I’ve Always Wanted to…

Beltane is a living, breathing reimagining of an ancient Iron Age Celtic celebration, retold through modern performance and community ritual. Since 1988, the Beltane Fire Society has gathered thousands to witness the timeless story of the May Queen and the Green Man (spirit and body, world and self) entwined in an eternal dance.
This year’s Beltane asks us to remember what happens when those forces drift out of alignment. The May Queen is the world spirit, present in all things, illuminating and connecting. The Green Man is the living earth: the air, the water, the fire, the energy that binds us. They are inseparable, yet in a world of constant distraction, extraction, and division, we can forget this truth, losing our sense of agency and connection.
Through fire and performance, we explore what it means to realign, to listen again, to act from love and solidarity, and to remember that change is possible when we stand together. As the May Queen guides and the Green Man learns to listen, their reunion becomes a story of active hope: a reminder that when body and spirit move as one, our collective power is limitless.
Along the Hill, you’ll encounter drummers, dancers, fire-players, acrobats, musicians, and a host of mythic characters, all weaving a shared story of renewal and resistance, joy and responsibility.
Beltane 2026 is an invitation to remember who we are, what we value, and who we might yet become. Bring your fire. Bring your voice. Together, let us tell a story of alignment, connection, and a kinder, fairer world.

Total anticipated cost £50.38

Beltane Festival tickets can be purchased using the link below (cost if £16.38) https://www.citizenticket.com/events/beltane-fire-society/beltane-fire-festival-2026/

Cheapest flights are listed at £34.
Departing flight
Thu 30 Apr 09:15 (STN) -> 10:35 (EDI)
Non-stop 1 hr 20 min (Ryanair)

Returning Flight
Thu 30 Apr
21:25 (EDI) -> 22:50 (STN)
Non-stop 1 hr 25 min (Ryanair)

(Events without confirmed attendees may be cancelled)

Fuel your soul this spring with Breakin’ Convention, the world’s biggest festival of hip hop theatre. Hosted and curated by Jonzi D, the festival features the freshest works from your favourite artists.
Get bank holiday ready for jaw-dropping performances, live DJs, dance workshops, graffiti, emcees, and spontaneous cyphers all over Sadler’s Wells in an unforgettable experience. Welcoming all hip hop heads from the old school to the new school.
From the USA, Rock Force Crew – winners of the UK B-Boy Championship 2025 – bring their explosive energy to the stage. ILL-Abilities, the trailblazing differently abled b-boy collective, appear with two dancers showcasing their signature world-class skill. Social media sensations Let It Happen present a world premiere with their infectious take on classic hip hop dance. You’ll also see UK choreographer Lanre Malaolu’s world premiere FOUND, a striking encounter between past and present that unravels identity and memory through movement and text. Italy’s Compagnia Bellanda bring a dynamic duet fusing breaking and contemporary styles.
In the Lilian Baylis studio Breakin’ Convention Youth presents HOMESICK, celebrating the next generation of artists. Join us for a raw, electrifying fusion of movement, spoken word, rap, and grime, reflecting how young Londoners consider their lives, environments, and sense of belonging through collective storytelling. Choreographer Marie Kaae presents her poetic solo What She Said, blending house dance and spoken word to interrogate beauty, power and identity.

Tickets can be purchased here; (£15)

https://my.sadlerswells.com/62850/62851?queueittoken=e_247waitingroom~q_7fb5a6c9-452e-47cd-a6cb-857ba0761598~ts_1775399904~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_a5efbd52182211a673f1af67f82ddd7b039408f32983198deb5ea774c0cd636d

Put your best walking shoes on! Wander the paths and wooded walkways to discover gorillas, big cats, rhinos, monkeys and more dotted around the ancient parkland. Step into a land that time forgot at Dinosaur Valley and relax and unwind at our variety of restaurants.

Board your safari vehicle to visit Kent's only spectacled bears, giraffes, camels and more - all wandering on the Kentish savannah!

Ticket price is £32.73 (https://www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne/book-your-tickets/?_gl=1*1qi1hme*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MTI5MjcxMjc2Mi4xNzc1OTkzNDgw*_ga_VBFHZNJFGS*czE3NzU5OTM0ODAkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzU5OTM0OTQkajQ2JGwwJGgxNTE3MDY5MDYx&gclid=CjwKCAjwhe3OBhABEiwA6392zKBnlh9nkpL5kvTX0riusNYBjvzSeJc7llLtQ2TYCvWwW7nA20W1kRoCxmcQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADoDkjvxm2bh7CwwZLj6NtgKK7MJ5)

(Events without confirmed attendees may be canceled).

Discovered by accident in 1835, this subterranean labyrinth winds through the earth in shadowed curves, its chalk walls encrusted with over 4.6 million shells. Together they form intricate mosaics—symbols, patterns, and shapes whose meanings remain stubbornly out of reach. No records. No signatures. No clear purpose.

Was it a hidden sanctuary of worship?
A clandestine meeting place, shielded from the world above?
Or an extravagant, almost obsessive creation by an unknown hand?

No one knows who built it. No one knows why.

Since visitors first descended its narrow stairway in 1838, the Grotto has resisted explanation—fueling speculation, folklore, and quiet unease. Even now, stepping inside feels less like entering a historical site and more like crossing into a secret that was never meant to be found.

Tickets are £6 (https://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/discover)