IT'S set to be another hot weekend in Hampshire and you'll be wanting to get out and about and enjoy the sunshine.
Here's our pick of five of the top family fun events taking place on Saturday and Sunday either in the great outdoors or somewhere air conditioned!
Boomtown, Matterley Bowl, until Sunday
Around 75,000 revellers are currently descending on the Matterley Estate for Boomtown chapter one: the gathering, which runs until Sunday.
Most of the line-up is kept a closely guarded secret, but we do know that the headliner is Sub Focus, also known as English electronic music producer Nick Douwma.
Initially known for air-punching, dancefloor dismantling drum & bass, Sub Focus has now become synonymous with music that draws from all corners of the electronic landscape.
In 2022, organisers have promised to rip up their own rulebook and re-imagine the vision of what a festival can be.
This is the first Boomtown to take place since 2019.
Tickets from boomtownfair.co.uk
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Mayflower Theatre, until Saturday
Enjoy Mayflower Theatre's Summer Youth Production, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical this weekend.
As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can't control, a destiny he doesn't want, and a mythology textbook's worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus's master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him.
Adapted from the best-selling book Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure for fans and new audiences alike.
Tickets from mayflower.org.uk
Little People, Big Dreams, Mottisfont, all weekend
An exhibition and trail at National Trust site Mottisfont celebrates some of the world’s most outstanding people, using artworks from the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS picture-book series.
An immersive gallery experience and outdoor activities invite you into the stories of little artists, activists, sports stars and scientists from all over the world.
Little People, BIG DREAMS® is a bestselling biography series created by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, with more than 7.5 million copies sold worldwide.
Perfectly plotted for children aged 4-7+, the series introduces trailblazers and dreamers who have made a big impact in the world around them. Mottisfont’s exhibition and trail will draw on these inspiring stories, encouraging children to be bold, be brave and dream big.
Alongside the exhibition and trail, Mottisfont is hosting an exhibition of portraits from New Forest Primary School, inspired by the book series. You’ll have the opportunity to add a portrait and write down some of your own dreams to add to the display.
See nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont
Awful Auntie, Itchen Valley Country Park, Sunday
The new playground at the Saxby Hall Orphanage is finally complete, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you. The orphanage was founded by Stella Saxby, who some of you may remember. Her parents were killed in a car crash in 1933, leaving her an orphan, all alone with her Awful Auntie.
And when we say awful, we mean awful. Aunt Alberta and her best friend Wagner, a vicious Bavarian owl, tried everything they could to torment Stella into signing over the deed to Saxby Hall. But Stella, with the help of her friend Soot (the ghost of a chimney sweep, but friends come in all shapes and sizes, don’t they?) fought off Aunt Alberta, saved Saxby Hall, and gifted the beautiful Saxby Hall to be used as an orphanage.
Awful Auntie by David Walliams, adapted for the outdoor stage by Heartbreak Productions, is a truly thrilling tale. Owls, ghosts, chases, escapes, motorcycle rides, and tiddlywinks all fill Stella’s days as she evades her menacing Aunt and saves the family home.
Awful Auntie is at Itchen Valley Country Park on Sunday at 4pm.
Tickets from thepointeastleigh.co.uk
Summer Ale Festival, Ashcroft Arts Centre, Saturday
A Summer Ale Festival is arriving at Ashcroft Arts Centre in Fareham on Saturday, bringing audiences some of the best beer, cider, food and live music that the south has to offer.
A specially curated selection of 20 beers and ciders from local breweries will be available to taste throughout the day, including from the headline brewery Bowman Ales Ltd, a microbrewery in Droxford, as well as New Forest based Vibrant Forest Brewery and many more.
Visitors can also enjoy food from JJ's Street Food, who will be dishing up firm festival food favourites, from pies and fries to burgers and beyond.
Both the day (12pm-4pm) and evening (6pm-10pm) sessions at the festival will be soundtracked with electrifying live music, including high-energy rock 'n' roll and rootsy foot-stomping blues from the Black Kat Boppers, supported by Rosco Shakes, and Grizzly and the Grasshoppers, supported by The Devil’s Damned String Band.
Tickets from ashcroft.org.uk
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