13 Cool Things To Book This Summer

The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic returns to the Hurlingham Club this summer with a star-studded line-up. Guests can get a first look at the sport’s hottest new prospect, Carlos Alcaraz, as well as rival young tyros like Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud and Denis Shapovalov. Old masters such as Lleyton Hewitt, Mansour Bahrami and Greg Rusedski will also be putting in some court time as part of the ATP Champions Tour UK taking place at the same time. Tickets for grandstand seats are £155pp and get you into the Whispering Angel Garden bar for refreshments.

21st-26th June; Ranelagh Gardens, Putney, SW6 3PA

Visit GiorgioArmaniTennisClassic.com

Savile Row will be pedestrianised for two days in June to host the Concours, where visitors can spot rare cars, stop at exhibitions and listen to live music. The street event will showcase more than 30 world-class cars, from pre-war thoroughbreds to the latest electric cars – look out for Pininfarina’s Testarossa Spider, Gianni Agnelli's first and last Ferraris, and the Kingsman movie’s Jaguar E-Type. Tailors and galleries along the Row will be open late to visitors, while a central stage will host musicians and speakers. Tickets are free.

15th-16th June; Savile Row, Mayfair, W1S 3PG

Visit ConcoursOnSavileRow.com

Family-run estate Cadland has created an ultra-luxury weekend package at its New Forest site, where guests can stay in a beach house and take part in an exclusive flite school experience. You’ll learn how to use a fliteboard with two lessons on the Solent Shore, taught by pro kite surfer Tom Court. The luxury beach houses sleep two to four and come with a kitchen, bathroom and outdoor deck with direct access to the beach – you’ll also receive a weekend hamper filled with local produce for two. The ultimate weekend for outdoorsy couples. From £1,875 per stay. 

Various dates; Stanswood Farm, Stanswood Road, Fawley, SO45 1AB

Visit Cadland.co.uk

This new motorsport event will take place on the historic Firle Estate on the South Downs National Park. Browse three paddocks housing 60s supercars, 40 retro models and 100 rally cars, including Colin McRae’s iconic 1997 championship-winning Subaru Impreza WRC and Mr Bean’s Mini Cooper. You can also watch the supercars and retro vehicles in action on the sprint course and speeding around the local village. Suitable for the whole family, there’s a Kids Zone with funfair rides and historic simulators, while adults will appreciate DJs and drinks at the local pub The Ram. Tickets start from £42.

30th-31st July; Firle, East Sussex, BN8 6LP

Visit FeverUp.com

The London Concours returns to the gardens of the Honourable Artillery Company’s HQ near Old Street for an al fresco party this summer. The grounds will be transformed with over £50m worth of rare collectible cars on display. Searcys will serve gourmet food in a pop-up restaurant while Veuve Clicquot will be on hand with champagne. Book a three-course lunch or drop by in the evening for cocktails and canapés. Tickets start from £25.

28th-30th June; City Road, Old Street, EC1Y 2BQ

Visit LondonConcours.co.uk

Can you stand the heat? This year’s Surrey Chilli Festival takes place at Walton-on-Thames Cricket Club. Visitors can make their way round each food stall to try street food and extra hot snacks – if you can’t stand the heat, there are plenty of vendors offering milder dishes. Try barbecued chicken from Flamin Rooster, hot sauce from League of Fire, and Malaysian curries from Potjie Man. Across the weekend, kids will be kept entertained at the Kids Zone with bouncy castles, obstacle courses and fairground rides, while adults can watch a chilli eating competition on stage and listen to live music.  

17th-18th September; 197 Ashley Park Avenue, Walton-on-Thames, KT12 1ET

Visit TheLocalFoodFestival.com

Pub in the Park is making its way around the UK until September. Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge will host a series of weekend events in Marlow, Wimbledon, Dulwich, Warwick, Bath, Tunbridge Wells, Chiswick, St Albans and Brighton. Each festival celebrates the best of British pubs and their food, with visitors making their way around a legion of pop-up stalls and bars. See your favourite chefs whip up a dish on the demo stage, then hit the shopping village for artisan food and drink to take home. There will also be live music from the likes of Rag’n’Bone Man, Sister Sledge, Faithless and Supergrass. Tickets start from £20pp.

Until 18th September; various sites

Visit PubInTheParkUK.com

Smoke & Fire festival is the UK’s biggest BBQ experience, where you can try a selection of dishes at pop-up restaurants from around the world, from Brazil to America’s Deep South. Across three weekends in Suffolk, Ascot and Colchester, expect outdoor cooking demonstrations, award-winning street food and live music on two stages – plus a mini cider festival. You can also show off your own griddle skills at the British Open BBQ Championships to win a £1,000 cash prize and BBQ equipment. Teams will have to cook chicken, beef, pork and ribs in classic ‘low and slow’ style to win the title.

2nd June-24th August; various locations

Visit SmokeAndFireFestival.com

Rick Stein’s flagship cookery school has reopened after an extensive renovation, just in time for summer in Padstow. Using new Rangemaster gas stoves and marble worktops, guests can take part in full or half-day cookery courses built around Rick’s signature dishes. Learn how to whip up lobster and crab, classics from The Seafood restaurant, or meals from Rick’s latest book, all featuring quality seafood from Cornish waters. Make a weekend of it and stay at one of the new Rick Stein shepherd huts which are a ten-minute drive from Padstow Harbour. Courses start from £45pp and huts start from £220 per night.

Various dates; S Quay, Padstow, PL28 8BY

Visit RickStein.com RickStein.com/Cookery-School

The UK’s largest touring outdoor cinema is up and running until the end of September. This year is Adventure Cinema’s biggest yet, with over 200 outdoor screenings across 70 venues, including locations in London, Cardiff, Bristol, Peterborough, Coventry, Margate, Carmarthen, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Bournemouth and Lincoln. Screenings range from recent hits to classics like Gladiator, Jurassic Park and Pulp Fiction.

Until September; various locations

Visit AdventureCinema.co.uk

After years of hype and rumours, Soho House has finally launched its Brighton location. Right on the beachfront, Brighton Beach House includes a pool terrace with views of the sea and a pool mosaic rumoured to be designed by local resident David Shrigley. There’s also a Club Cecconi’s restaurant serving northern Italian dishes and, best of all, the Brighton Beach Lofts. These five lofts for overnighters are centred around a modular open-plan kitchen and lounge area, with private access to a sea-facing terrace. A Soho Works (shared workspace) will launch later in the year.

Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1AY

Visit SohoHouse.com

Summer Camp is a series of mini-festivals spread across four long weekends in July. Guests can pitch up with a tent or campervan, or hire a bell tent, to enjoy live music, food from celebrity chefs and talks from the likes of adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. You can also take part in creative workshops, then meet up at the bar or around the campfire.

1st-25th July; Chester Road, Hawarden, Deeside, CH5 3FB

Visit TheGoodLifeSociety.co.uk

The newly refurbished Horwood House hotel has partnered up with nearby wine estate Chafor for a series of wine tours, tastings and overnight stays this summer. Guests will be greeted at the estate with a glass of its award-winning English sparkling wine, before a guided tour of the vineyard and winery with the head winemaker. Then, you’ll sample three wines alongside a cheeseboard, before checking into Horwood House with its new spa, swimming pool and restaurant. The package costs £325pp including an overnight stay with breakfast.

14th May-20th August; Mursley Road, Little Horwood, MK17 0PH

Visit HorwoodHouse.co.uk