Events programme launched at Hole Park
Hole Park Gardens in Rolvenden, Kent will be open to visitors every day from Saturday 30 March to Saturday 8 June 2019 before opening on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the rest of the season with additional weekend opening for special events and Sundays in October.
Groups should book in advance to see the gardens and groups of 15 or more will enjoy reduced admission at £7 per person. Guided tours are also available for groups of fifteen or more at £3.50 per person.
An exciting events programme has been launched for 2019 and will include Hole Park’s first ever Proms Spectacular and Abba revival Weekend on 24 and 25 August 2019.
Programme of events for 2019:
10 February :Snowdrop & Plant Fair Roadshow 11 am to 3 pm admission £4.
15 April to 10 May: Bluebell Spectacular. Normal admission to the gardens applies.
15 to 19 May: ‘En Plein Air’ Art in the Garden. Artists will be on location in the garden. Two days of painting followed by two exhibition days with the opportunity to purchase the art in aid of Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford, Kent. A panel of judges will also decide the winners from the artwork on display.
17 to 19 May: Roots Gathering Festival. This delightful micro festival, celebrating the magical and mythical memories of this ancient land. The festival has lots of activities for the whole family to experience and is a mixture of wood fair and music festival. There is a craft village to learn lots of new skills to take home. In the Bushcraft woods a whole team of experts will share their knowledge with all ages. There is also a dedicated kid’s marquee with a creative team on hand to help toddlers to teens make and play.
6 to 8 June: Wealden Times Midsummer Fair.
16 June: Jagfest. A celebration of everything Jaguar! From classics to new models, there will be hundreds of cars on display with additional family friendly entertainment.
24 and 25 August: Proms Spectacular and Abba Revival. The Proms Spectacular will take place on Saturday evening at 7.30 pm (gates open at 5 pm) and will commence with a majestic spitfire display accompanied by some well known British war themes. Followed by an evening filled with music including the 1812 Overture, the Hornpipe, Land of Hope & Glory, Rule Britannia and Jerusalem along with a whole host of other fantastic classical pieces. The concert will finish with a spectacular firework display fully synchronised to the music.
Abba Mania’s resurgence in the last couple of years with the hit films ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Mamma Mia Here we go again’ means there is only one way to dance the night away on Sunday evening at 7.30 pm (gates open at 5 pm) and who better to do this with than tribute band Abba Revival. Put on your dancing shoes and be prepared to dance the night away to your favourite songs.
31 August to 1 September: Napoleonic re-enactment weekend. Once again Hole Park welcomes the Napoleonic Association for a fun weekend of living history. Battle commences on Saturday with battles and skirmishes during the morning and afternoon. Tours of the camps are available and please wander through them at your leisure and talk to the actors, who are all in genuine Napoleonic kit.
One of this year’s highlights will be the recently renovated long herbaceous border which saw the first half of the border replanted in the original pink and blue planting scheme, first used by the late Christopher Lloyd when he first designed the border at Hole Park. The remainder of the border has been replanted using the original colour scheme of yellow and white.
A circular network of hard paths enables visitors of all ages, including those who require a wheelchair, to enjoy the gardens. Wheelchairs may be reserved free of charge and there are full disability WC facilities.
Light lunches and delicious homemade cakes are available in the coach house where apple juice, local beer and homemade jam and honey produced from the fruit and bees on the Hole Park Estate can be purchased. There is also a small plant stall next to the coach house.
There is a dedicated tea room for groups, free parking for cars and coaches and conducted tours can also be arranged for groups by prior arrangement.
Picture courtesy: Jez toms @unsplash.com
