Good morning, Cheshire 👋 

This week’s lineup is packed tighter than a picnic hamper on a sunny Saturday. We’ve got classic cars, raft racing down the Dee, and a community polo festival complete with falconry and helicopter rides (yes, really).

In this week’s Cheshire Buzz:

• 🎪 Carnival’s back in Winwick

• 🚣‍♂️ Raft racing hits the Dee

• 🐎 Polo, pooches & picnics

• 🖌️ Art workshops & motorsport tasters

• 🍓 Artisan market heaven

• 🚗 Vintage cars & motorcycle show

• 🎠 Circus thrills & hidden history

Let’s dive in!

🎉 What’s On This Weekend

🎪 Warrington Arts Festival: Farm Yard Circus (Family Garden Party)
18-26th Jul, various venues, Warrington
A touring circus extravaganza with animal-free performances, acrobatics and family fun as part of the borough-wide arts festival.
👉 Details

🎶 Bolesworth Together Again Festival
25-27th Jul, Bolesworth Castle
Tickets on sale now for the family-friendly music fest. Three days of feel-good family fun at Bolesworth Castle, featuring headline acts like Olly Murs, Jamie Webster and UB40.
👉 Details

🚗 Classic Car & Motorcycle Show
21st July 2025, Capesthorne Hall
Admire over 400 gleaming classics set against the backdrop of Capesthorne Hall’s stunning grounds - expect vintage cars, motorcycles, autojumble stalls, food stands, and family-friendly fun throughout the day.
👉 Details

🏇 Cheshire Polo Club Summer Festival
19-20th July, Cheshire Polo Club, Tarporley
Experience a full weekend of polo, food, drinks, live music, dog shows, falconry displays, classic cars, and even helicopter rides! This summer celebration has something for everyone.
👉 Details

🏳️‍🌈 Nantwich Pride
18-19th Jul, Nantwich Town Centre
A vibrant celebration of inclusion with a colourful parade, live performances, artisan stalls, and family-friendly fun.
👉 Details

🏎️ “Have-a-Go Motorsport Taster Day”
19th Jul, 12-4pm, Northwich
Ever fancied trying grassroots motorsport? Knutsford & District Motor Club is hosting a free taster day where you can test your skills in fun driving activities.
👉 Details

🚣‍♂️ Chester Raft Race
20th Jul, 10am, Chester Meadows
A wonderfully wacky charity race where homemade rafts float (or sink!) down the Dee to cheering crowds. Expect costumes, splashes, and laughs in this much-loved local tradition.
👉 Details

🎡 Winwick Carnival
19th Jul, Winwick Leisure Centre, Warrington
A much-loved community carnival with a parade, live music, food stalls, kids’ rides, dog show, classic cars, and a beer tent - expect big village vibes and fun for all ages.
👉 Details

🛶 Northwich River Festival
19th Jul, 10-4:30pm, River Weaver/Dane, Northwich
A weekend of dragon boat races, duck races and riverside fun - all raising money for local causes. Expect live music, street food, crafts, and water-based action for all ages.
👉 Details

📌 Quick Bites

🎨 Monet-inspired acrylic painting workshop - 19th Jul, Tatton Park; Ula Fung leads a session based on the Japanese Garden. 👉 Details

🦋 Big Butterfly Count - A nationwide citizen-science project invites you outdoors to count butterflies and moths in your garden or local green space. Begins 18 Jul 👉 Details

🏹 Introduction to Longbow - 19th Jul, Tatton Park Old Hall; try traditional archery in atmospheric historical surroundings. 👉 Details

🏉 Sandbach RUFC Car Boot Sale - 20th July, 11am-3pm. For sellers, it’s just £10 per car and free if you’re there to browse and buy. Food is being served by Symphony Hospitality and drinks are available at the bar. 👉 Details

⚓️ Local Spotlight: Rode Hall Farmers Market

Taste the best of Cheshire, one stall at a time. Held on the first Saturday of every month (next date: Saturday 3rd August, 9am–1.30pm), the Rode Hall Farmers Market is one of the most authentic and atmospheric markets in the county.

With over 70 indoor and outdoor stalls, it’s a treasure trove of local produce, artisan goods, fresh bakes, handmade crafts and garden plants - all set against the beautiful backdrop of Rode Hall’s 18th-century estate.

What makes it special? It’s not just a market - it’s an experience. Visitors can explore the walled kitchen garden, enjoy live music, or stop for coffee and cake in the charming courtyard cafe. Whether you’re after fresh veg, small-batch cheese, rare-breed meat or a unique handmade gift, there’s always something that’ll catch your eye (and whet your appetite).

Why We Love It - It’s dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and just the kind of feel-good, real-deal events that make Cheshire so special. Arrive early - it gets popular!

🔗 rodehallfarmersmarket.co.uk

🔥 Hot & New

🍽️ Noted by ORG (formerly Da Noi) - Chester city centre. Award-winning chef Andrew Sheridan is launching his new all‑day dining restaurant called Noted in the former Michelin-listed Da Noi space on Bridge Street. (source)

🐻 Bear Hunt Trail - 19 Jul onwards, Tatton Park; a new immersive woodland walk for families, great for the little ones. 👉 Details

🐞 Summer of Play at Lyme Park - 18th Jul to 7th Sep, experience a family-friendly outdoor activity zone with giant games and trail crafts, imaginative play and hands-on activities, including shadow puppets, board games and a silent disco. 👉 Details

🌟 Community Highlights

• TraCE tool makes pothole reporting easy - From 23rd July, Cheshire East is rolling out “traCE,” a new map-based tool to report and track potholes, fallen trees, fly-tips, and more - no duplicate reports, just action (source)
  

• Cheshire West approves climate emergency plan - The new 2025–30 strategy targets net-zero by 2045, with £9 million in grants secured for green projects like tree planting and solar rollouts. (source)
  

• Children’s services praised by Ofsted - Cheshire East’s children’s services received positive feedback following a monitoring visit, highlighting improved support and outcomes. (source)
  

• Cheshire Police Hero Award - PCs Viki Evans and Kate Sheehan from Cheshire Police were honoured at the 30th Police Bravery Awards for their inspiring efforts in launching the “4092 Men’s Talk Group” supporting male mental health. They raised over £5,000 with half going to mental health support, half to Cheshire Dogs’ Home, in memory of their colleague Steve Powell. (source)

💎 Hidden Gem: Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre

Known as the “Cathedral of the Canals,” the Anderton Boat Lift is one of Cheshire’s most iconic feats of engineering - and a brilliant family day out. Built in 1875 to connect the Trent & Mersey Canal with the River Weaver below, this mighty iron structure still raises and lowers boats today, over 50 feet, using a modern hydraulic system.

The award-winning visitor centre includes interactive exhibits that tell the story of the lift’s industrial past, along with a canal-side café, outdoor play area, and peaceful walks along the water. If you fancy a proper view, you can even hop aboard a river cruise or boat trip through the lift itself.

Great for all ages and just a stone’s throw from Northwich, this spot combines history, nature, and a bit of mechanical magic.

🔗 canalrivertrust.org.uk

That’s it for this week.

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