EXOTIC flowers in full bloom at the Chelsea Flower Show, dapper gentlemen in bowties, and ladies crowned with lavish hats cheering on their favourite horses, it can only mean one thing – the English social season is in full swing. This year is packed with landmark anniversaries, including 200 years of Lords, 175 years of the Henley Royal Regatta, 160 years of the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race and 80 years of Glyndebourne.
200th Anniversary of Lords, London
Various fixtures May – July 2014
Cricket might be one of the strangest games on the planet (how can a match lasting five days end in a draw?), but even the most unenthusiastic sports fan would struggle not to get excited by a day out at Lord’s, celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2014. Located in St John’s Wood, north-west London, this is the Home of Cricket – and even England’s Australian nemesis Shane Warne admits that he can’t help feeling his “skin tingle with the history that breathes around the place”. While it might be a difficult game to fathom, one thing we do know is that test cricket has a long history – Thomas Lord established his original eponymous cricket field at nearby Dorset Square in 1787. This year, Lord’s will host two Test matches and a One Day International in 2014, with India and Sri Lanka both touring England. The Bicentenary of the Ground will also be celebrated with MCC’s fixture against Rest of the World. If you do call in, don’t forget to visit the on-site museum, which is packed with fascinating memorabilia.
www.lords.org
80th Anniversary of Glyndebourne, East Sussex
17 May – 24 August 2014
There’s no place in the world like Glyndebourne for experiencing opera. The quintessentially English opera house sits in the rolling green hills of East Sussex, surrounded by luscious gardens and a lily pad-topped lake. Between May and July – when the annual Glyndebourne Festival is held – you can catch more than 70 spellbinding performances. With an eclectic programme that boasts everything from Mozart’s Don Giovanni to contemporary productions of Hansel and Gretel, the world-renowned festival brings the three-tier auditorium to life with the robust sounds of sopranos and tenors singing their hearts and lungs out. The 2014 Festival will include three new productions: Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier, Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Verdi’s La Traviata and revivals of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Handel’s Rinaldo. Public booking for the 2014 Glyndebourne Festival will open on Monday 10 March 2014.
www.glyndebourne.com
Goodwood, West Sussex
Various events between June – September 2014
Say hello to the Goodwood Estate, an English institution that ought to be on every socialites bucket list. Along with Goodwood Revival – celebrating all things vintage with a glamorous step back in time to the golden age of motor racing (12 – 14 September) – Goodwood is famous for hosting two other highlights of the sporting and social calendars. The Festival of Speed (26 – 29 June 2014) attracts celebrities from both on and off the race track, while Glorious Goodwood in late July – mid August sees dapper crowds gather for five days of fine dining, champagne, elaborate hats and of course, horse racing. If you want to fully immerse yourself in Goodwood, book yourself into the Goodwood Hotel, the estate’s four-star hotel with its 91 elegant bedrooms and luxurious spa.
www.goodwood.co.uk
Audi International Polo Series, various locations
Various fixtures between June – September 2014
The Audi International Polo Series offers some of the world’s greatest spectator polo. The highlight of the season will see two of polo’s world powerhouses, England and Argentina, compete for the Coronation Cup at Windsor Great Park on 26 July 2014. In addition to some unforgettable polo, there is an array of hospitality options, from fine dining to casual picnics. Moving to a Saturday for the first time in its 30-plus year history, this is the perfect day to bring friends and family to experience the very best of polo on and off the field.
www.hpa-polo.co.uk
Investec Derby Festival (Epsom Derby), Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey
6 & 7 June 2014
The Investec Ladies’ Day on Friday 6 June 2014, combines high style stakes with some of the best flat races in the world. Elegant, fashionable racegoers gather for a classic day’s racing at Epsom. The Derby, taking place on Saturday 7 June 2014, dates back to 1780, and is still ranked the greatest flat race in the world. With winnings of £1.25 million, the Investec Derby has one of the biggest prize money’s in UK racing, matched only by the prestige that victory brings. It remains the race that everyone wants to win, as horses and riders push themselves to the limit around the unique and challenging course. The Investec Derby race boasts an unrivalled roll of honour, from legendary names such as Seabird, Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Shergar, right up to 2013 hero Ruler of the World.
www.epsomdowns.co.uk
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
9 June – 17 August 2014
Held without interruption since 1769, the Summer Exhibition is the largest open submission exhibition in the world, displaying works in a variety of mediums and genres by emerging and established artists. The works are selected and hung by Royal Academicians and entry is open to all artists. In 2013, nearly seventy per cent of the exhibits were by non-Academicians, seventy thousand pounds’ worth of prizes were awarded and over five thousand works were sold.
www.royalacademy.org.uk
Royal Ascot, Berkshire
17 – 21 June 2014
Along with Wimbledon and the Henley Royal Regatta, this has to be one of the most quintessentially English sporting days out. It’s probably also the poshest. Dating back to 1711, this five-day, Champagne-soaked jolly is steeped in tradition – with a strict dress code for those privileged enough to get access to the Royal Enclosure. For the gents this means morning suits and the whole shebang, while ladies are encouraged to go all out with glamorous dresses and ostentatious hats – there are a lot of people watching you know!
www.ascot.co.uk