Featured Events in Bedford in May, 2025 (August Updated)

PARKOUR AFTER SCHOOL CLUB THIS CLUB IS FOR YP IN SCHOOL YEARS 2-6 FROM ANY BEDFORD BOROUGH SCHOOL. This club will be for a beginners learning parkour skills including flips, vaults & jumps run with coaches from Spiral Freerun Location: Kings Oak Primary School, Oak Road, Bedford, MK42 0HH 4:30-5:30pm AGE: School Years 2-6 Dates: MAY 1, 8, 15, 22 NO CLUB IN MAY HALF TERM (29TH) June 5, 12, 19, 26 July, 3, 10, PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO SESSION ON 19TH MARCH 2025 OR HALF TERM. Wear sports clothes Bring a refillable water bottle ( After School clubs do not run during school holidays or on bank holidays) This course is run with coaches from Spiral Freerun Club. In signing up to this course you are consenting to F4YP agreeing to Spiral Freerun Clubs Terms & Conditions on your behalf, as follows: 1. I understand that although the coaches are there to assist you in your learning, accidents can still happen. 2. I understand that Parkour/Freerunning is very dangerous and if performed incorrectly, can lead to serious injury. 3. I understand that Parkour/Freerunning is physically demanding and involves running, jumping, climbing and other actions often involving speed and height. 4. I understand that parkour/Freerunning requires total focus and acknowledgement of my strengths and boundaries. 5. I understand that if at any point I start to feel unwell or as thought I cannot continue for any reason I must discontinue the activity for the safety of myself and others around me. 6. I certify that I am in good health and have no reason why I should not be able to safely participate in the activity. 7. I agree that all activities undertaken are done so at my own risk. 8. Students consent to receiving medical treatment if necessary. 9. Students are responsible for their own belongings and if lost or stolen, Spiral Freerun cannot take any responsibility. 10. I understand that a degree of ‘spotting’ (physical assistance to complete a movement, can include placing hand on back, the neck or under the thigh to assist with a rotation in a flip) is required for learners to undertake certain movements, namely: flips. 11. I understand that ‘spotting’ may lead to some visible red marks on the skin where the coaches have repeatedly supported the learners body weights using their own strength. For full terms and conditions please go to: www.spiralfreerun.co.uk PLEASE GO TO F4YP.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS EXPLAINED YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE IN OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN BEDFORDSHIRE. If applying for a bursary place we we will require evidence to show you meet the criteria. Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a place on the course. We reserve the right to refuse places to applicants. We accept purchase of tickets as parental consent for your YP's to receive emergency medical aid if required during his/her attendance at any of our programmes. All staff are independently DBS checked. During the course your YP may receive additional support from the pastoral team. If your child has an EHCP or additional support at school it is helpful for us to know this before hand so that we can provide consistent support. We may also contact the school if we have additional concerns. If your child has 1:1 support at school please inform us of this, we may request a visit with their school so that we can assess your child's needs. TICKETS EXPLAINED HAF The government have introduced the HAF fund, which allows participants who receive free school meal benefits to attend holiday activities and receive food help. This summer Bedford Borough Council have allocated F4YP spaces for HAF which will be released on their website on 7th March 2025 If you are eligible for HAF, please book a HAF place through BBC website using an E-Voucher code which can be obtained from your YPs school. HAF places are free and include lunch each day. Please be aware HAF spaces are limited and we are operating a first come first served basis for both F4YP tickets and HAF tickets. BURSARY At all our courses we have a bursary criteria which can be found here . For our summer provision our 5 day courses are £20 per young person, this cost goes towards activity provision over the summer. F4YP can not issue a refund for any bursary tickets where a HAF ticket has later been purchased. PAID If you do not qualify for a bursary or HAF place we have some places that are paid tickets. YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE IN OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN BEDFORDSHIRE. **PLEASE NOTE - As F4YP is now its own entity we require full tickets to be completed by all YPs this term. Sorry for the inconvenience If applying for a bursary place we we will require evidence to show you meet the criteria.Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a place on the course. We reserve the right to refuse places to applicants.We accept purchase of tickets as parental consent for your YP's to receive emergency medical aid if required during his/her attendance at any of our programmes.We do not share information with third parties. Only statistics created from data will be used for our funding purposes. All staff are independently DBS checked.During the course your YP will receive additional support from the pastoral team. If your child has an EHCP or additional support at school it is helpful for us to know this before hand so that we can provide consistent support. We may also contact the school if we have additional concerns. If your child has 1:1 support at school please inform us of this, we may request a visit with their school so that we can assess your child's needs Information Source: Fun 4 Young People | eventbrite

Join the Institute of Irish Studies for a talk by Dylan Thomas expert Professor John Goodby (Professor of Arts and Culture, Sheffield Hallam University) and excerpts from Stan Tracey's Jazz Suite Inspired by Under Milk Wood by pianist Richard Wetherall with narration by Seamus Lavan. The evening will conclude with a wine reception, during which John Goodby will sign copies of his co-authored biography Dylan Thomas (Critical Lives). 'Greek in the Irish sea the ageless voice': Dylan Thomas and Irish writers In a review of 1934, the youthful Dylan Thomas claimed: 'The true future of English poetry, poetry that that can be ... read aloud, that comes to life out of the red heart through the brain, lies in the Celtic countries. ... Wales Ireland ... are building up a poetry that is as serious and genuine as the poetry in Mr Pound's Active Anthology'. Like the work of the Irish writers he admired - he thought W. B. Yeats 'the greatest modern poet', while James Joyce was the single biggest influence on his style - Thomas exemplifies the way in which writers of the 1920s and 1930s from the so-called margins wrote back to the centre, deploying modernist experiment, linguistic excess, parody, and surrealism to undermine metropolitan pretensions to authority. Married to Caitlin Macnamara, daughter of Yeats's friend, the minor poet Francis Macnamara, Thomas also enjoyed many material and familial contact with Ireland, which he visited in 1935 and 1946, while traces of his literary influence and personality can be found in the work of poets as varied as Medbh McGuckian and Patrick Kavanagh, as well as the 'Belfast Group' of the 1960s - Michael Longley, Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon. This talk will address this little-known web of influence and impact, with a primary focus on Thomas's debt to Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (a title he mischievously purloined for A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog), Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, as well as the Yeatsian models for his early short stories and poems such as 'In my craft and sullen art'. It will also touch on the apparently stark differences between his famous radio work, Under Milk Wood, and those by Samuel Beckett, such as All That Fall. John Goodby is Professor of Arts and Culture at Sheffield Hallam University. His research specialisms are Irish writing, Welsh poetry, and British / US poetry, especially modernist poetry, more broadly. He is the leading authority on the work of Dylan Thomas and the author / editor of five books on the subject, including Collected Poems (2014). In this capacity he has worked with and as a consultant to the BBC, the Arts Council, the National Trust, Aardman Films, the OU, the British Library, British Council, etc. He is also a poet and translator of poetry (to date, from Italian, French, and German), with a strong interest in non-anglophone poetries. He has an interest in the visual arts and modern art music, and this is reflected in several collaborations with composers and artists. As an active arts organiser, he has organised poetry festivals, edited poetry anthologies and magazines, run a poetry press, and curated and presented poetry reading series. Richard Wetherall has been working as a pianist for 25 years in which time he has played with jazz musicians Richard Iles, Bobby Wellins and Mark Nightingale. He has toured worldwide with Casablanca Steps and Dominic Halpin and the Honey B’s including supporting Tony Bennett and his quartet in Halifax, Canada. He has taught in various institutions including LIPA, Manchester University and Chetham’s Piano Summer School. He accompanies two Music Place choirs as well as the Vibrant Voices Choir (for people living with dementia). Seamus Lavan is an actor and theatre-maker. He graduated from Oxford University in 2017, where he studied English. He then trained for two years at the Ecole internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. He has performed on both screen and stage in projects that include short films, fashion campaigns, music videos, and an outdoor production of Henry V in Florence scored by a full, live orchestra. After graduating from Lecoq, he started a theatre company called BRILLIG with some of his classmates. They recently finished devising their first show, Terry’s – a cabaret set in a 1990s US car dealership. They will take this to the Brighton and Edinburgh Fringes later this year, before doing a national tour. He is also developing a solo piece based on Julius Caesar’s long-lost TED talk on leadership mindset. This should be finished in the autumn. Information Source: The Institute of Irish Studies | eventbrite

Who can use PSC SUPs? Our SUPs can be paddled by adult members. Junior members may also use a board if they are fourteen or over and accompanied by an adult on a board. Younger members wearing a buoyancy aid can be carried as passengers by adults. Wetsuits are available for members to borrow from the Green Container if needed. Safety Protocols - please read these carefully before you book a board. Handle the boards with care, particularly on the shore and when launching, the skegs are especially vulnerable.Ensure the board is inflated correctly before launching, it should be hard. If it is not there is a pump available.Launch from in front of the clubhouse i.e. not from the slipway or dinghy beach.Stand in the water when getting onto the board, i.e. don’t step from the bank directly onto the board, and when getting off step back into the water and not directly onto the land.Before standing up ensure that you are far enough away from the bank so that if you fall off you won’t hit the hard edge.The board’s leash and a personal buoyancy aid must we worn at all times when on the water.‘Wet shoes’ or similar should be worn.Be aware that offshore winds may make it difficult to paddle home.Observe the 20m exclusion zone around the lake, i.e. stay at least 20m away from the bank and from the island.You should only launch and land inside our compound, i.e. you should not leave the lake.Be aware of other water users and paddle considerately. Information Source: Priory Sailing Club | eventbrite

Welcome to Funky dee & Chronik’s Birthday celebration! Join us for a night of music, dancing, and good vibes at Lagos Roof Top Bar & Lounge. Get ready to celebrate in style as we party the night away with the birthday duo. Don't miss out on the fun - mark your calendars and come ready to have a blast! Information Source: The Landlord | eventbrite

Preeper Rhaye MacKay is a folk trio comprised of songbird and Canadian Folk Music Nominee, Jessica Rhaye, guitarist Bill Preeper, and multi-instrumentalist Sandy MacKay. They began working together in the folk-rock band The Ramshackle Parade. This trio has developed a Maritime Appalachian Folk sound with a unique mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation. The singers deliver lush 3-part harmonies, weaving and sharing lead and harmony parts for their own compositions, along with simple, yet elegant arrangements. It's new folk music at its finest, pulling together inspiration from the likes of Woody Guthrie, Ian Tyson, and Bob Dylan. This trio is described as a modern Peter Paul & Mary, creating an intricate vocal blend. Each is an accomplished musician; together they create magic! Sneak peak a few videos here. WOOD & WIRE is Preeper Rhaye MacKay's first album as a trio. It’s a collection of new original works and includes a special cover from the Kate and Anna McGarrigle catalogue that helps define their provenance. The album falls on the heals of the members work together with Jessica Rhaye and The Ramshackle Parade on their critically acclaimed albums Just like a Woman - Songs of Bob Dylan (2019), and Sunshine Baby (2023). NOTE: As the name suggests, Patchwork is a house concert series, i.e. we present concerts in our living room. For all shows, the artist(s) take the door. We provide the stage, chairs and hopefully a room filled with eager listeners. Snacks and soft drinks will be offered; otherwise it is BYOB. Bringing music-loving-friends and visiting family members is strongly encouraged. Information Source: Patchwork House Concerts | eventbrite

Set sail for a night of completely improvised zombified zaniness and nautical nonsense with Zombies! Improv! Pirates! 🏴‍☠️🧟‍♂️ When? On the first Tuesday of every month, from 19:30 to 21:30, the zombie apocalypse and blood thirsty pirates descend upon us—not with doom and gloom, but with gags and giggles! What’s in store? Navigate through the comedic seas with Pirates Prov, where you’ll encounter swashbuckling humour and treasure troves of invention. Then, brace yourself for a zombie horde of hilarity with Improv the Dead, and an improvised zombie apocalypse where the only thing infectious is the laughter. Special Attractions! Revel in the talents of this month's guest act. You can also join our audience jam—a chance for you to shine brighter than a pirate’s gold or a zombie’s glowing eyes. The best part? Admission is free! Chart a course to:The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill, London, SW12 9HD. Please note this is upstairs. Join us for an evening where the spirits of comedy possess both the undead and the piratical. It’s an improv adventure where everyone’s welcome, dead or alive! 🎭⚔️ Information Source: Playface | eventbrite

Welcome to In On The Joke! She's Not Funny is proud to announce that we are hosting the second show of In On The Joke - a comedy night like no other! We'll be performing in The Bedford, one of London's most iconic comedy venues, where we'll be showcasing some extraordinary female comedians... but with a twist. Not only is The Bedford the longest standing single comedy venue in London, we'll be joined by incredibly talented comedians who's aim is to entertain. The night will be filled with laughter, games (with prizes to be won 😉), and perhaps a drink or two! Can't wait to see you all! Information Source: She's Not Funny | eventbrite

Terms & Conditions Once you have been allocated a match ticket, you will be contacted separately requesting payment for your ticket in advance. The cost of this ticket is £35.This payment request will include a payment link. You will have 7 days to make this payment. Payment should be made by Bank Transfer to D James, sort code 60-11-10 account number 17064368. When making the payment ensure you include a reference with both your surname and the Fish Off Qualifier number your paying for.If you prefer to make payment in person, you will have 7 days to make your payment in person at Twin Lakes Fishery. Please leave the money in an envelope marked with your name and the qualifier match number.If payment is not received in 7 days your ticket will be cancelled no reminders will be sent. The available ticket will then be allocated in priority order to any anglers on the waiting list. It is your responsibility to ensure payment is made within 7 days.In the event your unable to fish the match, you are able to sell your ticket to another angler. Tickets are not transferable to another qualifier and no refunds will be made. We will help you find any angler who may wish to purchase your ticket.The £35 fee includes entry into the Fish Off Competition as well as the peg fee and pools payment on the day of the qualifier.In the event we are unable to run a qualifier, we will look to rearrange the match on an alternative date. In these circumstances, a refund as an alternative will be offered. Information Source: Beds Match Group | eventbrite

Multi-Arts Club Take part in Dance, Drama, Music, Art and Games - for Mixed Abilities EVENT INFO: Location: Kempston East Methodist Church MK42 8DA (Entrance to the car park and hall on Foster Road) Age: School Years 1-3 Time: 4.15- 5.15 pm (8 weeks) May12th, 19th, June 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th July 7th (School clubs do not run during school holidays or on bank holidays No Club 26th May) BRING: Refillable water bottle. Clothes Suitable to move-in. PLEASE GO TO F4YP.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS EXPLAINED YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE IN OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN BEDFORDSHIRE. If applying for a bursary place we we will require evidence to show you meet the criteria.Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a place on the course. We reserve the right to refuse places to applicants.We accept the purchase of tickets as parental consent for your YP's to receive emergency medical aid if required during his/her attendance at any of our programmes.All staff are independently DBS checked.During the course, your YP may receive additional support from the pastoral team. If your child has an EHCP or additional support at school it is helpful for us to know this beforehand so that we can provide consistent support. We may also contact the school if we have additional concerns. If your child has 1:1 support at school please inform us of this, we may request a visit with their school so that we can assess your child's needs. Information Source: Fun 4 Young People | eventbrite

Multi-Arts Club Take part in Dance, Drama, Music, Art and Games - for Mixed Abilities EVENT INFO: Location: Kempston East Methodist Church MK42 8DA (Entrance to the car park and hall on Foster Road) Age: School Years 4-6 Time: 5.15- 6.15 pm (8 weeks) May12th, 19th, June 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th July 7th (School clubs do not run during school holidays or on bank holidays No Club 26th May) BRING: Refillable water bottle. Clothes Suitable to move-in. PLEASE GO TO F4YP.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS EXPLAINED YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE IN OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN BEDFORDSHIRE. If applying for a bursary place we we will require evidence to show you meet the criteria.Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a place on the course. We reserve the right to refuse places to applicants.We accept the purchase of tickets as parental consent for your YP's to receive emergency medical aid if required during his/her attendance at any of our programmes.All staff are independently DBS checked.During the course, your YP may receive additional support from the pastoral team. If your child has an EHCP or additional support at school it is helpful for us to know this beforehand so that we can provide consistent support. We may also contact the school if we have additional concerns. If your child has 1:1 support at school please inform us of this, we may request a visit with their school so that we can assess your child's needs. Information Source: Fun 4 Young People | eventbrite

Discover the intricate world of Medieval Art at the upcoming event "Medieval Art: How To Speak Its Language" in Covent Garden. Delve into the rich history and symbolism of this artistic era while exploring the exhibits at the Covent Garden venue located at 20 Bedford Street. Scheduled for May 16, 2025, this event offers a unique opportunity to decode the visual language of Medieval Art and gain a deeper understanding of its cultural significance. Immerse yourself in this enlightening experience and unlock the secrets of a bygone artistic tradition.

Join us for Art Mayhem, an exciting pop-up shop showcase celebrating the incredible talent of our students! They'll be selling their vibrant collection of art, fashion, delicious food, exclusive raffle prizes, and much more. Come support their creativity and hard work. It’s an event you won’t want to miss! May 20th 5pm-7pm @ James Madison High School 3787 Bedford Ave Brooklyn, NY 11229 Information Source: Robin Hoodd | eventbrite

About the SpeakerDr Sophie Coulombeau is a Senior Lecturer in eighteenth-century literature and culture at the University of York. She is also a creative writer. Her debut novel, Rites, came out in 2012 and her second novel, Monster: A Tale, will be published by Northodox Press in 2026. Sophie writes and presents for radio and regularly creates features on mainstream arts and history for publications including BBC Arts, the Guardian, the Independent, the Times Literary Supplement, and History Today. About this TalkIn this talk, Sophie Coulombeau will showcase some of the research she published recently in her book Reading With The Burneys (Cambridge University Press 2024). This publication centres on an all-important annotated set of Fanny Burney's first novel Evelina, which is held in the University of Aberdeen's Special Collections. Frances Burney (1752 – 1840), also known as Fanny Burney, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and playwright. In 1786–1790 she held the post of Keeper of the Robes to George III's queen, Charlotte. Her long writing career gained her a reputation as one of England's foremost literary authors. Her fiction had a significant influence on the novels of Jane Austen, who greatly admired her style and drew on Burney's characters in creating her own. Burney has traditionally been thought of as a 'novelist of manners' far removed from the Gothic fiction of the time, but this talk explores how her four novels do in fact take part in some of the same conversations, and employ the same ideas. Coulombeau will be examining selected passages from Evelina with gothic features such as oppressive fear, fainting women, sexual menacing from villains, and will conclude by focusing closely on the way in which Evelina's brother/lover character Mr Macartney raises the spectre of incest - a key Gothic trope. Using the copy of Evelina now held in the University Collections, Frances Burney's own brother Charles attempted to model himself on Macartney when he lived in Aberdeen, with troublesome consequences! This event is part of a programme of events that will be accompanying the latest exhibition from University Collections. Fear and Fascination - A Gothic Exhibition runs until 7 December 2025. Information Source: University of Aberdeen, University Collections | eventbrite

BRIT NIGHT PARTY! Entertainment by Hal Bruce. Join us for a night of British funat the Village Taphouse of West Bedford! Get ready to rock out to incredible British tunes performed by Hal Bruce, a top-notch entertainer who knows how to get the party started. The party will be held at 12 Bloom Lane in West Bedford, Nova Scotia. Don't miss out on this epic night of music, drinks, and good times. Hal Bruce has been crowned The Ultimate Solo Beatles Act on the Planet and holds the unique honour of being inducted into not one, but two Beatles Halls of Fame – one in Louisville, Kentucky, and the other in Liverpool, England. The Village Taphouse has 36 Taps serving beer, cider, wine, spirits and cocktails. Plus we have a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks. The Taphouse does not have a kitchen but you can order in food. This event WILL SELL OUT! Notes: -You can order in food from any restaurant, as we do not have a kitchen. We have menus. Or bring a picnic! - Sorry, the Taphouse can not reserve tables. It's first come, first seated. The night is going to be British-style cozy! - 19+ only. Refunds: Sorry, no refunds after May 22, 2025. Information Source: The Village Taphouse of West Bedford | eventbrite

The Ballin Upstream Basketball League is a city-wide program under the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) within NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, in partnership with the Gun Czar of NYC AT Mitchell-Mann, Lance Feurtado of King of Kings Foundation and the Police Athletic League. The league consists of over 25 youth teams, from New York City Crisis Management System (CMS) precincts and programs, NYCHA MAP developments, and larger ONS network. Information Source: Office of Neighborhood Safety | eventbrite