Hello, Hertford! ☀️

We’re still deep in the summer holidays, still fighting for shade - but the temperature's finally easing off after this weekend's scorcher, which means more excuses to be outdoors without melting. This week Ware quietly steals the show: a Little Traders market run entirely by kids, a free steel pan workshop, and a picnic concert on the Priory lawn. Meanwhile with Courtyard Arts turning 30 🎉 - they want the whole town to help them celebrate.

Plans sorted, kids sorted, sunscreen (hopefully) sorted. Let's get into it locals.

👇 Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:

• What’s On

• Community Highlights

• Kiddies Scoop: Water fights, steel pans and a princess afternoon tea

• Eye Catching Deal: Thirsty Thursdays

• Property Of The Week

• Weather

• Mind, Health & Fitness:

• Extra Sprinkles: 4-ingredient olive breadsticks

WHAT’S ON

🎭 ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Open Mic Night
📅 Tonight (4 Aug) | 19:00-23:00 📍 Hertford Corn Exchange
Free entry, all welcome - grab a mic and a pint, or just heckle supportively from the bar.
🎟 Free - more here

Art Expression Evening Workshop
📅 Wed. 5 Aug | 18:30-20:30 📍 Artshed Arts, Westmill Farm, Ware
A relaxed, no-pressure painting session for complete beginners and old hands alike, working across watercolours, acrylics and oil pastels with tutor Macy-Leigh.
🎟 Book here

Smoove & Turrell
📅 Fri. 7 Aug | 19:30-23:00 📍 Hertford Corn Exchange
Funk and soul heavyweights with regular airtime on the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show - expect a packed dancefloor.
🎟 Book here

🏰 COMMUNITY + FAMILY

Little Traders Market
📅 Sun. 9 Aug | 13:00-15:00 📍 Leaside Church & Community Centre, Ware
Young entrepreneurs aged 5-16 sell their own crafts, bakes and creations. Come support Hertfordshire's next generation of small business owners.
🎟 Free entry - info here

FUSED GLASS: 30th Anniversary Community Project
📅 Sun. 9 Aug 📍 Courtyard Arts, Hertford
Drop in and add your own piece to a community fused-glass artwork celebrating 30 years of Courtyard Arts. Adult slots make bunting and panels; kids' slots craft flowers for a glass garden.
🎟 Free - info here

Princess Afternoon Tea
📅 Tue. 11 Aug | 12:30📍 The Tythe Barn, Tewinbury
A dress-up afternoon tea for little royals, in the beautiful setting of the Tythe Barn.
🎟 More here

School Holiday Activity: Steel Pan Workshop
📅 Wed. 12 Aug | 12:00-16:00 📍 Ware Priory
A free drop-in session learning to play a steel pan drum, run by Steel Pan in Motion.
🎟 Free, book slots here

Summer Picnic Concert - Leech
📅 Sun. 16 Aug | 5:30pm-6:15pm & 6:30pm-7:15pm 📍 Ware Priory Gardens
A free picnic concert on the back lawn - expect indie-rock favourites from Oasis, The Killers, Pink Floyd and R.E.M. The Priory bar will be open.
🎟 Free - more here

🌱 HEALTH + WELLBEING

🏊 Cooling off: Hartham Leisure Centre's family swim sessions is an easy fallback on a hot afternoon if the parks have lost their charm by day 10 of the holidays.

Hertford Walk and Talk
📅 Thu. 13 Aug | 10:00-12:00 📍 Pangshanger Park, Hertford
A gentle walk and talk with Amy Langshaw from Herts CBT, in partnership with Mamas Who Brunch - a chance to reflect over the summer. All welcome, including children.
🎟 Info here

🍜 FOODIE

Cookery School: BBQ, Firepits & Wood Fired Cooking
📅 Fri. 7 Aug | 18:30-20:30📍 Tewinbury Cookery School
Learn to properly cook over fire - perfect timing with the weather easing into "still nice enough for a BBQ" territory.
🎟 Book here

Children's Cookery School: Big Chef, Little Chef
📅 Sat. 8 Aug |11:00-13:00📍 Tewinbury Cookery School
A hands-on cooking session for kids, parent and child pairs welcome.
🎟 More here

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

📸 Hertford Calendar Competition
Got a beautiful shot of Hertford? Hertford Town Council is inviting local photographers to enter its annual competition for the chance to have their photo featured in the official 2027 Hertford Calendar. The calendar celebrates creative images of Hertford throughout the seasons, with entries open until 28 August 2026. 👉 Find out more and enter via Hertford Town Council.

🦖 Hertford’s Dinosaurs Have Escaped!
The Secret Society of Hertford Crafters has transformed Parliament Square into a woolly dinosaur park, complete with a hatchery, volcanoes, rainforests, fossils and plenty of prehistoric creatures. But there’s a catch… 60 crafted dinosaurs have escaped and are hiding in shop windows around Hertford and Ware! Spot one, snap a photo and share it on social media for the chance to win a woolly prize. The colourful installation runs until 22 August, with a craft stall in Parliament Square on weekends, raising money for Hertford Disability Support Group. 🦖 Go dino hunting and see how many you can find!

📌 Take note: BEAM will be closed to the public every Monday in August while they carry out some behind-the-scenes improvements.

KIDDIES SCOOP

Stay & Play at Southern Maltings
📅 Every Wed. | 9.30-11am 📍 Southern Maltings, Lower Function Room
A relaxed sensory play morning for children aged 0-5, with a dedicated baby area and staff on hand for support. During the summer holidays, siblings up to age 7 are welcome too - a lovely (and affordable) way to get out of the house and meet other local parents.
🎟 £2.50 per family - just drop in, no need to book. (No session Wed. 19 or 26 Aug.)

School Holiday Activity: Water Wars
📅 Tue. 4 Aug 📍 Ware, The Priory front lawn
Exactly what it sounds like - bring a towel and expect to get soaked.
🎟 Info here

Hertford Play Day
📅 Wed. 5 Aug 📍 Hertford Town Centre
A free day of games and activities in celebration of National Play Day - old-fashioned outdoor fun, no screens required. 🎟 Free - more here

Kids Pottery Workshop: Pottery Bugs
📅 Wed. 5 Aug 📍 Tewinbury Farm
Hand-build your own ceramic bug to take home, glazed and kiln-fired.
🎟 Book here

School Holiday Activity: Fun Family Workout
📅 Tue. 11 Aug 📍 Ware, The Island, The Priory
A family-friendly session to get everyone moving together.
🎟 Info here

Animal Encounters at Van Hage
📅 Tue. 18 Aug | 3:45pm 📍 Van Hage, Great Amwell
A hands-on animal experience where children can meet and learn about friendly creatures, including spiders and snakes. Suitable for children aged 3+ and lasts around 45 minutes.
🎟 Book here

🔥 EYE CATCHING DEAL

Thirsty Thursdays at The White Horse
📅 Every Thursday | All day 📍 The White Horse, Hertingfordbury
Enjoy half-price Prosecco or 2 cocktails for £16 - perfect for a midweek catch-up, date night or well-deserved treat.
🎟 No booking needed - just turn up!

🏡 PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

A Victorian Gem in East Hertford

A beautifully restored Victorian home on one of East Hertford’s most sought-after streets, just five minutes’ walk from the town centre and Hertford East station. With over 1,800 sq ft, three generous double bedrooms, lovely reception spaces and a gorgeous south-facing garden, it’s got plenty of room for family life.

We love the mix of period character and thoughtful modern touches – from the cosy log burner and high ceilings to the stylish kitchen/diner opening onto the garden. And with Hartham Common, The Meads, local pubs, restaurants and the river all nearby, you really are right in the heart of Hertford life.

🚂 London commuters: Hertford East is on your doorstep, with direct trains into London.

See the full property listing

🌦 HERTFORD WEATHER: 4 - 10 AUG 2026

It’s looking like a warm and mostly dry week ahead, with partly cloudy skies every day and very little chance of rain. Temps peak at 30°C for today, then settle into the low-to-high 20s for the rest of the week. Friday through Sunday look particularly lovely, with plenty of warmth and just a light breeze. 🌤️

Best days: Saturday & Sunday 🌞
Warmest: Today at 30°C 🔥

✨ MIND, HEALTH + FITNESS

🤸🏻‍♀️ 7 Fun Ways to Get the Whole Family Moving This Summer

The school holidays are basically a free pass to swap "sit still and do your homework" for "let's go be loud outside" - and with the sunshine easing off into a much more manageable mid-20s this fortnight, there's no excuse not to make the most of it. Here are seven ways to sneak some family fitness in without anyone clocking it as "exercise":

1. Build an obstacle course in Hertford Castle grounds - hula hoops, skipping ropes, a wobbly balance beam made of whatever's lying around. Bonus points for a leaderboard.

2. Make a day of it at the Hartham Leisure Centre inflatable sessions - see Kiddies Scoop above. Genuinely tiring, genuinely fun, and someone else has done the risk assessment for you.

3. Start a mini family gardening club - even a few pots on a windowsill count. Digging, watering and weeding all add up more than you'd think.

4. Try a family yoga session on the lawn - no mats, no fuss, just everyone attempting "tree pose" and falling over laughing.

5. Let the kids design the workout for once - hand over a stopwatch and watch them invent something far more chaotic (and effective) than anything you'd have planned.

6. Set an outdoor scavenger hunt along the river Lea or through Balls Park - a list of ten things to spot turns a "fine, we'll go for a walk" into an actual mission.

7. Go nature spotting at Rye Meads or Pangshanger Park - binoculars optional, moaning about the walk mandatory, but everyone's moved more than they realise by the end.

So how much is "enough"? Adults are generally advised to aim for around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (or half that if it's more vigorous), while children are encouraged to rack up roughly an hour of moderate-to-energetic movement most days. The exact number matters less than the variety - a bit of strength work for the grown-ups, a mix of running-about and balance-type games for the kids, and generally trying not to spend the whole day sat down. None of the above needs to feel like a plan. It just needs to get everyone outside.

🧁 EXTRA SPRINKLES

If like us, you’re having a few more glasses of wine every other summer’s eve…here’s a quick and easy (4 ingedients only!) olive breadstick recipe to whip up before you’ve convinced your friends to pop over for a glass too. Serve with your favourite dip. 👌

You’re now fully up to date, Hertford.

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