roots music.
6. 29th April – Workers Memorial Day in Corby.

May 2024

1. 1st May – International Workers Day or May Day, celebrated by the Wellingborough Diggers.
2. mid May – International Waendel Walk in Wellingborough.

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Updated 18th May 2023