What’s On… Top 10 Events This May Day Bank Holiday

Spring has finally sprung, and May Day is upon us. We’ve lined up the best events across the UK so you can make the most of the long weekend, and see the summer in with style.

1. London – Canalway Cavalcade, Little Venice
   The Inland Waterways Association are hosting their annual waterside spectacle, and this year’s event promises to be bigger than ever. 130 decorated canal boats will be moored along the stretch of the Grand Union Canal between Blomfield Road, Warwick Avenue, and Warwick Crescent. Expect a colourful, British, May Day knees up, with live music, food stalls, activities for children, morris dancers, and a real ale tent.

   Saturday 30^th April – Monday 2^nd May
   Nearest Tube: Warwick Avenue
   Ticketing info: FREE
   More info: https://www.waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/canalway_cavalcade/iwa_canalway_cavalcade

2. London – Brixton Beer and Bread Festival 
   Marking the 200^th anniversary of the Brixton Windmill, the Beer and Bread Festival will see the launch of Brixton Windmill Flour. There will be live music in the windmill gardens, while revellers sample beers and breads from local breweries and artisan bakeries, including Brixton Brewery, Canopy Beer Company, Clarkshaws Brewery, London Beer Lab, Old Post Office Baery, and Parissi.

   Monday 2^nd May @ 13:00
   Brixton Windmill, SW2 5ED
   Nearest Tube: Brixton
   More info: brixtonwindmill.org

3. Manchester – Wine Fair, Virgin Wines
   Back for its second year, this popular event is hosted by Virgin Wines, who will be showcasing their latest, exclusive range of boutique wines. Visitors can sample and purchase some of the best hand-crafted wines in the beautiful setting of Manchester Cathedral.

   Saturday 30^th April
   Manchester Cathedral, Victoria St, Manchester M3 1SX
   More info: manchestercathedral.org

4. Manchester – Beer Festival at The Big Session 
   Part of the Big Session weekend, the beer festival is a three-day event that plays host to over 150 real ales, ciders and continental lagers, as well as the world-class Liverpool Gin Bar, and a selection of fine wines. Revellers can unwind while enjoying live music and entertainment.

   Friday 29^th April – Monday 2^nd May
   The Pavilion Gardens, SK17 6BE
   Tickets and more info: http://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/beer-festival-at-big-session

5. Liverpool – ‘Testing the Water’ at Hot Water Comedy Club 
   Showcasing some of the best up and coming talent on the UK stand-up circuit, this show promises to be an evening of laughs. Liverpool’s premier comedy club is the perfect place to start your bank holiday night out on the town.

   Sunday 1^st May @ 19:00
   Hot Water Comedy Club, L1 1NQ
   Tickets: £3/£1.50 concessions
   More info: http://www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk/indiv_gigs/?id=541

6. Newcastle – Hjara Waheed Exhibition, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art 
   Don’t miss ‘The Cyphers’ – Hjara Waheed’s largest solo exhibition. Following ‘Still Against the Sky’, a recent presentation at Kunst-Werke, Berlin, the exhibition explores the increasing militarisation of the sky, and the impact of surveillance technology on everyday life through drawings, collages, videos, and photo-based works.

   Until Saturday 30^th April
   BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, NE8 3BA
   More info: ; http://www.balticmill.com/whats-on/exhibitions/hajra-waheed

7. Edinburgh – Beltane Fire Festival 
   This annual spectacle promises to be a night of stunning performances and high spirits, as the Beltane Fire Society present the story of the death of winter and the birth of summer through dance, drumming, acrobatics, giant puppetry, and fire. The procession is a reinterpretation of an ancient Iron Age Celtic ritual and is the largest of its kind. It takes place on Calton Hill, and promises to be an evening to remember.

   Saturday 30^th April @ 20:00
   Calton Hill, Edinburgh
   Tickets: £8.50 until 29^th April / £10 on 30^th April
   More info: https://beltane.org/beltane-fire-festival-2016/
   

8. Edinburgh – Pitt Street Food Market
   Offering an array of international street food, live music, and entertainment, the Pitt Street Food Market is a unique dining experience. The vibrant market takes place between Leith and Newhaven, and plays host to some of Scotland’s best street food traders, local brewers, and distillers.

   Saturday 30^th April @ 12:00 – 22:00
   125 Pitt Street, EH6 4DE
   More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1032857976788083/

9. Glasgow – Little Birds Market
   Bringing together over 25 exhibitors, the Little Birds Market is a unique shopping experience. Vintage crafters and designers will be showcasing a selection of jewellery, homewares, vintage clothing, cakes, and upcycled furniture over two floors, in the Grand Ballroom, Private Dining Room, and Snug. Shoppers can round off the afternoon with afternoon tea, served in the decadent Mrs Sloans Tearoom.

   Sunday 1^st May @ 12:00-16:00
   Sloans Bar & Restaurant, 62 Argyll Arcade, G2 8BG
   More info: http://www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/event/005656-little-birds-market/

10. Brighton – Jazz Breakfast with Mike Hatchard
    Breaking the May Day Morris dancing tradition, the Jazz Breakfast celebrates soul with live performances from Gordon Mark Webber, Francesca Payne, ex-Sting percussionist Nana Tsiboe, and renowned UK saxophonist Mark Ramsden. It’s the perfect way to swing into summer!

    Sunday 1^st May @ 11:00
    Ropetackle Arts Centre, BN43 5EG
    Tickets: £10
    More info: http://ropetacklecentre.co.uk/events/jazz-breakfast-with-mike-hatchard-may/