Britain's Finest - Events

Did you know... the Aldabra Giant Tortoise can live up to 150 years!

Join Colchester Zoo as thy share all things smooth and scaly with a range of reptile inspired activities. From the humid habitat of the Komodo Dragons to the brightly coloured Emerald Tree Monitor Lizard, find out more about these incredbile animals and how the Zoo cares for them.

 Visitors will be able to view and purchase contemporary craft and art whilst enjoying the beautiful spring garden with its huge plant collection. Once again, alongside the marquees displaying and selling the work of some of the UK’s finest designer makers, the event will incorporate demonstrating artists, a food village and live music! Pre-book your tickets on line at no extra cost to normal garden entry.

Our civil ceremony & wedding breakfast rooms will be dressed and will be available to view as well as the luxury Garden Pavilion, outdoor Woodland Pavilion and our beautiful bedrooms & suites!

This is probably the most popular course we run here. The May course is sold out so this course is your final oppourtunity to create your own wire hen with Chris Moss.

Wire sculptor, Chris Moss, will be leading this day long course and will expertly guide you through making your own wire hen. It is a perfect step-up for people who have made smaller wire sculptures on the half-day workshops and now wish to make something more challenging, but also suitable for beginners

All materials are provided. Please bring a packed lunch.

Visit RHS Garden Wisley for a special Walkies at Wisley with your four-legged friend. The garden is open from 6pm–8:30pm so you can explore the outdoor areas with your canine companion. Members and dogs go free, non-members £9.25 and £5 (child).

Join Vanessa for a garden walk when she will show you the highlights of the garden in June. This will be an informal tour with the garden owner, Vanessa who will provide you with plenty of tips on the best plants to grow to give you beautiful borders throughout the year. You will also learn how the garden is managed for wildlife and Vanessa will highlight some of the many ways she has blended stunning planting with being wildlife-friendly.

The walk is included in the garden admission for the afternoon, but is on a first-come-first-served basis. There will only be 12 places, so make sure you get on the list when you arrive at the hut!

Start is at 2:00pm prompt and will last about an hour, so plenty of time afterwards for refreshments and a visit to the plant nursery.

As symbols of mystery, desire, danger and wealth, orchids have inspired countless works of art, literature, film and fashion. Their complexity, diversity and rarity have fascinated scientists and obsessed the rich.

In this Old Laboratory exhibition at RHS Garden Wisley, discover beautiful botanical artworks and rare books from the RHS collections, and find out how our different perceptions of orchids - as aphrodisiacs, carnivorous predators, and mass-market commodities - have evolved over time. Included in normal garden admission.

Join us as we celebrate Father's Day, a time to honour and appreciate all dads. Indulge in a scrumptious four-course meal, each dish crafted to delight the taste buds.

As a token of our gratitude, every father will take home a special gift, marking this day as a cherished memory.

Experience an exclusive English wine lunch featuring the award winning Devon Vineyard, Sandridge Barton. Join us in our drawing room for an introduction to the vineyard by Tom Wedgery, with a glass of Sharpham sparkling wine and canapés. Served in the oak panel dining room, the exquisite lunch menu, crafted by executive chef, Chris Eden, will be paired with some of the finest wine of the Dart Valley Vineyard.

Join us for a blooming afternoon of creativity, delectable treats, and sparkling conversations amidst nature's finest offerings. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and discover the art of crafting a beautiful floral arrangement using the freshest spring blooms with local florist the Flower Shop. Following the workshop, indulge in a delightful afternoon tea.

Colchester Zoo Summer Celebrations are set to be sizzling!

Keep the kids entertained this summer by visiting throughout the school holidays. 

You can also enjoy more for your money on 10th & 24th August 2024 with a later closing time!

An action packed weekend of family Drag Racing entertainment including Nitro Funny Cars, Jet Car Show and National Drag Racing classes headlined by 200mph Pro Mods. Plus all things powerful off -track including monster trucks, stunts, sideshows and more. Make this bank holiday one to remember and come along to the three day extravaganza that is Festival of Power! We have an action-packed line up of family drag racing entertainment with all things powerful on and off the track. Explosive track action comes in the form of nitro-burning 10,000 horsepower Funny Cars as well as the crowd thrilling side by side Jet Car shootouts! The entertainment off-track is just as spectacular with an array of stunt and exhibition demonstrations including the ever popular car-crushing Monster Trucks, dazzling family entertainment and multiple 2-wheeled mayhem!