Enjoy the celebrations in Shakespeare Country

Explore England’s England and enjoy a number of wonderful celebrations taking place in Shakespeare Country in 2009. Celebrated for its unique heritage, great theatre and culture, glorious gardens, family activities, fantastic shopping and a variety of restaurants, tea rooms and pubs, Shakespeare Country provides the perfect destination for a short break or longer holiday. Detailed below are just some of the celebrations to be enjoyed.

Kenilworth Castle is hosting a series of exciting Tudor themed events celebrating the 500 year anniversary of King Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne. Another cause for celebration is the launch of the recreated lost Elizabethan Garden in spring 2009. When fully open it will present the most complete picture of an Elizabethan garden anywhere in the world, a garden to seduce and beguile visitors today as it did in 1575.

The re-creation of a 16th century garden has never been attempted on this scale before but has been made possible by advances in garden archaeology and the survival of an extraordinary eye-witness description of the garden, written by Robert Langham in 1575. As a result the garden will be brought back to life, which was once, together with the Castle it adorned, the ‘glory of England’.

Celebrate the world’s greatest playwright with a visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s spectacular 1,030 seat Courtyard Theatre. 2009 brings a magnificent season of productions with Romeo and Juliet running in repertoire from 27 November 2008 - 24 January 2009 and The Tempest from 14 February -14 March. The Winter’s Tale takes place from 31 March – 3 October. As You Like It, Shakespeare’s late play about jealousy, loss and redemption runs in repertoire from 18 April – 3 October. Catch a performance of Julius Caesar from 15 May – 2 October whilst The Comedy of Errors runs in repertoire from 25 June –15 August.

Celebrate the ‘Year of the Mini’ which will be 50 years old in 2009 at the Heritage Motor Centre. To commemorate this momentous occasion the Heritage Motor Centre will be opening a major new exhibition which celebrates the life and times of Britain's favourite little car. The exhibition will feature iconic cars from the museum's collection, including the first Mini produced at Cowley in 1959 and tell the story of the design, production and development of the car that became a symbol for the "Swinging Sixties".

Together with the exhibition, a series of special Mini themed events will take place including the Gaydon Mini Festival on 4 & 5 July and Gaydon Mini Fortnight between 3 & 16 August.

The award-winning Compton Verney art gallery celebrates its 5th anniversary in 2009. Compton Verney offers a unique opportunity to view art in the setting of a Grade 1 listed Robert Adam mansion located in 120 acres of spectacular parkland. The art gallery, which has been ranked as one of the top five galleries in the world for spatial design, houses six permanent collections and has a programme of exhibitions.

From 1 - 4 May celebrate music with the Spring Sounds International Music Festival which takes place at the Civic Hall and Town Hall in Stratford-upon-Avon and at Compton Verney. Spring Sounds 2009 will be a celebration, with performances of the Sibelius violin concerto with Tasmin Little as soloist, the haunting Swan of Tuonela and other orchestral works by Grieg, Nelisen and Dag Wiren. Celebrate literature at the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival, which takes place from 28 April – 4 May. This exciting festival features author events, book signings, lively panel discussions and writers' workshops.

Celebrate the year of the Gardens in 2009 at Ragley Hall with the re-launch of their Rose Garden in June and a garden party. Each month Ragley Hall will host an event focusing on a different feature of the gardens. For instance, in January there will be a tour of the Winter Garden and in July a cooking demonstration and talk in the vegetable garden.

Sulgrave Manor will be celebrating the 350th anniversary of the birth of the first Washington in Virginia: son of John Washington and the great, great, great grandson of Lawrence Washington who built the Manor. Visit the early colonial garden to see the type of plants and crops that settlers would have grown in Virginia in the 17th century. An exhibition about John Washington and related children’s activities will also feature.

Celebrate 600 years of The Throckmorton family at Coughton Court. Explore the historic house that witnessed Gunpowder plotters, priest holes and Catholic intrigues. Discover the family's struggle to maintain its faith against all odds through times of religious persecution until Catholic Emancipation. Meander through the award-winning gardens designed by Mrs Clare Maclaren Throckmorton, taking in the beauty of the Walled Garden, Rose Labyrinth, herbaceous borders, or stroll along the riverside walk and bog garden.

Coventry Transport Museum will be celebrating the birth of the cycle industry in Coventry which took place 140 years ago. In 1869, the Coventry Machinists Company began to mass produce velocipedes, a series of human-powered vehicles created in the Victorian age. 2009 also marks 100 years since the death of George Singer, head of the Singer Cycle Company which built bicycles, tricycles and motorcycles. Take part in various events in and around Coventry to commemorate the date.

Celebrate Shakespeare’s Sonnets with a daily guided walk with Stratford Town Walk. Discover more about Shakespeare, his life, the family houses, why he left Stratford for London and about his authorship. Alternatively visit the Holy Trinity Church and learn about the weeping chancel, the Shakespeare family graves, the bust of Shakespeare and copies of the baptism and burial register.

For theatre and attraction tickets, accommodation, brochures, special offers and more information visit the official website:
Shakespeare-country.co.uk.