Good Morning Cheshire! 👋 

Summer’s bowing out with a bang and Cheshire’s got the goods to send it off in style. From chef-packed tents at Nantwich Food Festival and stunt riders at Chatsworth to ABBA tributes, street parties and a glittery firework finale at Gulliver’s, this weekend’s shaping up to be one for the photo album.

In this week’s Cheshire Buzz:

• 🍴 Feast at Nantwich Food Festival (200+ stalls & demos)

• 🏹 Go wild at Chatsworth Country Fair (jousting, hot air balloons + more)

• 😀 Reset at Happy Place Festival, Tatton Park

• 🪩 Dance into the weekend: Britpop vs Indie, The Jam’d & 70s Salsa

• 🎆 Fireworks & ABBA tributes: Gulliver’s + Chester Races

• 🛍️ Shop indie at Wilmslow, Frodsham & Treacle markets

• 🚗 Rev up at Arley Hall’s Classic & Performance Motor Show

• 🦅 Local Spotlight: Gauntlet Birds of Prey

• 💎 Hidden Gem: Avro Heritage Museum

Let’s dive in!

🎉 What’s On In Cheshire

🏹 Chatsworth Country Fair (Bakewell)
29-31 Aug, 9am-5pm, Chatsworth House.
Grand Ring action (FMX stunt riders, jousting, birds of prey), hot air balloon ascents at dawn (weather permitting), chef demos, vintage funfair and have-a-go activities. Kids 15 & under free, parking free.
👉 Details

🐧 Young Zookeeper Career Day (Chester Zoo) 
29 Aug, 8:30am-4pm
For ages 14-17, spend a full day with rangers taking part in husbandry, horticulture, enrichment and more. Bring lunch!
👉 Details

🎉 Wilmslow Street Fest
29 Aug, 5-9pm, Bank Square
Street-food heroes + live local music for a last summer hurrah; family-friendly, free to attend.
👉 Details

🎵 Songs For Whoever - Acoustic Tribute
29 Aug, from 9pm, Prince of Wales, Congleton
The Beautiful South & Housemartins set, plus an extra round of 80s-present pop/indie favourites.
👉 Details

😀 Happy Place Festival
30-31 Aug, Tatton Park, Knutsford
Fearne Cotton’s wellbeing weekender with talks, yoga, live podcasts & family zones. (Sat & weekend sold out at time of writing; limited Sun).
👉 Details

🐎 Chester Races: Powells Jewellery Ladies Day (with Björn Again)
30 Aug, Chester Racecourse
Racing + live ABBA tribute on course.
👉 Details

🎸 RubyFest 2025
30 Aug, from 6pm, Beartown Brewery, Congleton
Live music, welcome drink, raffle & auction; food on sale. 18+.
👉 Details

🪩 Saturday Salsa Fever - 70s Edition
30 Aug, 7:30pm-midnight, Mottram St Andrew Village Hall
DJ-led social (Salsa/Bachata/Kizomba), no classes-just dancing. £8 adv (to 27 Aug) / £10 OTD (cash).
👉 Details

🎶 Indie vs Britpop Double Headliner
30 Aug, Alexander’s Live, Chester
All4indie + Britpop United deliver wall-to-wall 90s anthems & indie classics in one high-energy show.
👉 Details

🎶 The Jam’d
30 Aug, 8pm, The Live Rooms, Chester
The UK’s best-known tribute to The Jam with full brass section.
👉 Details

🛍️ Frodsham Artisan Market
30 Aug, 10am-4pm, Main Street
Curated makers, street food, live music, free kids’ crafts—dog-friendly community vibes.
👉 Details

🎤 Take That & Olly Murs Tribute Night
30 Aug, The Carriers Inn, Hatchmere
Rule The World + Ryan Elliott as Olly Murs - two shows, £10.
👉 Details

🎉 Warrington Mela
31 Aug, Queens Gardens & Time Square
Free, family-friendly celebration of culture with performances, food & activities.
👉 Details

🛍️ Treacle Market
31 Aug, Macclesfield town centre
Cheshire’s huge indie market is celebrating its 15th year.
👉 Details

🎤 End-of-Summer Party: Tony as Robbie (Prestbury)
31 Aug, 5pm, Ye Olde Admiral Rodney
Free, family & pet-friendly bash at Ye Olde Admiral Rodney; Robbie Williams tribute on stage.
👉 Details

🏃 Race For Space Fundraiser 
31 Aug, 10am-12:45pm, Macclesfield Athletics Track
Obstacle course, family relay, fancy-dress race & sponsored walk/run for Space4Autism. Min £10 per family.
👉 Details

🎤 An Evening with Jimmy Tarbuck - Mon 1 Sep, Crewe Lyceum. Comedy legend, one night only. 👉 Details

🎶 Walk Like A Man (Jersey Boys tribute) - Thu 4 Sep, Crewe Lyceum. Four-part harmonies & Frankie Valli hits. 👉 Details

🧸 We’re Going on a Bear Hunt - Daily to Sun 7 Sep, Tatton Park. 8 bears in the Gardens + 2 at the Farm; pick up a free trail map. 👉 Details

🦉 Cheshire East Ranger Service: Autumn Birdwatching (course) - 2 hour sessions on Tuesday mornings 10am-12noon, start of 5-week series. (Best for locals; booking required.) 👉 Details

⚡️ Quick Bites: (blink and you’ll miss ‘em!)

🌙 Night-time Wildlife Walk - 28, 29th Aug, Quarry Bank, Wilmslow. Ranger-led evening stroll to spot owls and bats. 👉 Details

📡 Summer at Jodrell Bank - Extra family activities and trails run through 31 Aug at the UNESCO site; Royal Society Summer Science exhibits pop up 30-31 Aug. 👉 Details

🌕 Museum of the Moon (Alderley Park, Nether Alderley). Mon 1-Sat 20 Sep, The Glasshouse. Luke Jerram’s six-metre lunar sculpture with detailed NASA imagery and a Dan Jones soundscape; free to view all month. Bonus: A Night Under the Moon (Thu 11 Sep) and SciTech Extravaganza (Sat 20 Sep) run alongside the installation. 👉 Details

🛍️ Congleton Makers Market is back at Bridge Street this Sat 30th Aug, 10am-4pm, and it’s set to be the BIGGEST and BEST yet! 👉 Details

🗓️ Dates for the diary

🦅 Vulture Fest 2025
Sun 7 Sep, 3-10:30pm, Gauntlet Birds of Prey, Knutsford
A charity evening for the Gauntlet Conservation Trust with 3pm flying show, BBQ from 4:30pm, conservation talk, raffle, then live acoustic sets at Cottons Hotel & Spa from 6:30pm. £30pp, 18+.
👉 Details

🎶 Charity Concert at Bolesworth Castle
Fri 19 Sep, Tudor Cottage, Church Bank, Tattenhall
Evening concert by Tattenhall Music Society. Tickets £20 include wine & canapés at the interval; advance purchase only.
👉 Details

🧘🏼‍♀️ Mind, Body & Spirit Event
Sat-Sun 6-7th Sep, Stockport Masonic Guildhall
60+ exhibitors plus 50+ FREE talks, workshops & demos across three rooms. £6 day / £10 weekend in advance (add £1 on the door). Fully accessible; rear parking £3. 👉 Details

✨ Space Safari Drone Light Show
Sat 6 Sep, from 5pm, Royal Cheshire County Showground, Tabley.
Expect 500+ eco-powered drones choreographed to music and narration (Michaela Strachan), plus fairground rides and a food village.
👉 Details

🚜 Malpas Yesteryear Rally - 50th Anniversary
Sat-Sun 6-7th Sep, 9am-4:30pm, Hampton, Malpas
Around 1,000 exhibits, including up to 50 steam engines, classic & military vehicles, shire horses, working demos, craft marquee, an old-time fairground and the Ken Fox Wall of Death.
👉 Details

🦅 Local Spotlight: Gauntlet Birds of Prey - Eagle & Vulture Park (Knutsford)

Up-close, wings-in-your-face theatre. Home to 180+ birds from 50 species - from eagles and owls to seriemas and vultures - Gauntlet is the North West’s largest birds-of-prey centre, and it feels wonderfully hands-on and personal. Expect proper keeper talks, conservation woven into every show, and plenty of chances to quiz the team.

A typical day runs with a 12:00 vulture talk, 12:30 flying display, 2:00 meet-and-greet, and a 3:00 finale show - short, sharp bursts that keep kids (and grown-ups) hooked.

Paths are flat, parking is free, and facilities include accessible toilets and baby-changing; there’s a cafe, picnic spots and a small play area for downtime between displays.

Practical bits:

• Tickets: from £11.50 (best value online). 👉 gauntletbirdsofprey.co.uk

• Where: Manchester Road, WA16 0SX, Knutsford.

• Good to know: Check opening dates/times and that day’s display timetable before you go (they can vary seasonally/for events).

• More info: 🔗 gauntletbirdsofprey.co.uk / @gauntlet_birdsofprey

❤️ Why We Love It: Intimate scale + blockbuster birds. You’re close enough to feel the downdraft, learn something new, and leave with a soft spot for vultures.

🔥 Hot & New

🍕 The Detroit Slice (Macclesfield, Broken Cross) - Detroit-style pizza by the slab; now open for dine-in & delivery. 👉 Details

🐮 MOO’TRITION (Huntington Hall Farm) - Cheshire’s all-new milk bar is now open 24/7 for fresh milk, milkshakes, ice cream & you can even watch the cows being milked! 👉 Details

🌟 Community Highlights

Here are some local news stories (without the crime or politics!)

• 🎉 Warrington Mela returns to the town centre on Sun 31 Aug 2025 - a free, family day celebrating culture and community. (source)
  

• 🏛️ Ellesmere Port Heritage boost - Historic England funding will restore the Grade II pumphouse at the National Waterways Museum. (source)
  

• ♻️ Cheshire West & Chester - Borough recycling tops 59% - the council’s new “Recycle Right” push aims to lift it even further. (source)
  

• 🚶 Wilmslow-Handforth - A new 1.5-mile walking & cycling route works started 18 Aug to better link the two centres. (source)
  

• 🖼️ Frodsham - Castle Park Arts Centre to run multiple free summer exhibitions through to 13 Sep - easy, drop-in culture. (source)

💎 Hidden Gem: Avro Heritage Museum (Woodford)

Just over the Cheshire border, this volunteer-run museum sits on the old Woodford Aerodrome where Avro built icons like the Lancaster, Vulcan, Nimrod and BAe 146. The star is Vulcan XM603—the world’s only Vulcan preserved in anti-flash white—looming outside like a sci-fi sculpture. Inside, galleries and cockpit tours make the engineering stories feel properly hands-on.

It’s not just “look, don’t touch”. You can climb into cockpit sections (Vulcan, Lancaster replica, VC10, Nimrod), try a free flight simulator, experience a free 14-minute WWII Lancaster VR raid, and, on selected days, buckle into a Typhoon motion simulator (£10) for a low-level “Mach Loop” blast. Refuel upstairs in the Vulcan Cafe, which has panoramic views across XM603.

Plan your visit (quick bits):

• Open: Fri-Sun, 10am-4pm. Book online or pay on arrival.

• Admission: Adults £9, Concessions £7, Ages 11-16 £5, Under-11s free, Family (2+2) £25. Cockpit tours carry a small extra charge.

• Extras: Flight Simulator free (donations welcome); WWII VR Raid free (min age 13); Typhoon motion simulator £10 and typically runs at main events - check availability.

• Getting there: SAT NAV SK7 1GD (free parking). Nearest rail Poynton; 42B bus stops on Chester Road.

• More info: 🔗 avroheritagemuseum.co.uk (Opening times, tickets, cafe).

Editor’s tip: Pair with a lazy lunch in nearby Bramhall, then swing back for golden-hour pictures of XM603.

❤️ Why we love it: A proper passion project, blockbuster aircraft, and an affordable family day out. You’ll leave with new trivia, a unique experience and a soft spot for the mighty Vulcan.

🔗 avroheritagemuseum.co.uk

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for reading The Cheshire Buzz! See you next Thursday - same time, same inbox.