Read about the variety of family events happening in the Maldon District during the August Bank Holiday weekend.

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Friday 25 August

Maldon High Street-inspired portraits at Maeldune Heritage Centre, 11am to 4pm (ongoing)

Kathryn's Hockey's art show will feature portraits of Maldon High Street, made using Pen-and-wash Drawing. (Credit: Ben Shahrabi and Kathryn Hockey)

Local artist Kathryn Hockey is displaying her Maldon-based portraits at an exhibition at the Maeldune Heritage Centre.

Kathryn's 'Looking Up' art show will feature portraits of Maldon High Street, made using Pen-and-wash Drawing. This is made using a pen to mark out an image, and then it is tinted with diluted ink or watercolour.

The exhibition will be open every week from Tuesday until Saturday, 11am to 4pm, until September 2. There will also be a private viewing on Friday 18 August from 6pm until 8pm.

More details here.

Tide Festival 2023 in Woodham Walter, from 6pm

Tide Festival is set to take place on a field in Woodham Walter. (Credit: Tide Festival)

Tide Festival is returning for its third consecutive year this August Bank Holiday weekend at a new 48-acre rural venue in Woodham Walter.

Organisers of the festival say it inspires people to "make a positive contribution to the world, celebrating music, art, nature, health & wellbeing, food & drink, family, friendship, community, trade, freedom, and the future".

• Weekend camping or 'come & go' tickets cost £50 per person.
• Day tickets cost £25 per person.
• Under 16s free (accompanied by an adult family member).
• Well-behaved dogs are welcome

More details here.

Saturday 26 August

Burnham Week and Quay Day 2023 (begins Saturday)

Read all about what's in-store ahead of this year's Burnham Week and Quay Day celebrations. (Photo: Burnham Town Council)

Burnham Week kicks off on August 26, marking the start of an action-packed week of sailing and family fun on the historic river Crouch. 

Burnham-on-Crouch is home to the historic East Coast Sailing Regatta, which draws visitors to the town each year.

Residents and visitors are invited to spectate a variety of dinghies and yachts racing through the Crouch moorings, with each race beginning at noon daily. On Saturday 26 August, Sunday 27, Monday 28 and Saturday 2 September, dinghies will depart from Burnham Sailing club. On other days, the larger boats will begin at 'Pile House' before making their way downriver. 

However, the excitement isn't just for those beyond the shoreline. On Bank Holiday Monday (August 28), Burnham will see the return of Quay Day, a pirate-themed celebration of local small businesses.

The Anchor will be holding 'Pirates on the Quay', a family friendly day of fun. The pub is open, and there will be food truck 'Grub Hub', Tiki Cocktail bar and large Raffle. Local company Quest 4 Entertainment will also be there, with an opportunity for kids to meet some "baby dinosaurs". The Blackwater Pirates are also set to make an appearance. 

Next door at Bistro on the Quay, there will be live music from duo The Double Tops and other local acts. The café bar will be open serving hot food and drinks all day, and there will be cake, face paint, glitter tattoo and lucky dip stalls. Local creatives will also attend a busy craft fayre nearby.

Full details here.

Smoke & Fire Festival at Promenade Park, from 11.30am

Smoke & Fire Festival 2023.

The popular Smoke & Fire BBQ Festival returns to Maldon over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with its unique mix of barbecue food, bands, competitions and food and drink stalls.

This weekend is the British Open BBQ Championships. Organisers say it will feature live music and family entertainment, extreme eating competitions, fun workshops, a selection of bars and "the best food in town".

Day ticket prices:

• Over 16/Adult £19.80
• Child 5-16, £8.40
• Under 5s, free with paying adult over 21
• Dog £4.80
• Family ticket £40 (two adults, two under 16)

Three-day tickets with camping (two adults, two under 16) cost £204.

More details here.

Monday 28 August

'Cream Teas by the Tombstones' at Woodham Mortimer church

St Margaret's Church, Maldon Rd, Woodham Mortimer CM9 6SN (Credit: Google 2023)

Enjoy Woodham Mortimer's annual Bank Holiday Monday event in the churchyard of St Margaret's Church on Monday 28 August.

Cream teas will be served among the tombstones at St Margaret's, beside the A414, one mile from Maldon.

More details here.

If you know of any more local events happening soon, get in touch or submit them to our What's On section.

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