From top of the bill festivals to a special farewell, here are some of the best events taking place in Hertfordshire in July
The Importance of Being Earnest
2-17 July
The Roman Theatre, St Albans
OVO presents a bold, imaginative and unexpected jazz remix of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which the playwright subtitled: ‘A Trivial Comedy for Serious People’ when it was published in 1895. Within the historic grounds of The Roman Theatre in St Albans, directors Adam Nichols and Matt Strachan (who co-directed the current Roman Theatre run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream) have created an elegant world of fashionable society together with a strong whiff of scandal set to a very cool jazz soundtrack.
Elton John
3-4 July
Vicarage Road Stadium, Watford
After more than half a century on the road and an unparalleled career that has redefined the cultural landscape, Elton John has announced details of his final tour – and, of course, Vicarage Road, home of his beloved Watford FC, will play host to two of the gigs. A must see.
Todd in the Hole Festival
15 July
Todd’s Green, Stevenage
We have been building up to this event in Absolutely Hertfordshire for the past three months and, finally, the acclaimed Todd in the Hole Festival is almost here. Featuring great music in a family friendly atmosphere, there will also be wonderfully good and a whole host of other attractions, all while supporting charity partner, East & North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity. Don’t miss it.
Standon Calling
21-24 July
Standon Lordship
Standon Calling, the celebrated summer festival bringing together the best genre-spanning music, entertainment and family fun, is gearing up for a year like no other. With over 40 new names recently joining an already packed roster, the music line up is particularly impressive: Hertfordshire’s very own Declan McKenna, Razorlight, Madness, Anne-Marie… The list goes on. Standon Calling is known for its inclusive family-friendly atmosphere. Bringing together big name headliners, the most exciting new acts, with an unrivalled arts, talks, comedy, wellness, crafts and children’s entertainment programme headlined by Dick & Dom, DJ Battle, Horrible Histories Live and Mr Motivator MBE, Standon Calling packs all the fun into four full days of festivities. Enjoy the famous Dog Show, themed Costume Parade, Laser Tag, swimming pool and hot tubs and much more besides, all alongside an incredible array of food & drink on offer.
Michael Buble
23 July
Hatfield House
Grammy-award winning global megastar Michael Bublé will return to the UK in July 2022 with a very special tour that will visit beautiful stately homes, castles and cricket grounds across the country. Set to be some of the most vocally and visually stunning concerts of the year, the forthcoming ‘An Evening with Michael Bublé’ summer tour will blend his world-class showmanship with the impressive grandeur of magnificent venues, for an unforgettable musical experience.
Danny’s Champion Summer
23 July-4 September
The Roald Dahl Museum
Celebrate Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Danny the Champion of the World, this summer. Join in with storytelling every day, explore the Museum with Danny’s trail and help create a giant pheasant. Don’t miss the activity week, 2-7 August, for even more hands-on fun, and make sure you sample the pop-up food stalls in the courtyard.
St Albans Comedy Garden
27-31 July
Verulamium Park
Legendary BAFTA and Perrier award winning comedian Dylan Moran headlines the opening night at St Albans Comedy Garden. Join him as he takes you on a joyously furious romp through the frustration and folly of modern day life. Starring alongside is an astounding line-up with Taskmaster favourite and star of Netflix’s mega-hit After Life Kerry Godliman, Mock The Week’s whip-smart wordsmith Rhys James, multi-award winning Sikisa and stand-up superhero Kiri Pritchard-Mclean as host.
