Things to do in June - from open gardens to live music and dancing

1. Five gardens in Great Chesterford and Little Chesterford are open for the first time as a group on Sunday (June 13) from 1pm to 5pm, raising money to support the National Garden Scheme.

They are Bank Cottage and Manor Cottage in Little Chesterford, and Geldards, Bishop’s House and Wearns Folly in Great Chesterford.

The garden of Bank Cottage, Little Chesterford is open for the National Garden Scheme on June 13 as part of the group, Chesterford Village Gardens. (Image: NGS)

The garden at Manor Cottage, Little Chesterford, is open through the National Garden Scheme on June 13 as part of the group, Chesterford Village Gardens. (Image: National Garden Scheme)

The village orchard with over 100 different fruit trees and village allotments are also available for viewing.

Home-made teas will be available from Great Chesterford Community Centre from 2pm to 4pm.

For group openings you pay one admission price.

For parking and tickets (£8 for adults) go to either Great Chesterford Community Centre CB10 1NS or Manor Cottage, Lt Chesterford CB10 1TZ.

Pre-book at https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/42195

2. The inaugural Great Dunmow's Summer Solstice Sundown festival takes place on Saturday June 19 from 2pm to 10pm at Great Dunmow Recreation Ground.

Each group will have their own 'pod' of space to listen to live music.

There will also be food and drink available.

Email GreatDunmowSummerSolsticeSundown@outlook.com for tickets or check the dedicated group on Facebook.

3. Get ready for Fete de la Musique, taking place in Saffron Walden on Sunday, June 20 from noon to around 7pm.

Organised by Saffron Walden Arts Trust, free music will take place outside at Jubilee Gardens, Bridge End Garden, King Edward VI Almshouses, Fairycroft House, Railway Arms, Cross Keys and King’s Arms, the Market Square, Museum/Castle grounds, Fairycroft House.

4. Former Saffron Walden County High School student Ruby Sweetland-Main and fellow students at Central School of Ballet in London are part of the Ballet Central company tour.

Catch the show at Chelmsford Civic Theatre on Thursday, June 24.

Ruby Sweetland-Main of Widdington, Saffron Walden, on the Ballet Central tour, Act 1 of the ballet Le Corsaire (Image: © 2021 Amber Hunt / ASH Photography)

Tickets from https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres/whats-on/dance/ballet-central

The performance at the ADC Theatre in Cambridge is on July 16. Tickets from https://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/dance/ballet-central/ Box Office 01223 300085.

Thaxted Church is the spacious setting for the Thaxted Festival (Image: Thaxted Festival)

5. Thaxted Festival is back from June 24 over two long weekends - Thursday June 24 to Sunday June 27, and Thursday July 1 to Sunday July 4.

Thaxted Festival attracts British and international musicians, in genres ranging from orchestral, chamber and vocal music to jazz, folk, big-band and swing, from early music to contemporary styles.

Nine concerts will take place in the spacious setting of Thaxted Church.

See https://www.thaxtedfestival.co.uk/concerts

The Heath Quartet will play at Thaxted Festival on Thursday June 24, 2021. Oliver Heath – violin; Sarah Wolstenholme – violin; Gary Pomeroy – viola; Christopher Murray - cello (Image: Thaxted Festival)

DARIUS BRUBECK QUARTET will perform at Thaxted Festival on Saturday June 26, 2021. Darius Brubeck - piano; Dave O’Higgins - tenor and soprano sax; Matt Ridley - bass; Wesley Gibbens - drums (Image: WWW.BLACKHAMIMAGES.COM)

Vocal quintet Opus Anglicanum join pianist and improviser Jason Rebello for Thaxted Festival on Sunday June 27 (Image: Thaxted Festival organisers)

6. Visit two gardens near Saffron Walden on Sunday, June 27 from 2pm to 5pm.

Wickets at Langley Upper Green (CB11 4RY) and Old Bell Cottage also in Langley Upper Green (CB11 4RU) are open for National Garden Scheme.

Home made teas are available at Wickets. Combined admission is £7.50 for adults, or £5 per garden.

Tickets online via https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/13347

7. Visit a garden further afield on Sunday, June 27. Lord Archer and Dame Mary Archer are hosting a charity open garden, raising money for the RNLI.

The Old Vicarage, Grantchester, Cambridge, CB3 9ND will be open from 2.30pm to 6.30pm.

The Cantus Singers of Cambridge will sing three short sets of madrigals and part-songs in the gardens at 3.30pm, 4.30pm and 5pm.

There will be a cake stall, plants and honey for sale, and RNLI souvenirs for purchase.

Entrance costs £2.50 for adults - pay at the gate.

Naturalist Jono Forgham will be leading an event at the Gardens of Easton Lodge, Little Easton near Great Dunmow (Image: The Gardens of Easton Lodge)

8. Go for a walk with a naturalist and learn about wildlife on Sunday, June 27.

The Gardens of Easton Lodge at Little Easton near Dunmow has Jono Forgham leading nature walks for children and adults.

He hopes to have owl pellets for dissection and his MOTD (moths of the day) to identify and release.

Participants can hunt for bugs and identify birdsong and butterflies. There is also a children’s trail.

Visitors can expect to see colour and scent in the Gardens, with flowers, fruit and vegetables.

The Gardens are open from 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm. Tickets (£5.50 for adults) must be purchased in advance. See www.eastonlodge.co.uk