Shakespeare’s England gears up for busy Bank Holiday

Medieval Fun at Kenilworth Castle

Tourist attractions throughout Warwickshire are gearing themselves for a busy Bank Holiday weekend.

Shakespeare’s England, the body which promotes tourism in the area, said a host of special activities and events had been arranged to try and lure visitors.

People can attend a family festival, go on a trivia trail quiz or even enjoy an evening ghost walk.

Ragley Hall is once again staging live music festival ‘Camper Calling’, which this year features headliners Cast, Reef and The Lightning Seeds. During their visit, festivalgoers will be encouraged to try activities including adventure playgrounds, craft workshops, and food-related events.

Those preferring something more sedate can visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage between Saturday and Monday to discover how the owner was wooed by the Bard. Visitors can also learn how she would have managed the farm and how she helped her father with bookkeeping.

Dog-owners have been invited to celebrate National Dog Day on Saturday by bringing their pets with them to enjoy the gardens.

Down the road in Stratford itself, visitors to Shakespeare’s Birthplace on Saturday are being offered the chance to design a South Asian-inspired performance space based on The Tempest in the gardens of the famous house.

Working in collaboration with artists from the Sonia Sabri Company, visitors will be invited to create Rangoli-designed waves across the garden using a range of colourful materials, setting the scene for special performances of The Tempest by the in-house actors at 10am, midday and 2pm.

Special 90-minute Trivia Trails, featuring a mix of historical, observational and fun questions, will be taking place in Stratford at 2pm on Saturday and midday of Monday, while there will be a separate event in Warwick at 2pm on Sunday.

For the scholarly, Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall will be open for an exhibition that features SuperBard, Quilliam Shakespeare and Atmos-peare – some of the artistic creations by students of King Edward VI School.

At Kenilworth Castle today (Friday), ancient stories are being brought to life with the help of music, dance and acrobatics. During the weekend, visitors will be able to experience Knights battling it out in a medieval-themed tournament.

The darker side of Stratford’s past will be explored on an evening ghost walk through the town on Saturday, while altogether lighter the gardens of Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick are being opened on Monday.

Over the weekend, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s outdoor theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, ‘The Dell’, will play host to a range of student, community and semi-professional productions.

Perennially popular, Warwick Castle is staging special events including a horseback jousting spectacle. Families must pledge allegiance to either the House of York or the House of Lancaster and join a 2,000-strong cheering crowd in the jousting arena.

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