Cartmel Antiques Fair
May 1st – 4th, Cartmel Village Hall
Held in Cartmel’s village hall, the Cartmel Antiques Fair is open from 10am to 5pm from the 1st to the 4th of May. For only £1 entry, you can browse the antiques on offer, whether you’re looking to buy or just to admire.
Roman History Weekend
May 2nd – 3rd, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
A Roman soldier will be at the railway with arms and armour to help those interested learn about Roman history. You can make your own torque bracelets and Roman dog tags, and children can dress up for photo opportunities. There are also guided walks to the Roman Bathhouse by Eskdale Ranger Chris Berry.
This event is being run by the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.
Touch a Truck Show
May 3rd, Cockermouth
For vehicle enthusiasts, the Touch a Truck show is your opportunity to get up close to a number of interesting heavy vehicles, including tractors, cranes, buses, haulage vehicles and more. Entrance for adults is £5, and there is free parking in the town centre with easy pedestrian access to the show. Nearly 2,000 people enjoyed last year’s show, and this year hopes to be even better.
Find out more about Touch a Truck on their website.
Keswick Jazz Festival
May 4th – 10th, Keswick
A 3-day pre-festival jazz experience, followed by a fantastic 4-day event, and a must-go-to for jazz enthusiasts. This is one of Britain’s foremost jazz festivals, with some of the genre’s biggest names performing.
Shappi Khorsandi, Comedian
May 14th, Beggar’s Theatre, Millom
Famous Iranian-born comedian Shappi Khorsandi is on tour, and is visiting Cumbria’s Beggar’s Theatre in May. You are likely to recognise her from Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Have I Got News for You or Q.I. where she is a regular and welcome guest.
Western Lakes Home and Garden Show
May 15th – 16th, Whitehaven
A number of exhibitors and celebrity personalities come together for the Western Lakes Home and Garden Show in Whitehaven, Cumbria. There are three celebrity theatres for advice on cooking, gardening and homes, as well as numerous stalls with a huge variety of foods both local and international, gardening items and more.
Hutton-in-the-Forest Plant & Food Fair
May 17th, Hutton-in-the-Forest
On Sunday 17th May, the Hutton-in-the-Forest Plant & Food Fair kicks off, with a £5 entry fee giving you access to gardening stalls, specialist plant nurseries, local food stalls and the extensive garden grounds, with a tour by the head gardener.
Hutton-in-the-Forest is an elegant manor that’s well worth a visit any time of year. You can read more about it here.
Taste Cumbria Ulverston Food Festival
May 23rd – 24th, Ulverston
In its second year, the Ulverston Food Festival is on its way to becoming an annual event. Throughout the town centre you will be able to find numerous market stalls offering some of the Lake District and Cumbria’s finest food and drink.
Well worth a visit for food lovers, or anyone who just loves the atmosphere of traditional markets, you can find out more information about the festival here.
Cartmel Races
May 25th & May 27th, Cartmel Racecourse
A great traditional, family day out, Cartmel Races will be running on the May Bank Holiday on the 25th, and on the following Wednesday, the 27th. With races starting the morning, a fairground and trade-stands, Cartmel is also a beautiful place for a picnic and guaranteed to be a great day.
All of Cartmel Racecourse’s events can be found from their website, here.
Holker Garden Festival
May 29th – 31st, Holker Hall, Cark-in-Cartmel
Hosting another great garden festival, May is the time of year after all, Holker Hall is another fantastic stately home in Cark-in-Cartmel, and has wonderful gardens for a garden festival. It’s not just gardening, though, there will also be stalls, a fairground and shows throughout the festival.
Country Fest
May 30th – 31st, Westmorland Showground, near Kendal
Celebrating Cumbrian countryside, independent food, drink and suppliers, Country Fest is the Westmorland County Agricultural Society’s festival, focusing on what it is that makes food in the North West what it is. There are a series of talks and demonstrations, as well as children’s activities and entertainment.
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