Tag Archives: Winchester Cocktail Week

Win Guide to February

February is here and whilst it may be grey, spring is not so far away now.  It’s a short month this one, so let’s make it count.

Seven SantasLamenting the loss of Christmas?  It’s been a while, hasn’t it?  Well fear not, for Gallows Theatre will be treating us to Seven Santas by Jeff Goode at the Discovery Centre, 3 – 4 February at 7.30pm.  It’s the follow-up to The Eight Reindeer Monologues. Scandal erupts at the North Pole when the most powerful man on Earth is sentenced to rehab for a minor traffic violation. But when he finds himself in a detox program run by the estranged Mrs. Claus, Santa’s desperate struggle to conceal the truth about his arrest, uncovers yet another sordid secret that could mean the end of Christmas-as-we-know-it. To book tickets, visit here.

Winchester Cocktail WeekWinchester Cocktail Week is upon us, 6-12 February.  Scattered across the city, participating venues will be hosting masterclasses, and discounted signature cocktails.  The perfect way to celebrate a dry January, or to simply celebrate.  The event is organised by the Cabinet Rooms.  We’ll also be toasting Gary and Marcus, founders of the Cabinet Rooms as they have recently announced that they will be taking over the Art Cafe in Jewry Street.  Producers of delectable events involving fine food and drink experiences, we’ re sure there will be some exciting plans afoot! For details about the Winchester Cocktail Week or to buy your tickets, visit the website here.

Pin Drop ComedyPin Drop Comedy will be back at the Guildhall on the 9 February at 7.30pm for their monthly open mic night.  It’s free entry, and the bar and kitchen will be open throughout.  The Guildhall is participating in Winchester Cocktail Week, so wristband wearers will benefit from promotional prices.  Enjoy the cocktails and chuckles.

The Yorke Dance Project will be back at the Theatre Royal Winchester, 15 February presenting Rewind Forward, an evening of contemporary ballet. It looks like a really exciting programme, including Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Sea of Troubles, two world premiere’s from Charlotte Edmonds, the Royal Ballet Young Choreographer and Yolanda Yorke-Edgell, as well as work by Robert Cohan. For more details and to book tickets, visit the website here.

Did you know it is the year of the Rooster?  Winchester Theatre Royal will be hosting a Chinese New Year Extravaganza, 17 February at 7.30pm. Chinese acrobatics, elegant Chinese dance, energetic kung fu, and a highly skilled puppeteer that can perform the ancient magic of Face Changing, it’s going to be a night to remember.  For tickets, visit the theatre website here.

The Chesil Theatre will be presenting  Titter Ye Not on the 25 February, a portrait of Frankie Howard both on and off-stage. An affectionate look at the man, his life and his work, and the highs and lows of his career with glimpses into his, sometimes traumatic, personal life. Written and performed by Paul Harris, tickets are available online here.

The Winchester 10k Road Race will take place on Sunday 26th February.  The event starts outside the Guildhall, with the route heading up the High Street, and through the city to the village of Kingsworthy and back for the finishing line at the Winchester City Football Club ground. There’s still time to enter, and for more details visit the website here.

Have a great month, one and all.  Don’t forget to keep an eye @Win_Guide for more tips throughout February.

Win Guide to January

It’s a new year in the UK’s number one city. Here’s our guide to starting your 2017 in the finest Wintonian style:

1upThe Railway Inn has a weird and wonderful selection of events on offer to tempt city folk out this month.  The weekly free Poetry Platform runs on the first Tuesday of every month, Winchester’s longest serving poetry open mic. This month’s event is on 3 January at 8.30pm. Or for the gaming community, 1 Up Retro Video Gaming night is Winchester’s first pub-based retro video games event. From Master System to the Gamecube there will be classic games available every week, with tournaments and leader boards. 1 Up will run every Friday from 8.30pm, starting on Friday 6 January and entry is free. Hip Hop duo, Dr Syntax and Pete Cannon will be live on 20 January from 8.30pm.  For more details, visit the website here.

wsc-web-content-event-or-film-banner-splendiferous-science-2Winchester Science Centre will be hosting BBC Bitesize science presenter Jon Chase for a Splendiferous Science Weekend, 14 – 15 January.  Participants are invited to delve into the whoopsy waffling worlds of Roald Dahl, to make James and his Giant Peach fly or discover George and his marvelous medicine. The shows will run for an hour at 11am and 2pm, and booking is advised.  The Winchester Science Centre’s science experts will also be demonstrating their own favourite Roald Dahl themed science throughout the day so there’s plenty for young people and their adults to enjoy.  For more details, visit the Science Centre website here.

imageFancy taking up a new skill?  The Discovery Centre will be running a beginner’s workshop for budding Taxidermists on Saturday 21st January, 12-4pm.  Mabel Edwards will lead students through a practical session to create a life-like mount of a mouse.  To find out more or to book a place, visit the Discovery Centre website here.

platform-4Winchester’s Platform 4 will be previewing Invisible Music: Variations on a Theme, a new project at the Theatre Royal on 24 January with tickets available for free. The project is a sound-piece inspired by a series of interviews with Winchester’s lip reading group. Booking is advised, so visit the Theatre Royal website for details here.

For more theatre, img-5107-a4-landscape-website-crop_1_origwhy not book to see the Chesil Theatre’s  Blood and Ice by Liz Lochhead, 21 – 28 January, directed by Alec Walters. Four young romantics compete to write a spine-chilling tale. Two of them are England’s greatest poets, the third a rebellious runaway, and the fourth, free-thinker, Mary Shelley. For more details or to book tickets, visit the website here.

Winchester Cocktail WeekDon’t forget to book your tickets for next month’s Winchester Cocktail Week, 6-12 February.  Probably to most decadent way to fall off the wagon, 26 different cafes, bars, restaurants and shops in Winchester will be offering discounted signature cocktails and hosting special events and parties. For more details and to book, visit the Cabinet Rooms website here.

Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy 2017. We’ll be tweeting more updates @Win_Guide throughout the month.

Win Guide to February

Get ready, Winchester, for there are 29 days in February 2016 which means we are in a leap year.  Ladies, traditionally this extra day is an opportunity to propose to your significant other if you feel so inclined, a custom dating back to 5th century Ireland and ‘St Bridget’s complaint’ to St Patrick about women having to wait. Partners, if for whatever reason you spurn the proposal, please be ready to pay a fine in the form of a pair of silk gloves. Do keep us posted on any leap year love matches. Here’s our guide to make this February a good one:

Winchester Cocktail Week
Winchester Cocktail Week

This month marks the inaugural Winchester cocktail week, 1 – 7 February. Yes, you heard it correctly, a whole week dedicated to supping cocktails in some of Winchester’s finest establishments. A collaboration between the Cabinet Rooms and Winchester Bid, you can purchase a wrist band for £15 to be entitled to £4 signature cocktails at venues across the city. There are also various masterclasses on offer for wristband holders, so you can learn more about cocktail artistry. Special events include the Luxardo masterclass with Chococo, 2 & 3 February. Expect cherries soaked in Luxardo, chocolate and cocktails – sounds decadent. Entry is free for wristband holders and £5 for others.  You can book tickets by popping into Chococo or by emailing Libby here. On 4 February, the Theatre Royal bar will be taken over by mixologist supremos from Hartnett, Holder and Co. Entry is free for wristband holders but do reserve your place in advance.  For full details on other events and participating venues, visit the website.

Imperfection
Imperfection

Award winning performance artist Peta Lily will be performing her confessional theatre piece ‘Imperfection’ at the Winchester Discovery Centre, 11 February at 7.45pm. Imperfection takes an unflinching look at the ordinary. An all-waving, all-drowning look at hidden corners of life where Dionysian worship rubs shoulders with Stevie Smith, Charles Bukowski and Japanese outsider art. The show is well worth a visit and tickets are available here.

Grease
Grease

We’ve got chills and they’re multiplying – Encore Youth Theatre will be singing their hearts out with Grease at the Theatre Royal, 17 – 20 February. It’s also the theatre troupe’s 35th birthday this year, so join them for a rock and roll celebration.

Winchester Rotary
Winchester Rotary

Winchester rotary will be holding a charity swimathon on 20 February in the Winchester College Pool. Teams of 8 are invited to participate in a 55 minute sponsored swimming relay. £25 of funds raised by each team will go to the Winchester rotary with the remainder going to other charities of their choice. To register, visit here.

Winchester 10k road race
Winchester 10k road race

The Winchester 10k Road Race starts outside the Guildhall on 21 February.  Participants must be over 16 to enter and will need parental consent if they are under 18.  The route includes a trip to Kingsworthy with a return leg through the village of Headbourne Worthy before the finish line at the Winchester City football club ground, where there will be custom medals, bottled water, bananas and Haribos on offer. Visit here to register.

Little Pickles Market
Little Pickles Market

Little Pickles Market will be taking over the Riverpark Leisure centre on 21 February with over 30 nearly new tables of baby kit: prams, high chairs, toys, books, maternity wear – the works.  The market is open from 2-3.30pm and entrance is £1, with kids allowed in for free.

Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium
Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium

Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium will be hosting an exciting programme of activities for the school holidays, 12 – 22 February.  Advanced booking is advised, particularly for the planetarium cinema shows. Opening hours are 9.30am – 5pm. Keep an eye out for Destination Space, a live family show running at 10.45am & 2.45pm focussing on Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Programme.

Leap your way through February, Wintonians, for it is not long now until Spring.