Things to do in Bucks over Easter Holidays

Spring Fun

Have fun with the kids this spring on one of the trails around the Waddesdon grounds, Wednesday to Sunday. With two routes to choose from, you’ll search for answers together as you explore Nature Tamed and Wild Nature. Discover Nature Tamed as you look for clues amongst the Greek Gods on the Parterre and Aviary Glade or learn more about the Celtic Gods while you explore Miss Alice’s Drive for Wild Nature. Can you solve the puzzle and collect a prize? Call 01296 820414 for information. Child £3, normal grounds admission applies.

6 April until 18 April, 10am, Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, Aylesbury.

Quest for Carrots!

This year, the Easter Holidays are all about carrots at Odds Farm Park. Join the “Quest for Carrots!” – a most unusual Easter Egg and Carrot Hunt – to earn a sweet treat. Plus, enjoy fun shows with the Oddsocks Family, in addition to Spring-themed arts, crafts and games. Also this April, don’t miss the re-opening of H2Odds Water Play and the return of tractor and trailer rides. Combined with acres of indoor and outdoor play, aware-winning Marmalade’s Tearoom and plenty of furry friends to meet, there’s so much to see and do this Easter Holiday. For more information, including opening times and prices visitors should call 01628 520188 or visit www.oddsfarm.co.uk.

6 April to 23 April, Odds Farm Park, Wooburn Common.

Hughenden - Junior Ranger: Trail Trackers

Children can be a ‘trail tracker’ with the Hughenden ranger team. Put your orienteering skills to the test with a compass and map. Booking Essential - phone 03442491895. Suitable for those aged 5-10 years old. Dogs on leads welcome. Normal admission charges apply. Meet in the Stableyard. Check website for latest information. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

16 April, 10am to 12pm, Hughenden Manor, Valley Road, High Wycombe.

Eden’s Easter Chocolate Factory

Get your sweet tooth at the ready, because this April, Eden is inviting children to enjoy a range of chocolate-filled activities at this deliciously fun and free Easter event. Your little sweeties will have the chance to get hands on with the chocolate masterclasses which include designing their very own box of chocolates, creating a personalised chocolate bar with their own unique toppings, decorating photo frames and jars with their favourite sweets and even making pipe cleaner lollipops! As a reward for giving the chocolatiers a run for their money, children will also take home a range of scrumptious snacks.

12 April, 11am, Eden Shopping Centre, Oxford Road, High Wycombe.

Easter Cookery Workshops

Recipes you will be making include: Tuesday 16th April – Easter Bakes - Three Seeded Bread, Easter Chick Biscuits and Chocolate Nest Cakes. This workshop is suitable for children aged 5-12 years. Please arrive at the venue at 9:45am for a prompt 10am start. All recipes, ingredients, cooking equipment and packaging are included. Sibling discounts are available. Please bring a snack and a drink (no time for a full lunch break). Call 0845 269 2665.Tickets: £35.

Until 16 April, 10am, Christ Church Centre, 46 Reading Road, Henley.

Easter Cookery Workshops (Juniors)

Recipes you will be making include: Wednesday 10th April – Cupcake Workshop – Lemon & Poppy seed, Chocolate, Raspberry Cheesecake. Wednesday 17th April – Easter Bakes - Three Seeded Bread, Easter Chick Biscuits and Chocolate Nest Cakes. These workshops are suitable for children aged 5-9 years. Please arrive at the venue at 9:45am for a prompt 10am start. All recipes, ingredients, cooking equipment and packaging are included. Sibling discounts are available. Please bring a snack and a drink. Call 0845 269 2665.Tickets: £35.

17 April, 10am, Beaconsfield High School, Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield.

Easter Holiday Workshop for Children

Carve a Coaster or Table Mat with Jeremy Turner. Places must be booked in advance. Don’t forget to bring a packed lunch. Call 01296424332 or email info@qpc.org. Tickets: £24/£20 members.

12 April, 10am, Queens Park Arts Centre, Queens Park, Aylesbury.

Miss Honey’s Science School

There are lots of opposites in Roald Dahl’s books, take Matilda and Miss Trunchbull for one. In this sciency session you’ll try out some awesome experiments to discover more about opposites – from building bendy bridges, to making runny custard solid. You’ll come out not knowing up from down. Cost: £2 per participant. Price does not include museum entry which you will also need to book to take part in the workshop. Age: suitable for 5+ years. Under 16s will need to be accompanied by an adult (no more than two non-participating adults will be allowed in the room per group). Participating children under 5 years will still need to pay. Booking: you can book museum entry and workshops online or by calling 01494 892192.

12 April, 12pm, 1:30pm and 3pm, The Roald Dahl Museum, 81-83 High Street, Great Missenden.

Mini Pig Keeping for the Easter Holidays

This is a unique family fun experience where you will get know our pigs and learn a little about pig keeping. This 1 hour and 15 minute activity is aimed at younger pig enthusiasts ( 3-16 years). The children will take part in some husbandry, such as giving new hay and straw and helping groom or feed them from outside the pens (activities are age dependent). The children will then have some free time to play with and get pictures of, the pigs. We have a petting area for them to get up close and personal. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Minimum two children, one adult goes free per booking - notify them of this on email via info@kewlittlepigs.com. Tickets: £18.

Until 30 April, 10am, Kew Little Pigs Farm, Old Amersham Farm, Amersham.

Rock and Fossil Day

Explore hands-on displays of rocks and fossils, meet experts and bring along your own specimens for identification. Fossil fun for all ages. Entry by donation. Call 01296 331441 or email museum@buckscountymuseum.org for information.

13 April, 11am to 4pm, Bucks County Museum, Church Street, Aylesbury.

Destination Dinosaur at April Kids Club

Your courageous little Tyrannosaurus Rex is invited to step into Eden’s time machine and travel back to the land of pre-historic Dinosaurs at Kids Corner, near Toys UK and Sam’s Deli. Eden’s time travellers will take on their first Kids Club 2019 adventure with one of the world’s most mysterious creatures. Mini palaeontologists will start off their day preparing for their fun adventure by examining fossils and having fun with Dinosaur props before making their very own clay fossils to take home. As a treat for being so intrepid they will also get a special visit from a giant raptor who will be making an appearance at 11:15am, 12:30pm, 1:45pm and 3pm outside Pret. Kids Club is free to sign up to and goodie bags are included.

13 April, 11am to 4pm, Eden Shopping Centre, High Wycombe.

Children’s Book Art Workshop May Half Term

Launching crafting workshops for children where they can spend time in a relaxed environment creating quality projects they will enjoy taking part in and produce an end product to be proud of. They will learn step by step how to fold pages in a book to create a 3D animal to take home. All materials and equipment provided plus refreshments. Groups limited to 10 children to ensure they receive maximum supervision. Parents welcome to stay and assist their child if they prefer.

The focus will be creative fun. Call 07939394330 or email kingshillcrafts@gmail.com. Tickets: £25.

13 April, 1pm, Great Kingshill Village Hall, Missenden Road, Great Kingshill.

Easter Terrific Tuesdays

Terrific Tuesdays are back at Chiltern Open Air Museum in Chalfont St Giles. These are themed family craft and activity days with all activities included within the museum’s standard admission prices. 16th April – Village Fete. Join in a mixture of traditional village fete games including welly wanging, quoits and egg and spoon races. Create mini scarecrows (am) and/or help make a large scarecrow (pm). Call 01494871117 or email enquiries@coam.org.uk.

16 April, 10am, Chiltern Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St Giles.

Dinosaur World Live

Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Grab your compass and join our intrepid explorer across unchartered territories to discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus. Tickets £14 at wycombeswan.co.uk or call 01494 512 000.

17 and 18 April, Wycombe Swan, 11:30am and 2:30pm showings, St Mary Street, High Wycombe.

Special Events

Quiz Night

Come and join a fun evening and raise much needed funds for an amazing charity - Rennie Grove Hospice Care. Tables of 8 - Come as a ready-made team or join a team on the night £15 per person including fish and chips. Cash bar - wine, beer, lager plus soft drinks. Raffle and heads and tails. Call 07931 588199 or email kathryn.grudgings@btinternet.com. Tickets: £15.

12 April, 7pm, High March School, Ledborough Lane, Beaconsfield.

Rifle Run

Rifle Run is the first and only civilian event of its kind – based on a military exercise called a march and shoot it combines three shooting challenges with a 10km cross-country run. Rifle Run is a 10km run if you can shoot straight. Compete against the clock to take on the 10km race, along the route you will find your shooting challenges. For every shot you miss you’ll face a 250m penalty. Miss all your shots and you’ll run 15km in total. The shooting: two air-rifle ranges; standing and prone and one shotgun range; clay pigeon. Visit soldierscharity.org/riflerun for more information. Tickets: from £44, plus fundraising requirements.

14 April until 15 April, 9am, EJ Churchill Shooting Ground, Lane End.

Awareness Ride

Calling all horse riders. Chesham resident and horse owner Julia Bradbury has organised an awareness ride around the area which aims to raise road user’s awareness on how to pass horses safely on the road. If you would like to join the Chesham Ride, would like to assist with marshalling the event or for further details on the route or the national campaign please contact Julia on passwideandslow2019@outlook.com.

14 April, 11am, The Crown, Blackwell Hall Lane, Ley Hill, Chesham.

Music

Concert: London Pro Arte Choir

The choir will perform a programme of choral music including Mendelssohn, Handel and Purcell. The conductor will be Tom Winpenny. Free concert, email publicity@lpac.org.uk or call 07968797847 for more information.

13 April, 5pm, St Mary the Virgin, Hambleden.

Wheelers Wheels Return to Cressex Club

Johnny and the guys will returning to the club for another night of great live music proving that ‘the show must go on’ after the untimely passing of keyboard player John Sanger. A new player will be filling John’s very large shoes on the night. Call 01494 440349 or email micmanjwheeler@yahoo.co.uk for information.

13 April, 8:30pm, Cressex Club and Community Centre, 203 Cressex Road, Booker.

Benn Clatworthy

Benn Clatworthy has been a regular and popular star guest at Marlow Jazz Club for many years. As part of his 2019 British tour he will be at the Royal British Legion Hall. Born in England, the grandson of the legendary star of the musicals Gertrude Lawrence, and brought up in the Cockney tradition in South London, Benn was taught saxophone by Ronnie Scott. He is on tour with top pianist John Donaldson. Admission £10, pay at the door, but the best seats can be reserved by phoning 01628 486571.

16 April, 8:30pm, Marlow Jazz Club at the Royal British Legion Hall, Station Approach, Marlow.

Oye Santana

Oye Santana, the UK’s number one Santana tribute band, return for a very intimate gig. Playing a selection of tracks from four decades worth of hits, from Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va to Smooth and Maria Maria, every track is a fiesta. Call 01628488404. Early bird tickets £10.

18 April, 8pm, Clayton’s Marlow, 16 Oxford Road, Marlow.

Talks and Sales

Artisan Food Market

Offering the very best in quality, fresh, seasonal produce all locally sourced. This new Artisan Market aims to support local, small-scale, independent food producers. Come along on the second Saturday of each month to find vegetables, meats, fish, dairy, baked goods and much more… Please remember to bring cash on the day as they don’t have a cash machine onsite and many traders are unable to accept card payments. Call 01296820414 or email bookings@waddesdon.org.uk. Free entry and free parking.

13 March, 10am, Waddesdon Visitor Car Park, Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon.

Buckinghamshire Genealogical Society

Dr Stephen Barker the well-known military historian, will tell us all about the army in India during WW1. He will make particular reference to the Oxford and Bucks Light infantry our local regiment. Many soldiers did a stint in India as well as many army nurses too. You will also be shown a short but rare film of the time. This also includes photos of service in India. Doors open 2pm for research advice and chat. Talk 2:45pm. BGS members free, Non-members welcome £1. Call 01844 29163 for information.

13 April, 2pm, Southcourt Community Centre, Prebendal Avenue, Aylesbury.

Artists and Makers Fair

30 artists and makers showing their work in this lovely hall in Marlow. Come along and meet genuinely talented people who love to talk about their work. You could commission a special gift for yourself or family or friend. Free entry. Refreshments by The Flying Tearoom. Call 01844273069 or email hello@sallyevansevents.com. Tickets: free.

13 April, 10am, Liston Hall, Chapel Street, Marlow.

Exhibitions and Workshops

Time & Place Sculpture Show

10 contemporary artists take over the fabulous ‘Old Church Theatre Space’ at Wycombe Arts Centre. Blurring the boundaries between fine art, science and religion, the Grade 2 listed building will be transformed with creativity; view Bob Spriggs’ largest pendulum work to date, site-specific installations from SM.art and Decreate, challenging sculptural pieces with Circle Triangle Square Gallery, and many more inspiring 3D art and light works. Weekends will be buzzing as talks, demos and interactive workshops take place, with the Arts Centre’s ‘Cafe Space’ also open. Free entry, exit through the gift shop. Full artist line-up, schedule and further details at wycombeartscentre.com. Free entry, donations on exit.

6 April until 14 April, 9:30am to 5:30pm, Wycombe Arts Centre, 15 Desborough Road, High Wycombe.

Calligraphy Class Day 2 Extending Skills

Extend your calligraphy skills. Learn a range of mark making techniques and use different media to make a calligraphy card. Tickets: £20 includes materials (book 2 days for £35).

13 April, 10am, All Saints’ Parish Church, High Wycombe, Church Street, High Wycombe.