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5 things to do in and around Harrogate this weekend, October 3-5
Enjoy a performance at Wetherby Arts Festival
Wetherby Arts Festival, founded in 1977, is an annual community event that features music, art, film, poetry, literature, comedy and theatre.
Starting this Friday, acts will perform at venues across the town and the poetry competition is also returning for its second year.
Highlights also include the Wetherby Landscape Artist Competition, which will showcase the work of 10 artists in Wetherby Town Hall on October 4 and 5.
There will also be crafts and workshops at the Town Hall, and a community production of Guys and Dolls. With a mixture of professional acts and local talent, this year’s festival promises creativity, connection and culture.
Both free and ticketed events, various times, October 3-11, venues across town; see the website for details.
Helios by Luke Jerram. Credit: National Trust, James Dobson
See a magical fusion of art, science, and nature at Fountains Abbey
Starting this weekend, experience the sun like never before as Luke Jerram’s awe-inspiring sculpture Helios lights up the historic ruins of Fountains Abbey.
Suspended in the nave of this World Heritage Site, the seven-metre glowing sphere — featuring NASA solar imagery and soundscapes — will be on display for two weekends only: October 4-5 and 11-12.
You can see Helios during the day with standard admission, or book for special sunrise (6-8am) and sunset (5-9pm) events, where the artwork will glow among the floodlit ruins. An exclusive photographers-only sunrise session will take place on Friday, 3 October.
Free for under fives and National Trust members, children aged five to 17 years old £6, adults £12, various times; see the website for details, October 4-5 and 11-12, Fountains Abbey, Ripon, HG4 3DY.
Attend a fascinating talk on Persian history
Join Harrogate Archaeological Society for this month’s talk, taking place on Saturday afternoon at Harlow Hill Methodist Church.
Joyce Hill will deliver a one-hour illustrated presentation exploring the rich history of Persia — from Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC to the fall of the Shah. Highlights include Persepolis, Shiraz and Tehran.
£5, 2.30pm-3.30pm, October 4, Harlow Hill Methodist Church, 4 College Road, Harrogate, HG2 0AQ.
Pete McKee: Viva La Nan
Last chance to see Pete McKee: Viva La Nan
It's the last chance to see Pete McKee’s heartfelt new exhibition, Viva La Nan! at RedHouse Gallery before it moves to Sheffield.
Featuring more than 100 new works, it's a loving tribute to grandmothers everywhere, including intimate pencil sketches and ink drawings. It shines a spotlight on the enduring strength, humour, and quiet heroism of nans, grandmas and grannies.
Pete McKee said:
I wanted to create an exhibition celebrating the power of nans and the love we have for them.
It shows the beauty and dignity of women who have lived through hardship and pain; women who have worked and toiled and managed to raise us on next to nothing.
I consider my nans as iconic figures to be put on a pedestal and worshipped for the mighty women that they are.
10am-5pm, until October 4, RedHouse Gallery, 15 Cheltenham Mount, Harrogate, HG1 1DW.
Catch Maisie Adam and friends for an afternoon or evening of stand-up
Harrogate’s very own Maisie Adam is back in town for a special day of comedy, all in aid of Frank’s Fund — a local charity that’s close to many hearts.
Join Maisie on Sunday, October 5, for not one but two incredible shows – a matinee at 2.30pm and an evening performance at 7.30pm – filled with laughs, heart, and top-tier stand-up, all for a brilliant cause.
She’ll be joined by a fantastic line-up of comedy favourites, including Pierre Novellie, Scott Bennett, and Jen Brister, for what promises to be an unforgettable day of entertainment.
Proceeds go to Frank’s Fund, established in 2019 in memory of 14-year-old Frank Ashton, who tragically lost his life to Ewing Sarcoma — a rare and underfunded form of bone cancer.
From £20, 2.30pm and 7.30pm, visit the website for details, October 5, 6 Oxford St, Harrogate, HG1 1QF.
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