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Make way for marvellous May, with two bank holidays and a half term holiday, this month is action-packed with exciting things to do in Hampshire.
Alton Walking Festival
Wednesday 1 – Friday 31 May 2024
May is National Walking Month and the Alton Walking Festival is taking place for the whole of May. A gateway to the South Downs National Park, Alton and the surrounding area has some beautiful walks including the Writers’ Way, the Alton Six Hills Walk, the Hangers Way, and access the St Swithun's Way.
BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair at Beaulieu
Friday 3 – Sunday 5 May 2024
Get some springspiration for your gardening at the BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair at Beaulieu. Set in the beautiful grounds of Beaulieu, the Spring Fair includes Beautiful Borders and The Hillier Experience packed with planting ideas, and stunning floral displays from top nurseries.
Sweat Fitness and Wellbeing Festival at Gunwharf Quays
Saturday 4 – Sunday 5 May 2024
Get active over the first May bank holiday weekend at the Sweat Fitness and Wellbeing Festival at Gunwharf Quays. Taking place over two days, the festival lineup includes free activities to try including Yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba, mindset talks and workshops, and live DJs.
Chilli & Gin Festival, Fort Purbrook, Portsmouth
Saturday 4 – Sunday 5 May 2024
Mixing a fiery fusion of spicy chillis, refreshing gins, and live music, the UK's only chilli and gin festival returns to Portsmouth on 4 and 5 May. Take on the chilli-eating competitions, mix up some gin drinks at a cocktail masterclass, and tuck into the tasty food stalls.
Twyford Waterworks Spring Rally
Sunday 5 – Monday 6 May 2024
Twyford Waterworks will be open to the public for the first time in 2024 during the first weekend in May where visitors can see the working Edwardian Waterworks in action.
Family Fun Day at Fairthorne Manor
Monday 6 May 2024
Fairthorne Manor is celebrating the re-opening of its newly repaired lake with a Family Fun Day on the Early May Bank Holiday. Visitors can enjoy an action-packed afternoon including the use of Fairthorne's paddleboards and kayaks on the lake, the jumpy pillow, den building, zip wire, axe throwing, and more!
Everybody's Talking About Jamie at King's Theatre Portsmouth
Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 May 2024
Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, sold-out UK & Ireland Tour and Amazon Studios award-winning film, the smash-hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is coming to Kings Theatre, Portsmouth from 7 to 11 May.
Mysteries & Mayhem at Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium
Saturday 11 May – Monday 3 June 2024
Science spies and curious kids will love the return of Mysteries & Mayhem at Winchester Science Centre. The Science Spy School live show will uncover the secrets contained in the mystery safe, and young scientists can put their forensic skills to the test in an indoor and outdoor hide-and-seek activity trail.
Dogs Day Out, Alton
Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May 2024
The perfect day out with your dog returns to Alton in May, featuring fun dog shows, displays of agility, stalls, and delicious food and drink for dogs and their owners.
Nature Day 2024 at Gilbert White's House and Gardens
Sunday 12 May 2024
Follow in the natural footsteps of the ecologist Gilbert White on this family fun day inspired by the natural world. Nature and conservation organisations will lead the day packed with family-friendly activities, crafts, and workshops.
Make a splash on the new ride at Paultons Park
From Saturday 18 May 2024
Splash Lagoon, a brand-new mini log flume ride, will be splashing into the Lost Kingdom at Paultons Park in May and you could be one of the first to ride it after it opens on 18 May 2024.
Junior thrill-seekers and explorers will love the Jurassic water boat adventure within the dinosaur-themed Lost Kingdom at Paultons Park. The new mini flume ride will take visitors through gentle rapids to discover new species of dinosaur, ending with a descent into the prehistoric lagoon below.
Alresford Watercress Festival
Sunday 19 May 2024
The Alresford Watercress Festival marks the first watercress of the season, the lush crop that flourishes in the town’s surrounding wild watercress beds. The Festival brings a fresh crop of May merriment including watercress-themed cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, music, song, and dance.
Andover Gardening Fair
Sunday 19 May 2024
Gardening gloves at the ready, Andover's Gardening Fair returns in May packed with seasonal inspiration and fresh ideas for your garden. This free event features plant stalls aplenty, live music, and a Children's Corner with storytelling, face painting, seed planting, and giant outdoor games.
Basingstoke Festival of Transport
Sunday 19 May 2024
The Basingstoke Festival of Transport has become one of the largest festivals of its kind in the South of England, with 800 vehicles including classic cars, buses, and motorbikes all showing up in support of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
D-Day 80 Events at Fort Nelson
From Friday 24 May 2024
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and Fort Nelson will be running a series of special events to commemorate the occasion starting with the opening of a new exhibition on 24 May. D-Day: A Portsmouth Story will hear people with a connection to Portsmouth recalling their memories of D-Day and the display will feature the planning of Operation Overlord through to the events of D-Day and the quiet days afterwards in Portsmouth.
The Big Eat at Royal Victoria Country Park
Saturday 25 – Monday 27 May 2024
Free and food-filled festival The Big Eat returns to Royal Victoria Country Park this May showcasing the best food and drink in Hampshire across three days over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend with an enjoyable side dish of entertainment and live music.
Day Out With Thomas at The Watercress Line
Saturday 25 May – Sunday 2 June 2024
Thomas & Friends will be steaming down to The Watercress Line for the May half term holiday with train rides on everyone’s favourite blue engine along with other characters. There’s also a new Rusty & Dusty outdoor entertainment show with Sir Topham Hatt, Percy, Diesel, and Toad.
Mayfest at The Brickworks Museum
Sunday 26 May 2024
Family-friendly fun at the Brickworks Museum returns with Mayfest – a celebration of spring. Featuring a fun dog show, children's activities, Brickworks' machinery under steam, and the miniature railway giving rides around the track.
Blast Off Double Header: Hampshire Hawks v Surrey & Southern Vipers v Western Storm at Utilita Bowl
Thursday 30 May 2024
Cricket season begins play in May at the Utilita Bowl with the Blast Off Double Header on Thursday 30 May, as Hampshire Hawks begin their Vitality Blast title charge in a spectacular double header with Women's 2023 domestic double champions, Southern Vipers.
Have A Go Day at Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre
Friday 31 May 2024
Finish the month with a day of adventure at Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre where during two-hour timeslots visitors can try activities including climbing, archery, lake activities, and the challenge course.
Inspiration for the Early May Bank Holiday 2024 in Hampshire
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Fancy a May break? Take a look at our huge range of accommodation. Hampshire has something for all budgets including hotels, bed and breakfasts, self-catering properties, and cosy traditional holiday cottages.
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Related
Alton is a vibrant Walkers are Welcome Hampshire town which truly has community spirit at its heart. Situated at the source of the River Wey and with a stunning rural backdrop to the gateway of the South Downs National Park, Alton is known by many as 'Jane Austen Country' with its close ties to its charming neighbouring parish of Chawton.
Join us as BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair returns to the stunning grounds of Beaulieu from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th May 2025. What better way to inspire your gardening year ahead than by joining us for this much-loved show. Set in the beautiful grounds of Beaulieu, this Spring Fair includes Beautiful Borders and The Hillier Experience packed with planting ideas, and stunning floral displays from top nurseries.
Sweat Festival is back, celebrating and inspiring active and healthy lifestyles.
The UK's only chilli and gin festival is back in Portsmouth for the bank holiday weekend of 4 and 5 May.
Discover how the drinking water that's piped to all our homes has been pumped from deep within the Hampshire Downs for over 120 years! Watch the machinery once used to do this in action and learn about its history.
Celebrate the re-opening of the newly repaired lake at Fairthorne Manor's Family Fun Day! A short opening ceremony will be followed by an afternoon filled with activities for guests; use of Fairthorne's paddle boards and kayaks on the lake, the jumpy pillow, den building, zip wire, axe throwing and more!
Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, sold-out UK & Ireland Tour and Amazon Studios award-winning film, the smash-hit and critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie comes to Kings Theatre, Portsmouth from 7 to 11 May.
Calling all science spies and curious kids. Find out where your curiosity will take you this May and June with the return of Mysteries & Mayhem at Winchester Science Centre. Between Saturday 11th May and Monday 3rd June, including every day during May half term, there'll be all the usual Science Centre fun, plus even more to excite children aged five to twelve and their families.
After a sell-out event in 2023, join us for another Dogs Day Out on either Saturday OR Sunday 2024. In the Main Arena watch displays of Agility, Flyball and Heelwork to Music. Take part yourself in a fun dog show – free to enter for all ticket holders. Plus shop the stalls and enjoy delicious food and drink all day. Free sessions on dog behaviour and enrichment are available with workshops to help teach your dog new tricks! All activities are free and on a first come first served basis.
A Family Fun day where we are joined by nature and conservation organisations for a day packed with family friendly activities, crafts and workshops.
The Alresford Watercress Festival returns to the streets of Alresford for 2024.
Andover's Gardening Fair returns for 2024. Packed with seasonal inspiration and fresh ideas for your garden, this free event features live music, children's activities and plant stalls.
Over 800 assorted vehicles, autojumble & trade stalls Refreshments all day, fun and games for the kids.
D-Day 80 will be marked at Fort Nelson with a host of events including a special exhibition, artillery trail and a D-Day weekend.
The Big Eat is back for 2025 form the 24th till 26th May at the Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley. Entry is free for this celebration of Hampshire Street Food. We will have over 60 street food traders and licensed bars onsite as well as a full lineup of music, lots of children's entertainment and a funfair. Also a number of local craft stalls and a healing area. The event attracted 28,000 in 2024 making it one of the biggest street food events in Hampshire. The event is the home of the Hampshire street Food Awards. Come along and join the fun and vote for your favourite street food. We are a non profit event supporting local food banks.
Peep, peep! Join Thomas & Friends for a day of family fun at The Watercress Line. Take a train ride with Thomas, meet some of your favourite characters and join Sodor Station Sweepers Rusty & Dusty for a trainload of excitement!
Family-friendly fun at the Brickworks Museum returns with Mayfest – a celebration of spring. Featuring our fun dog show (one of the highlights of the year) and children's activities, this is a great day out for all the family. Inside, the Brickworks' machinery will be under steam and our miniature railway will be giving rides around the track. Bring the family, bring the dog and join us for our annual early summer celebration.
Vitality Blast is the local T20 cricket celebration in Hampshire, an action-packed competition! Hampshire Hawks are the most successful domestic T20 team in history and host seven huge Vitality Blast fixtures this summer.
Join us for 2 hours of adventure, where you will get to try out a range of activities for just £10 per person. It's the perfect opportunity to experience adventure with friends and family.
