What's On In East Herts - 28/8/14

It's nearly September. How did that happen?!

Make the most of your days (and keep the kids amused while they're still off school) by checking out our calendar of events in and around Hertford, Ware, Hoddesdon and villages over the coming weeks (and beyond).

Every week we’ll bring you an update on local events and what to do with the kids in the East Herts area.

If you’d like to submit an event or activity for inclusion, email editorial@parentingdaily.co.uk…

Now until Sunday, August 31st: Animal Garden's Summer Events, Van Hage, Ware

http://www.vanhage.co.uk/

Now until Sunday, August 31st: Summer Spectacular, Willows Farm Village, St Albans

http://www.willowsfarmvillage.com/

Now until Sunday, August 31st: Summer Circus, Van Hage, Ware

http://www.vanhage.co.uk

Friday, August 29^th, 5pm: Kids Martial Arts, Hertford Combat Academy

http://www.hertfordcombatacademy.co.uk

Friday, August 29th, 10am, 11am and 12.30pm: Hartbeeps, Hertford Theatre

www.hertfordtheatre.com

Saturday, August 30^th: Teas in the Garden, Hertford Museum

http://www.hertfordmuseum.org

Saturday, August 30^th: Open Air Cinema Screening – The Italian Job

http://www.hertford.gov.uk

Saturday, August 30th: Cotter Irish Dance Classes, Hornsmill Community Centre, Hertford

www.thecotterschoolofirishdancing.co.uk

Wednesday, September 3rd: Yoga With Abi, Hornsmill Community Centre, Hertford

Follow @yogawithabi on Twitter for more details

Thursday, September 5th, 2.30pm-3.15pm or 3.15pm-4pm: Tiger Cheer, Hertford Theatre

http://www.hertfordtheatre.com/

Saturday, September 6th, 11am-4pm: Parent, Baby and Toddler Show, Hertford Theatre
www.hertfordtheatre.com

Saturday 13th September, 10am: How to Train your Dragon 2, Hertford Theatre
www.hertfordtheatre.com

Sunday, September 14th 12pm-6pm: Hertford Heritage Day, Hertford Castle

http://www.hertford.gov.uk/events/hertford-heritage-day-21/

Thursday, October 2nd-8th: Hertford Children's Book Festival 2014
http://www.hertfordchildrensbookfestival.co.uk/

Sunday, October 26th: Tiny Toes Show - Baby & Toddler Exhibition, Orsett Hall, Essex

http://tinytoesshow.co.uk

Friday, December 5th 6pm-10pm: Dickensian Evening, Ware

http://www.waretowncouncil.gov.uk/

If you’d like to submit an event or activity for inclusion, email editorial@parentingdaily.co.uk.

A Great Day Out - Simples!

Before Child, I’d not visited a garden centre since, as a whining 12 year-old, I was dragged around Poplars Nurseries by my parents. Bedding plants and border shrubs totes aren’t my thing. I may be slightly more enamoured by soft furnishings and scented candles now that I’m A Grown Up, but my horticultural skills are still limited to liberally spraying the patio with weedkiller and reminding the husband that he needs to mow the lawn every other weekend in the summer.

But one of my favourite places to visit with Charlie nowadays is the Van Hage garden centre in Amwell.

Let’s start with the kids’ stuff first. There’s a mini children’s zoo. I’m not sure if it qualifies as a zoo (I don’t actually know how you qualify a zoo, full stop), but it’s certainly got a good selection of animals for kids to peer/poke at: chickens, monkeys, rabbits, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs, meerkats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, goats, giant tortoises, peacocks, rabbits, and more chickens. Charlie loves it, although he tends to run around pointing out the animals to other people (we do visit often; did I mention it’s free?).

There’s a miniature train to ride on, too. Again, we’ve been on it countless times, although it’s not stopped being fun just yet (even for me).

And in the run-up to Christmas, the place becomes even more magical. The incredible Christmas displays and decorations aside (one day I hope to be able to afford more than the odd bauble), there’s a real ice rink and a Santa’s Grotto. (I should note that I haven’t visited the grotto with Charlie so far. There’s a booking system and I’m not that organised).

During the summer the centre also plays host to a circus, which takes place this year from August 23rd to 31st. Find out more here.

But the place also has loads to offer adults – even those of us who don’t like plants.

There’s a whole shop devoted to candles, for a start. I could genuinely spend a fortune in there on the Banana Cream Cake Yankee Candles jars.

The Food Hall has an amazing selection of treats and jars of stuff that look pretty, but are unlikely to be used (in my kitchen, at least).

There’s a book section, a clothing store (selling Barbour and Hotter shoes, amongst other brands), home and giftware, and a toy section, which mostly features sturdy traditional toys.

I could spend hours there without ever looking at a shrub. And the café is good and reasonably priced, too.

Even if, like me, you’d rather patio over the garden, you should visit Van Hague. Just leave your purse at home if you can't resist (pricey) scented candles.