Hello, Berko!
It’s half-term so there’s plenty happening around town and we’ve put together a survival guide whether you're keeping kids occupied or just want to know what's on.
We’ve also suggested a few escape routes out of town if you need them.
On the checklist this week:
Half-term survival guide
What’s happenin’ this week (regular run-down)
Music, movies and dogs
Let’s get into it.
Half-term week means Berko gets busy.
For the parents out there, it's the challenge of filling seven days without losing your mind or your savings. For others, it's just knowing when to embrace the chaos and when to carry on as normal.
That's what this week's edition is for.
We've packed it with things happening around town - camps, theatre, activities, gigs, quiz nights - but structured it so you can scan for what's relevant and skip what isn't.
We've also suggested a few escape routes - places within twenty minutes where you can get out of Berko entirely if you need a change of scenery. We love this town but sometimes that's the best plan.
Here's to getting through it or getting out of it. But always enjoying it.
February Half Term: The Survival Guide
For the littl’uns
16 - 20 Feb | Tring Sports Centre | 08:30 - 17:30 | February Half-term Holiday Camp —offering an action-packed programme of sports, fun and adventure for children aged 4–12 | Details
16 - 20 Feb | Berkhamsted School Kings Campus | 09:00 - 16:00 | Tech Camp — for children 5-11, hands-on activities in coding, robotics, engineering, circuitry, and more | Details
17 Feb | Tring Library | 11:00 - 11:55 | Dear Zoolabs | Details
18- 21 Feb | Centenary Theatre | Sister Act — Tring Youth Theatre project present this classic stage show Details
19 Feb | Cheddington Village Hall | Dick Whittington — family pantomime runs through Sun 22 Feb (see website for performance times); bar and refreshments available Details
22 Feb | Centenary Theatre | Kew Dance New Years Show — fabulous afternoon of singing and dancing brought to you by extremely talented performers | Details
Get Outta Town
14 - 22 Feb | Whipsnade Zoo | Vets in Action — a unique February half term family event at Whipsnade Zoo, where children can step into the role of a vet and discover how animals are cared for both at the Zoo and in the wild. | Details
21 & 22 Feb | Waddesdon Manor | Zoolab Live Show — Get up close and hands-on with a variety of insects and animals. This interactive show will inspire you to get outdoors and appreciate the amazing animals living around us. | Details
Various | Apsley Marina | Flexible Day & Evening Hires | Canal Boat Day Hire — relaxed self-drive narrowboat day and evening hire from Apsley Marina in Hemel Hempstead | Details
Death with Dignity | Sufjan Stevens
All My Friends | LCD Soundsystem
Whippin’ Piccadilly | Gomez
What’s happenin’ this week
18 Feb | The Highwayman | 19:30 | Quiz Night
18 Feb | The Crystal Palace | 19:30 | Quiz Night
18 Feb | Grape Expectations | 19:30 | The Chef’s Table — six-course seasonal tasting menu with wines from Grape Expectations, £65 per guest (limited seats), hosted by Chef Ben Perkins
18 Feb | Potten End Village Hall | 10:30 - 10:30 | Monopoly — speaker Roger Mendham will give a talk offering comprehensive coverage of the subject (and more)
19 Feb | Berkhamsted Town Hall | 19:30 | Managing Berkhamsted Castle — James Moir of the Castle Trust will speak about the Trust’s activities and its recent purchase of the chalk grassland on the slope adjacent to the castle on New Road
19 Feb | The Kings Arms | 10:00 - 13:00 | Berkhamsted Valuation Day — friendly expert Natasha Marriott will provide free valuations of jewellery, watches, silver, coins, wine & whiskey, toys, collectables, antiques, fine art and more
19 Feb | Blues Bar Tring | 20:00 | John Verity Band | Details
20 Feb | The Vyne Theatre | 19:30 | ABBA SENSATION — ABBA tribute band performing The Greatest Hits | Details
20 Feb | The Old Mill | 19:30 - 22:00 | Solo Connects — new singles night targeting singles aged approximately 35–55(ish) | Details
20 Feb | Mad Squirrel | 19:00 - 21:00 | Rev Ferriday — an evening of blues with foot-tapping fun
21 Feb | The Goat | 21:00 | DeLorean — rock-cover five-piece with free entry
21 Feb | The George & Dragon | Food all day and music from 19:00 | Live Music & Food Truck — Calimas Acústicos & Mexican Tapas
23 Feb | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Oh My Goodness (15) — film screening, presented by Berko Film Society | Details
23 Feb | The Bull | 19:00 | Quiz Night — £12pp entry + prizes to be won + inc. food at half time (£2 of entry fee goes to Mind Mental Health)
If you want to tell us (and other locals!) about something happening, use this form!
Movie Pick of the Week
23 Feb | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Oh My Goodness (15)
Comedy in which five nuns set their sights on winning the cash prize in a major cycling race to raise money to renovate a dilapidated hospice. The only hitch is that none of them can ride a bicycle | Details
Berko Sports
21 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Men’s First Team | 15:00 KO (a) | vs. Poole Town
21 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Development | 15:00 KO (h) | vs. Corinthians Casuals FC Dev. (cup)
22 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Ladies | 14:00 KO (a) | vs. Harpenden Town Ladies
Ruby | Staffy-Viszla | Loves posing for the camera
That's it for this week.
If you spotted something useful, feel free to pass it on to someone else who could use it.
Half-term's easier when you know what's on.
— from Berko.