Looking for an event to feature? Here’s our pick of the best events coming up in April. As ever, please check individual websites for the latest details.
Discover more…
There’s plenty more to experience, for details on the full range of events check out each destination’s What’s On pages:
Tuck into some Easter treats
From egg hunts to fun family trails, there are plenty of events and activities to keep visitors happy this Easter. For a few treats, check out our roundup here.
Step into spring…
It’s no surprise that The Staffordshire Moorlands Walking Festival is always popular, with most walks free to join and suiting various abilities and interests. This year’s event (26 April – 6 May) again showcases the area’s beauty, from the Roaches, with spectacular views, to heather filled moorlands. The festival also throws the spotlight on the area’s market towns of Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek, all brought to life by knowledgeable walk leaders.
A journey of imagination in Hull
Visitors to Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery can take a colourful journey into the imagination of disabled artist Jason Wilsher-Mills in a new exhibition featuring giant inflatable sculptures and interactive experiences. Running until 2 June, the free entry exhibition, , was created in response to disabled communities in Hull, Wakefield, Manchester and Japan and aims to give visitors a greater understanding of how those with disabilities experience the world.
The Hampshire RAT is back
The famous Real Ale Train, or RAT as it is affectionately known, returns for 2024 at Hampshire heritage railway the Watercress Line, serving up real ale whilst steaming through the countryside. Two dates are available this month – 13 and 20 April – offering ale from select breweries in Hampshire and surrounding counties. Soft drinks are also available, along with food. Trains depart at 7pm and return at 10.30pm, in time for the South Western Railways service to London Waterloo. Tickets cost £30 per person and must be pre-booked.
Seasonal glory at England’s finest Elizabethan house
There is still time to catch a special spring display at Burghley House and Gardens. Only open for a handful of weeks each year, Burghley’s normally private South Gardens is welcoming visitors for its until 14 April. The special opening of the gardens, designed by ‘Capability’ Brown in the 18th century, offers the chance to enjoy views of the Estate along with the spring flowers. Tickets cost £9, with the event raising funds for local charity Evergreen Care Trust.
Hop aboard for a vintage ride
One of England’s oldest independent bus operators, Lincolnshire’s Delaine Buses – which can trace its origins back to 1890 taking people to local markets in horse-drawn vehicles – is staging vintage rides during a Heritage Running Day on 27 April. As well as viewing the display of vehicles, from the 1950s to the 1990s, and browsing market stalls at its Bus Museum, there will also be frequent rides on its Heritage Fleet of buses during the day.
Life ‘below the stairs’ at a Yorkshire country house
Home to the Constable family for over 700 years, Burton Constable Hall is a fascinating country house complete with historic collections and one of East Yorkshire’s most popular attractions. April offers the last chance to catch a special exhibition providing a glimpse into the hidden world of the servant’s hall. Life Below Stairs Revealed, running until 30 April, highlights the day-to-day details of life for servants at the hall from the 18th and 19th Centuries. Included with standard admission (£13.75 adults, £7.50 children 5 – 16 years and £37.50 family).
