The Social Season

JANUARY


New Year's Day Meeting, Catterick Racecourse, Yorkshire (Jan 1). Contact: 01748 81 14 78;

Salmon fishing season starts in Scotland (Jan 11)

London Boat Show (Jan 11-20). Contact: 01784 47 33 77;

Salmon fishing season starts in England with the opening of the River Eden (Jan 15)

Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show, London (Jan 15-16). Contact: 08452 06 05 00;

National Fine Art And Antiques Fair, NEC, Birmingham (Jan 16-20). Contact: 08707 36 60 60;

FEBRUARY

Shooting season comes to a close with the end of the pheasant and partridge seasons (Feb 1). Contact: The British Association For Shooting And Conservation; 01244 57 30 00;

Six Nations Rugby Internationals begin Feb 2 with Italy vs Ireland and England vs Wales. Scotland vs France match takes place Feb 3. Contact: 00 35 316 69 09 50;

Six Nations Rugby Internationals continue with Wales vs Scotland and France vs Ireland on Feb 9. The Italy vs England match takes place on Feb 10. Wales vs Italy, Ireland vs Scotland and France vs England all take place on Feb 23. Contact: 00 35 316 69 09 50;

Form London, Olympia, London (Feb 26-Mar 2), modern and contemporary art and design exhibition. Contact: 02077 23 92 52;


MARCH

Trout fishing season starts in England (Mar 3)

BADA Antiques And Fine Arts Fair, London (Mar 5-11). Contact: 02075 89 61 08;

Crufts Dog Show, NEC Birmingham (Mar 6-9). Contact: 02075 18 10 12;

Tweseldown Horse Trials, Hampshire, March 6-9. Contact: 02476 69 88 56;

Alvis Grand Military Gold Cup, Sandown Racecourse, Surrey (Mar 7). Contact: 01372 46 43 48;

Six Nations Rugby Internationals continue with Ireland vs Wales and Scotland vs England (Mar 8) and France vs Italy (Mar 9). Italy vs Scotland, England vs Ireland, and Wales vs France all take place on Mar 15. Contact: 00 35 316 69 09 50;

National Hunt Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Mar 11-14). Contact: 01242 22 62 26;

Brown trout fishing season begins in Scotland (Mar 15)

Shire Horse Show, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire (Mar 15-16). Contact: 01733 23 44 51;

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race (Mar 29). Contact: 02089 71 92 41;

British summer time begins on Mar 30;


APRIL

Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre season starts, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (Apr 3). Contact: 08448 00 11 10;

John Smith's Grand National Meeting, Aintree, Merseyside (Apr 3-5). Contact 01515 22 29 29;

Flat Racing season begins with The Lincoln Handicap, Newcastle Racecourse (Apr 5). Contact: 01912 32 60 20;

London Marathon (Apr 13). Contact: 02079 02 02 00;

Craven Meeting at Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (Apr 16-17). Contact: 01635 52 87 66;

Coral Scottish Grand National Meeting, Ayr, Ayrshire (Apr 18-19). Contact: 0870 850 5666;

Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show, Cardiff, Wales (Apr 18-20). Contact: 08452 060 500;

April Meeting, Newbury, Berkshire (Apr 20-21). Contact: 01635 40 015;

Queen Elizabeth II's birthday (Apr 21);

Harrogate Spring Flower Show, Yorkshire (Apr 24-27). Contact: 01423 56 10 49;

The Races Gold Cup, Sandown Park Racecourse, Surrey (Apr 25-26). Contact: 01372 46 43 48;

Polo season starts April 28 and continues through to Sept. Contact: Hurlingham Polo Association, 01367 24 28 28;

MAY

Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire (May 1-4). Contact: 02073 85 05 91;

Royal Caledonian Ball, Grosvenor House Hotel, London (May 2). Contact: 07968 73 50 52;

2000 Guineas, Newmarket, Suffolk (May 3-4). Contact: 01683 67 55 00;

May Festival Chester Races, Cheshire (May 7-9). Contact: 01244 30 46 00;

Royal Windsor Horse Show, Buckinghamshire (May 8-11). Contact: 01753 86 06 33;

Chatsworth Horse Trials, Derbyshire (May 10-11). Contact: 01246 56 53 00;

Newbury International Spring Festival, Berkshire. Primarily classical music from top performers (May 10-24). Contact: 01635 52 87 66;

Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Hampshire (May 18-Aug 31). Contact: 01273 81 38 13;

Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London (May 20-24). RHS member bookings: 08709 06 37 80; non-member bookings: 08709 06 37 81;

Bath International Music Festival, Avon (May 21-June 7). Contact: 01225 46 33 62;

PGA Championship, Wentworth, Surrey (May 22-25). Contact: 01344 84 04 00;

Hay Festival. Ten-day festival in the Welsh border town of Hay-on-Wye featuring renowned international authors (May 22-June 1). Contact: 08709 90 12 99;

Blair Athol Highland Gathering, Perthshire (May 25). Contact: 01796 48 12 07;

Royal Bath And West of England Show, Somerset (May 28-May 31). Contact: 01749 82 22 22;

Holker Garden Festival, Cumbria (May 30-June 1). Contact: 01539 55 83 28;

JUNE

The Oaks (June 1), Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey. Contact: 01372 72 63 11;

Summer Shakespeare Season opens in London (starts June 2). Contact: 02079 35 57 56;

Garsington Opera Season, Oxford (June 4-July 6). Contact: 01865 36 16 36;

Grange Park Opera Festival, Hampshire (June 4-July 20). Contact: 01962 73 73 66;

Royal Cornwall Show, Wadebridge, Cornwall (June 5-7). Contact: 01208 81 21 83;

South Of England Show, Sussex (June 5-7). Contact: 01444 89 27 00;

Bramham International Horse Trials, Yorkshire (June 5-8). Contact: 01937 84 60 05;

The Epsom Derby (June 6-7), Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey. Contact: 01372 72 63 11;

Biggin Hill International Air Fair, Kent (June 7-8). Contact: 01959 57 22 77;

Stella Artois Tennis Tournament, Queen's Club, London (June 9-15). Contact: 08712 31 08 29;

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Burlington House, London (June 9-Aug 17). Contact: 08708 48 84 84;

Goodwood Festival Of Speed, Goodwood Park, Sussex (June 11-13). Contact: 01243 75 50 55;

Grosvenor House Art and Antique Fair, London (June 12-18). Contact 08453 70 00 58;

East Of England Show, Cambridgeshire (June 13-15). Contact: 01733 23 44 51;

Three Counties Show, Malvern, Worcestershire (June 13-15). Contact: 01684 58 49 00; tickets: 01684 58 49 24;

Aldeburgh Festival Of Music And The Arts, Suffolk (June 13-29). Contact: 01728 68 71 10;

Eton And Harrow Cricket Match, Lords, London (June 14). Contact: 02074 32 10 00;

Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday, Trooping Of The Colour, Horse Guards Parade (June 16). Contact: 02079 30 48 32;

The Queen's Cup Final, The Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire (June 17). Contact: 01784 43 42 12;

Royal Ascot, Berkshire (June 17-21). Contact: 08707 27 12 34;

Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh (June 19-22). Contact: 01313 35 62 00;

Wimbledon Tennis Championships, London (June 23-July 6). Contact: 02089 44 10 66;

British Jumping Derby, Sussex (June 26-29). Contact: 01273 83 43 15;


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