Dust off the summer hamper

It will soon be time to chill the champagne and pack the hamper for the range of concerts taking place across The National Forest this summer. The parkland landscape of Calke Abbey provides a beautiful setting for two fantastic open air concerts in August.

The Music Of Queen – A Rock & Symphonic Spectacular on Friday 8 August, features a full rock band and stars from the West End smash hit musical We Will Rock You, combined with a 60-piece symphony orchestra, performing epic arrangements of Queen’s music. The concert at Calke Abbey will climax with a stunning fireworks finale.

This is followed on Saturday 9 August with Calke’s Flying Proms Spectacular. The English National Orchestra, led by Jae Alexander, will perform a superb programme of popular classics, film themes and all the firm favourites associated with “Last Night of The Proms”. The concert begins with a dramatic aerial display by an original WW2 Spitfire, whilst the orchestra performs the rousing Dambusters March and 633 Squadron.

For more information on both events visit the website at Maconcerts.co.uk.

Heather Music Festival between Friday 1 - Sunday 3 August has an eclectic mix of music from big band to rock, jazz to classical, with the odd pop band thrown in for good measure.

Set beside a pretty lake and surrounded by woodland, Conkers’ covered amphitheatre will be rocking audiences with a packed programme of bands throughout the summer months. The Animals return to Conkers along with The Merseybeats and The Nashville Teens to create a Sixties Spectacular on Saturday 14 June.

Rats In The Kitchen, the UK's number one UB40 tribute band, playing on Saturday 28 June, always has everyone up dancing by the end of the night! Saturday 12 July will see Seventies Showstealers, Slade and T-Rex rocking the crowds and on Saturday 23 August U2:UK will capture the unique sound, the look and the stage charisma of U2. This will be followed on Saturday 16 August by a night of rock nostalgia featuring the exceptional music of Dire Straits, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

Finally, Talon will be playing on Saturday 6 September to recreate the legendary sound of The Eagles. For more details on the individual events at Conkers visit the website - Visitconkers.co.uk.

The annual Bloodstock heavy metal music festival will be held on Friday 15 - Sunday 17 August at Catton Park. Chris Slade from ACDC described the concert by saying “Bloodstock is a festival NO metalhead should miss”.

The National Forest Folk Festival is putting on an impressive line-up of bands at Conkers from Friday 4 –Sunday 6 July including Hayseed Dixie, Seth Lakeman, 100 Man Orchestra, Dave Swarbrick and many more. Tickets for the festival are available through the festival’s website - Affc.demon.co.uk.

The Melbourne Festival 2008 consists of an Art & Architecture Trail and a Festival of Performing Arts, including a classical concert on Thursday 11 September featuring JS Bach's jubilant cantata for soprano, trumpet and strings. For more information visit Melbournefestival.co.uk.

But for those eager to hone their own singing voices, there is a workshop ‘Everyone Can Sing’ with Robert Newton on Thursday 18 August at Rosliston Forestry Centre.

And as well as the music concerts, there are hundreds of events taking place across The National Forest throughout the year. These include outdoor performances such as Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in the beautiful grounds of Calke Abbey on Friday 25 July, the Clash of the Knights at Ashby de la Zouch Castle on Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 July, numerous guided walks throughout the summer and The National Forest Wood Fair on Monday 25 August.

To find out what events are taking place the website Nationalforest.org provides a full listing. The National Forest’s newsletter, Forest Scene, also has details of events, dates and contact numbers to get tickets.

Penny Wilkinson, Tourism and Promotions Officer for the National Forest Company said: “The National Forest provides a fantastic back-drop for music and theatrical events, making it increasingly popular as a venue for organisers to stage concerts here.”

For more information on attractions, activities, events and places to stay in and around The National Forest, the 2008 visitor guides to the Forest and Beyond are bursting with great ideas. These are available from Tourist Information Centres or by emailing Discover@nationalforest.org.