Cheshire Year of Gardens Events
2008 sees the inauguration of a new contemporary art biennial for the Northwest of England. Tatton Park Biennial opens to the public May 3rd and continues to September 28th during Cheshire’s Year of Gardens ‘08.
Curated by Danielle Arnaud and Jordan Kaplan from commissioning group Parabola, the 2008 Biennial takes as its theme Botanical Collections and Collectors. Tatton Park will commission up to 30 new commissions from artists, performers and writers – all developing responses to Tatton's internationally renowned gardens of distinction – investigating collections, collectors and the wider legacy of collecting amid current concerns surrounding climate change and globalisation.
Saturday Feb 16th
Torifune Butoh Japanese Dance Performance
Torifune Butoh-sha, the internationally acclaimed dance company from Japan led by Kayo Mikami will perform Kenka: Consecration of Flowers. Butoh, founded in the late 1950s by Kazuo Ono and Tatsumi Jijikata, is a provocative mix of Japanese theatre and Western dance forms. Kenka is the story of a dead mother who wanders between this life and the next in search of her baby.
Charges: Normal Park and Garden opening times and entry charges apply
Performance: 2pm – 4pm at the Japanese Gardens.
Tuesday Feb 12th to Sunday Feb 17th
Scarecrow Festival
Come along this Half Term and meet Tatton’s Scarecrow Family in Tatton’s Gardens.
Come dressed as a scarecrow
Hunt for the Scared Crows : Search the gardens and see if you can find 5 crows already hiding from the Scarecrows!
Bring and Dress a Scarecrow Day - Tue Feb 12th
Help decide what our new scarecrow family will wear. Bring along any items to dress them with. Scarecrow games to get involved with.
Opening Times: Normal Garden opening times and entry charges apply
Saturday March 15th to Monday June 2nd
Silk and Threads Exhibition
A display of textile art works in the Mansion exhibition room depicting Tatton’s Gardens
Opening Times: Normal Mansion opening times
Charges: Normal Mansion Entry Charges
Saturday March 22nd – Monday March 24th
Totally Chocolate Easter
Tatton Park becomes a chocoholic's delight this Easter. The Shops, Gardens, Mansion and Farm will all be hosting a variety of activities and displays. Come and learn, taste and enjoy!
The Mansion
Join the Egerton family as they gather to celebrate a Victorian Easter at home in the Tatton Park Mansion. Marvel at the chocolate inspired floral displays throughout the State Rooms, hunt for Easter eggs and have a go at Victorian Egg Painting
The Gardens
Join our pirate in searching Tatton’s Gardens for a hidden treasure chest believed to be full of chocolate bars! Skulls and crossbones are the only clues to finding these chocolate riches! Easter Bunny will be hopping about too!
The Farm
Tilly Tonka and Rosie the chocolate cow are enjoying Tatton’s chocolate milk Farm this Easter. Come and listen to the Farm's story teller, ride on tractor and trailer and follow the cocoa bean trail in Home Farm’s piggery
The Old Hall
Take the free bus and escape to Tatton’s Old Hall and its delightful rural setting. Go back in time as far as the smoky Tudor ages with a memorable and evocative tour of the Old Hall.
Special openings throughout Easter
Shops and Restaurant
Plenty of opportunities to taste and buy a tempting range of chocolate goods and treats from Tatton's Shops and Stables restaurant
Charges: Normal Park and Attraction entry charges apply
Opening Times: Normal Park and Attraction opening times apply
Saturday April 19th & Sunday April 20th
St George’s Weekend
Join us in celebrating England’s culture, heritage and history during a fabulous weekend of family fun! There's magical activities in every attraction and delights for damsels and knights of all ages. Meet knights in armour and sample delicious traditional food. Follow a grail trail through the gardens and listen to the storyteller weave mystical tales. Are you brave enough to venture into the dragon's lair at the Farm and can you uncover the secret symbols in the Mansion
Charges: Normal Park and Attraction entry charges and opening times apply
Special offer: This weekend only Totally Tatton Tickets will allow additional entry to the Old Hall. All other times ticket allows entry to the Farm, Mansion and Gardens only.
Saturday June 7th – Sunday June 15th
Tatton Park Orchid Festival
Experience the best in Orchids at Tatton’s first Orchid Festival, part of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens ‘08 programme of Orchid Events.
During the first weekend (June 7th and 8th) Tatton’s Tenant’s Hall will be a blaze of orchids during the magnificent two day Orchid Show. Visitors will be able to take part in workshops, watch demonstrations and browse and buy from a host of traders and exhibitors. Orchids and other botanical plants will form a spectacular display in Tatton’s Neoclassical Mansion throughout the festival. The Mansion’s exhibition room will also exhibit rare Orchid artwork and books from the Egerton’s private collection. An additional private collection of Orchid art will be on display in the Knutsford exhibition room in the Stableyard.
Charges: Normal Park Entry and Mansion charges apply. Free entry to Stableyard exhibition
Opening Times: Normal Park and Mansion opening times
Wednesday July 23rd – Sunday July 27th
RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park
10am – 6.30pm (show closes at 5pm on 27th July)
The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park promises to be spacious, lively, fun, fresh and colourful. This spectacular gardening event, celebrating its 10th year during Cheshire’s year of Gardens ‘08 is renowned for attracting new talent. Many of today’s hottest designers make their debut at the show with new trends often spotted here first. Vibrant and amusing entrants within the National Flower Bed Competition feature alongside the popular back to back gardens offering a wealth of inspiration for gardeners of all ages. Watch florist students create artistic displays as they compete in a national competition, purchase plants, pick up local crafts and enjoy thought provoking displays by leading horticultural colleges. A day at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park is a ‘must’ in all gardening calendars where you can let the whole family discover the pleasure of plants and gardens.
Tickets are on sale now
Saturday August 2nd
Halle Fireworks & Light Spectacular
Full details available Mid December
Gates open 5pm: Concert commences: 8.15pm
Tickets TBC
Sunday August 3rd
Picnic Concert
Full details available Mid December
Gates open 4pm: Concert commences to be confirmed
Tickets TBC
Thursday August 28th to Wednesday September 3rd
Tatton Park Floral Event – Nature into Art
Cheshire area NAFAS members celebrate Cheshire’s Year of Gardens ‘08 by staging a magnificent display of contemporary floral sculptures throughout Tatton’s Mansion. Inspired by the Tatton Park Biennial, the display is entitled Nature into Art. Budding flower arrangers of all ages will be able to take part in workshops being held on the weekend of Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st in the Stableyard Educational rooms.
The event will culminate with two grand floral demonstrations entitled `the Power of leaf, Form and Flower’ by world renowned demonstrator Jonathan Mosley on Wednesday September 3rd at 2pm and 7pm. Guests are invited to arrive an hour earlier to visit the Mansion and admire the floral exhibits in the state rooms.
Jonathan is a member of both the North East and North Midlands Areas of NAFAS and Vice Chairman of the National Demonstrators' Committee. He works as a professional florist and travels extensively presenting Demonstrations and workshops around the country and abroad on both traditional and contemporary styles of floral design.
Charges and opening times:
Mansion visit: Normal Park and Mansion charges and opening times apply.
Flower arranging workshops Free. 11am to 4pm. Stableyard education room. Park entry charge applies
Jonathan Mosley Flower demonstrations: Public £18, Groups (of 12 or more) £16, NAFAS members £15 (prices include visit to the Mansion and Car entry.) Pre-booking essential on 01625 374428
Saturday September 27th & Sunday September 28th
Harvest Festival at the Farm
See the steam engine running, have a go at scarecrow making, spinning, make your own corn doll and ferret racing
Harvest Blessing at 2pm (Saturday only)
Charges: Normal Park and Farm entry charges and opening times apply
Sunday October 19th
Tatton Apple Day
Join us in the Gardens to celebrate the wonderful apple. Taste scrumptious varieties from Tatton's orchard. Join in apple bobbing and other games in the Orchard. Find out about Tatton's special apple trees. Plenty of Applelicious goodies on sale in the Shops and Restaurant
Charges: Normal Park and Garden entry charges and opening times apply
Saturday October 25th & Sunday October 26th
North West Food Festival
Full details available Mid December
December 2008
A Christmas To Remember
Tatton Park’s celebration of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens ’08 ends with a traditional festive programme of Christmas events. Choose from the wonderful Victorian Xmas Mansion, Gift Fairs, concerts and a visit to Father Xmas at the Farm.
December 31st will see the final day of a four day Family event in the Gardens – a fitting way to see out the year and carry forward memories of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens to welcome in a new year!
Tatton by Candlelight – evenings of Dec 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th
Walk through the beautifully decorated Mansion State Rooms as they shimmer by Candlelight. Visit the Christmas Gift Fair in the Tenant’s Hall
Visit The Christmas Mansion - weekends Dec 6th/7th, 13th/14th and 20th/21st
Visit Tatton’s beautiful Christmas Mansion as it would have been festively decorated in the 19th century
Meet Father Xmas at the Farm – weekends Dec 6th/7th, 13th/14th and 20th/21st
Christmas Concerts – Wed Dec 10th, Thurs 11th, Fri 12th, Sat 13th and Sun 14th
Family Christmas Carols in the Stableyard – Sunday Dec 21st
Christmas Gift Fair – part of Tatton by Candlelight and weekend of 6th/7th
Family Garden Event – Dec 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st