Your weekly what’s on guide for Bedford and the surrounding area from the Bedford Clanger.
Never miss a thing in Bedford ever again. From theatre to film, live music to art exhibitions, The Bedford Clanger what’s on guide lands every Thursday and is the only guide you need to know what’s on and what’s happening across the Borough for the next 10 days.
The Bedford Clanger’s What’s On Guide is kindly sponsored by The Cellar Bar.
Every Thursday in August
Family fun: Crafty Thursdays
John Bunyan Museum @ 11am – 3pm
£2 per child
From secret agents to pop-up puppets, there are activities galore for children at the John Bunyan Museum this summer.
Check out the website for full details.
Every Tuesday in August 2024
Family fun: August Activities
Bunyan Meeting @ 11am – 2pm
Free plus free lunch for children
Bunyan Meeting is running craft and activity sessions every Tuesday in August. With a Noah’s Ark theme, each week make a different animal to take home and help Noah fill his Ark!
Have a go at trails around the museum, and summer exhibition in the basement. 11am-2pm in Bunyan Meeting completely free. Free light lunch for children completing all three activities on the day.
John Bunyan Museum, Mill St, Bedford MK40 3EU
Until Thursday 29 August 2024
Family fun: Children’s activities
The Higgins Bedford, Castle Lane – times vary, check website for details
Tickets: £3.50 – £5.50 per child
This summer, journey back in time to 800 years ago and explore the thrilling siege of Bedford Castle with a variety of exciting family activities at The Higgins Bedford.
Until Thursday, 29 August, children of all ages can unleash their creativity and delve into history through a range of castle-themed workshops and craft sessions.
Thursday 22 August 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring The Gary Wood Band
The Dance Hall, Wixams Retirement Village, Bedford Road, Bedford, MK42 6EA @ 8pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £12.99
An evening for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Cashless bar, plenty of seating (night club set up) and dance floor. Book in advance and come along at 7.15pm for a 45 minute dance class in Balboa, one of the original swing dances of the era. For the main event, just turn up – pay cash at reception – have fun, no booking needed.
Friday 23 – Monday 26 August 2024
Vintage: Twinwood Festival
Twinwood Road, Clapham
Tickets: From £70 (day ticket) to £154 (three-day ticket)
Every summer the serene countryside of Bedfordshire comes alive with the sound of swing and rock & roll as Twinwood Festival draws thousands of enthusiasts from around the globe to one of the most beloved vintage music festivals in the world.
Nestled in the picturesque village of Clapham, the annual festival is a homage to the music and culture of the 1930s to 1960s. Twinwood Airfield is notorious as the last place Glenn Miller was seen before his disappearance in 1944 and The Glenn Miller Museum, situated on the airfield, pays tribute to the legendary bandleader and offers visitors a glimpse into the wartime era that shaped his music.
The festival is a paradise for lovers of vintage music and features over 150 acts across multiple stages including a main arena.
Friday 23 August 2024
Live music: Summer Ska Party featuring Who Stung Sting
The Castle, Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Bedford supergroup Who Stung Sting will be at the Castle this Bank Holiday Friday weekend for their Summer Ska Party, playing and singing Two-tone, ska and reggae to dance the night away to.
Expect a selection of reggae and ska classics, plus a few ‘converted’ songs to ease you into the Skank Holiday weekend…
Friday 23 August 2024
Live music: Souls of Mischief
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
Esquires is excited to welcome US Hip Hop royalty, Souls Of Mischief to Bedford this summer, as part of the group’s 30th-anniversary celebration of arguably one of the greatest tunes of all time, ’93 ’til infinity’.
Friday 23 August 2024
Live music: Bank holiday doubleheader featuring New Classics & Megapint?
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Megapint? + New Classics at the Cellar Bar this bank holiday Friday.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Family creativity: Printing at the Panacea
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 11am – 12pm, 12pm – 1pm and 2pm – 3pm
Join local artist Anne-Marie Abbate to create art on the Panacea Museum’s antique printing press. This month’s art is inspired by the glorious museum gardens. Suitable for ages 6- 96.
Sessions are drop-in, with no need to book.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Food/drink/music: FoodDrunk
Bedford Esquires @ 12.30pm til late
Free entry
Everyone’s favourite boozy-food get together, FoodDrunk, is returning to the outdoor and indoor spaces at Esquires on Bank Holiday Saturday for its 10th instalment!
Roll Your Own Records are back curating the vinyl-only sessions on the patio, with five-star steet food from Eat Is Greek, Fold Me Close Pizza and Chai Stall. Inside will be packed with the finest artists from around the area, including Space Pistol, Carbon Daydreams, The Barrys and many more.
As always, entry is free, all ages welcome and kicks off for lunch at 12.30pm.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Dance music: Boombastic presents Daytime Disco
Bedford Esquires @ 2pm – 6pm
Tickets: £6.67
The perfect place for over-30s to dance and sing-a-long to some of the greatest hits ever. Why wait for the evening to have fun? Indulge in an afternoon filled with nostalgic tunes, singalongs, confetti cannons and a vibrant atmosphere.
Expect all the great fun of a Boombastic party and be home before you’d usually be going out! What a result!
Saturday 24 August 2024
Live Music: Bank holiday weekend doubleheader featuring Samantha Hughes & Helen Lester
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm. Happy Hour 6pm – 9pm. 3am close
Free entry
Samantha Hughes is back at The Cellar Bar with a part-acoustic set featuring a selection of Rock n Roll, Country, 50s/60s and 80’s party tunes, spreading some good old fashioned music from years gone by!
Also on the bill is Helen Lester, performing a wide range of material from across the decades. Expect a bit of everything from Motown, pop, disco, soul and more.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Community theatre: MONA: From Scratch
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £7
From Scratch is a night of new theatre, aiming to provide a platform for fresh and upcoming artists to share their work on stage. Playwrights, directors and actors will have the opportunity to showcase their talents as we stage a series of short plays in the iconic The Place Theatre.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Grunge: Sounds of Seattle
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12
A night of hits from some of the biggest bands to perform out of Seattle, with a set that includes the greatest hits from Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots.
Esquires’ ex-resident DJ Ben Woodfine dusts down his music collection to come out of retirement for one night only on support duties, taking us through the best in 90s alternative sounds that packed the Esquires’ dancefloor ‘back in the day’
Your Reading Festival days may now be behind you now but catch up with some of your favourite music played live, reunite with old friends and throw some shapes on the dancefloor.
Saturday 24 August 2024
Dance music: Enigma’s Goodtimes – the Reunion
Bedford Esquires @ 9pm – 2am
Tickets: £15
A spine-tingling journey through the 90s dance music explosion. DJ SLIPMATT returns to GoodTimes alongside DAVE BERGIN & DJ KC playing the cream of 90s House, Garage, Ibiza bangers, Trance anthems & Old Skool Classics…
In addition, the incredible Sophia Soul will be on vocals performing house & garage classics.
Sunday 25 August 2024
Outdoor Theatre: Beowulf
The Place Theatre @ 1pm & 5pm
Tickets: from £10
One of the earliest and most famous examples of Anglo Saxon poetry, the tale of Beowulf has enthralled readers for centuries. Utilising movement, poetry and puppetry, as well as action packed fight sequences, Quill & Inkling are excited to bring this great tale to life.
Sunday 25 August 2024
Bandstand: Music in the Meadows featuring Fynnius Fogg
Mill Meadows Bandstand, Bedford Embankment, MK @ 3pm – 5pm
Free
Music in the Meadows closes its season at the picturesque Mill Meadows Bandstand with the ever-popular Fynnius Fogg performing a fun-filled finale.
This Sunday’s show starts earlier, at 2pm but still finishes at 5pm. This legendary 70’s pop group and charity band started playing pop and rock numbers together in the late 60’s. They reformed at a reunion party in 1991 and have since raised money for various charities, rather than taking fees for gigs themselves.
As ever, there will be a limited number of deckchairs for visitors and people are welcome to bring along their own chairs too. The concerts are completely free and open to everyone. The bandstand is located in Mill Meadows, Bedford, easily accessible by foot, bicycle, or public transport.
It can be found between the Suspension Bridge and Bedford Lock. It has the What3Words location of https://w3w.co/mild.skips.loudly. The closest car park is Longholme Way.
The perfect soundtrack to a relaxed Sunday afternoon by the riverside.
Sunday 25 August 2024
Live music: Daytime Disco – 90s and 00s
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm – 7.30pm
Free entry
This bank holiday Sunday the Cellar Bar is celebrating with a daytime disco, and you can even take along your own vinyl for them to play.
Sunday 25 August 2024
Live music: Sunday Afternoon Jazz with Jazz Trio ‘Double Standard
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 5.30pm – 8pm
Free entry
Double Standards Jazz Trio will be performing a mix of favourite standards and the odd original from pianist Ryan McCaffrey’s Cong-Fusion, this aims to be an entertaining early evening of jazz featuring the delights of the masterful Jeremy Brown on double bass and jazz royalty Clark Tracey on kit.
Sunday 25 August 2024
Live music: Guns 2 Roses
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £13
If you’re a GN’R fan then this is the night for you. Guns 2 Roses is one of the only tribute acts to have actually played live on stage with four members of the band themselves.
Monday 26 August 2024
Gardens: Kathy Brown’s Garden – charity open day in aid of Strawberry Hill and Stevington Community Shop
The Manor House, Church Road, Stevington, MK43 7QB @ 10.30am & 2pm
Entry: £9/£4.50
Kathy Brown’s glorious garden in Stevington is hosting a fundraising event on Bank Holiday Monday to raise money for two local charities. Entrance money will be donated to the Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust in support of their efforts to secure the norther section of the remarkable Strawberry Hill farmland which enjoys a rich biodiversity.
Strawberry Hill has been transformed from poor arable fields to grassland, shrub, and young woodland. As the habitat has become wilder, the wildlife has moved in – nightingales, turtle doves, linnets, harvest mice, badgers, and more. It remains a remarkable place for wildlife.
Having raised £1 million, the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire was able to purchase part of the land in April this year. They are now fundraising for a further £1.5 million to buy the remaining part of Strawberry Hill, protecting it forever.
Teas and other refreshments can be purchased on the day in the Church Room right besides the garden with proceeds going to Stevington Community Shop.
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Creativity: Drink & Draw – paper puppets
The Park pub, Kimbolton Road @ 7.30pm
Free (£2 donation appreciated)
Drink and Draw is for all grown-ups who like creative stuff and want to take part in some no-pressure doodling and get inspiration from others. It takes place on the last Tuesday of every month and it’s free (£2 donation welcome). Equipment is provided and all abilities are welcome.
Wednesday 28 August 2024
Walking: “The Silent Faces of Bedford” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the gold postbox in St Paul’s Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
Bedford has many impressive statues and memorials. They cannot speak for themselves but our guides can tell you their story and why they take their place in Bedford’s history.
Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.
Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.
Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31 August 2024
Opera: Bedfordshire Youth Opera presents – Dido and Aeneas and Down in the Valley
University of Bedfordshire, Polhill Avenue @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £22.50/£12.50
Settle in for an evening filled with love and loss in these two tales of twisted fate. From opera to musical theatre, Bedfordshire Youth Opera’s double bill of Henry Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas and Kurt Weill’s Down in the Valley will provide you with a veritable musical feast.
One of the earliest English operas, Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (c.1689) tells the classic story of Dido, Queen of Carthage falling in love with Aeneas of Troy. Witches are out to destroy Dido’s happiness; the lovers are torn apart, and Dido is left bereft.
Kurt Weill’s Down in the Valley (c.1948) follows the troubled story of Brack Weaver, a young man who falls in love with Jennie Parsons. At the Shadow Creek Dance, Weaver is threatened by creditor Thomas Bouché for accompanying Jennie to the dance. Trouble ensues…
Fast-paced and with drama at every turn these two productions are sure to provide an enthralling evening.
Wednesday 28 August 2024
Live music: Chameleons + Heavy Salad
Bedford Esquiers @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £26
Known for their atmospheric, guitar-based sound and passionate lyrics, The Chameleons are regarded as one of the most underrated Manchester bands of the 1980s. This year the band get to re-release the ‘Strange Tines’ album, some of which they will bring to the live show as well as classics from their career-spanning set including material from ‘Script Of The Bridge’ & ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically’.
Friday 30 August 2024
Live music: Tragedy – All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Beyond
Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
Tragedy takes disco, soft-rock and pop classics, and completely reimagines them as glorious, red-hot heavy metal. They’re sure to get your head bangin’, your booty shakin’ – and put a smile on your face and your fist in the air. Tragedy does not lazily rely on the concept or “the joke”. The band plunges deep – blazing musicianship, tantalizing riffs and stunning vocals. All except for Lance the towelboy. He’s just an idiot.
Friday 30 August 2024
Live music: Megapint?
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm / bar opens at 6pm
Free entry
After nearly 12 months, Megapint? have decided to reform with a brand-new line-up and The Cellar Bar are delighted to have them play their first gig with them.
Expect musical excellence mixed with a wonderfully curated list of rock/pop classics.
Saturday 31 August 2024
Walk: Mental Health Mates Bedford – Walk & Talk Meet Up
The Pavilion, Bedford Park @11am
Free to attend
Mental Health Mates (MHM) is a peer support group set up by journalist, author and mental health advocate Bryony Gordon in 2016. There are now over 100 MHM groups across the UK, including here in Bedford
The MHM walks in Bedford take place on the final Saturday of each month, meeting at The Pavilion At The Park and finishing back there afterwards for an optional drink and chat.
The walks are free to attend and just turn up to, you can talk as much or as little as you wish about anything, and everyone is welcome regardless of diagnosis or not.
Saturday 31 September 2024
Film: Sundown Cinema presents – Wonka
Russel Park @ 2pm
Tickets: see website for details
This prequel to the Roald Dahl classic sees Timothée Chalamet singing and dancing his way into the titular role. With dreams of opening a shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers.
Saturday 31 August 2024
Comedy: Joe Avati – When I Was Your Age
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 8pm
Tickets: £27.50
In Joe Avanti’s new show, he Australian comedian tackles the ‘then versus now’ generational differences of today’s children, the complexities of modern-day parenting compared to the strict upbringing of yesteryear. His observations are not only deadly accurate but extremely relatable to all ages.
This is a show for all the family. Bring your kids so they know what it was like when you were their age, bring your parents to highlight how much they have changed since they were your age and bring your friends to laugh and reminisce about growing up as teenagers when you were that age.
Saturday 31 August 2024
Film: Sundown Cinema presents Dirty Dancing (12)
Russell Park @ 8pm
Tickets: see website for details
Including the immortal lines “I carried a watermelon” and “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” this 1987 classic follows a family’s summer at a Catskills resort when Frances “Baby” Houseman falls in love with the camp’s dance instructor, Johnny Castle.
Saturday 31 August 2024
Live music: Double header – Last Laugh Lane + Cameo
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Last Laugh Lane return to The Cellar Bar playing classic throwback indie anthems of the 2000s from The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Kings of Leon and more. In addition, Cameo will be performing classic rock/pop songs from Dolly Parton to Fleetwood Mac to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and so much in between.
Sunday 1 September 2024
Walking: “Bedford in WWII” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the gold postbox in St Paul’s Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
A walk that reveals the way of life in Bedford and some of the little-known facts about the role it played during World War II. Learn how Bedford became the main hub of the BBC during the war and how it also became a centre of wartime entertainment. Discover a ‘secret’ Bedford and the connections of the town to the code breakers at Bletchley park.
Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.
Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.
Sunday 1 September 2024
Live music: The Esquires Sunday Afternoon Beatle Jam
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 8pm
Free entry
It’s that time of year again, when Esquires’ Sunday afternoon session pays tribute to John, Paul, George and Ringo. Many of the town’s top acts are lined up to perform and there’s still time for you to take part.
If you’d like to perform a Fab Four tribute, e-mail Mat Roberts on matrobertsmusic@aol.com
Sunday 1 September 2024
Live music: Sunday Afternoon Chillout – The Black & Gold
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm til 7pm / bar opens at 3pm / Happy Hour 3pm – 9pm
Free entry
The Black & Gold return, this time for the Sunday Chillout Session.
They played their first full gig ever at The Cellar Bar on St Patrick’s Day last year. Fronted by Rich Taylor on guitar and vocals with Samantha Hughes (banjo/vocals), Mary Wilcockson (fiddle), James Lewin (drums), Dan McGrath (harmonica), playing songs by The Pogues, The Dubliners, American-Irish and upbeat trad tunes. Why not book the afternoon tea in advance and make an afternoon and evening of it?
At the Higgins Bedford
Exhibition: Rediscovering Black Portraiture
The Higgins Bedford
Free entry
The newest exhibition at the Higgins began as a diversionary lockdown project in 2020 and can now be seen at Kensington Palace, the Bodeian Library in Oxford and now in Bedford.
It features the work of Manchester-born professional opera singer, Peter Brathwaite, who has lived in the Black Tom area of Bedford since 2018.
With all his singing work cancelled during the pandemic, Peter began looking for an outlet for his creative talents and started recreating famous and lesser-known Black portraiture paintings using as props whatever he could find around his house.
It was inspired by the Getty Foundation’s lockdown project, but quickly took on a life of its own, gathering a large international online following. You can explore the project at his Instagram page @peter_brathwaite.
And from Saturday, 18 May, they will form part of an installation at the Higgins Bedford which will lead visitors through the main collections and into Cecil Higgins’ house, with Peter’s interpretation of The Paston Treasure at its heart.
Read: ‘Rediscovering Black Portraiture’ at the Higgins Bedford this May
Exhibition: Edward Bawden & Me
The Higgins Bedford until
Free entry
Brand new work by some of the biggest names in contemporary British art, illustration and textiles are on display at an exhibition at the Higgins Bedford in celebration of the work of one of Britain’s most inventive and influential artists
Entitled Edward Bawden & Me, the exhibition has been curated by Bawden’s good friend, illustrator and printmaker, Chris Brown and also features work by local artists’ collective, the Circus of Illustration.
Read: Star-studded new Edward Bawden exhibition opens at the Higgins Bedford
You can also read the full article in the February issue of The Bedford Clanger.
At the Panacea Museum
Exhibition: ‘Panacea: A Cure for All Ills’
Thursday – Sunday @ 10am – 5pm
Free entry
The current exhibition at the fascinating Panacea Museum explores the ministry which gave the Panacea Society its name.
Originally titled ‘The Community of the Holy Ghost’, their more famous name came later, connected with their international Healing offer. The Society sent out linen squares, blessed by their leader Octavia, these were placed in water to make a therapeutic elixir.
This exhibition explains the origins of the Healing, how it became so well-known, and why it finally ended.
Entry to the museum and exhibition is free. More information about visiting the museum can be found on their website here.
Every Thursday
Cocktails, Quiz Night & Karaoke
The Cellar Bar from 5.00pm
Pit your wits against The Cellar Bar’s resident quizmaster to see if you can win the jackpot every Thursday from 8pm. £2 per person entry and a maximum of six per team. The winning team will win the jackpot PLUS a round of shots. Followed by Karaoke til close
Every Saturday
Food & drink: Cocktail mixology masterclass
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm / doors open at 12 noon
£30 per person
The Cellar Bar’s resident mixologist, Marley, will explain how to create some outstanding cocktails for your tasting enjoyment. Then, it’s your turn to put what you’ve learned into practice by making (and drinking) three cocktails!
Every Sunday
Live Music: Open Mic Night
The Cellar Bar @ 7.30pm
Free Entry
Every Sunday, join Mat Roberts for the Cellar Bar’s weekly Open Mic night. An opportunity for new and experienced performers to get up on stage and perform.
So whether you think you are the next Tom Grennan or just want a good night of entertainment, head the to Cellar Bar from 7.30pm.
Theatre highlights by Paula Walker
