Ely Scene

Hello you 👋

August has arrived with roaring dinosaurs, rainbow flags and creative workshops across Ely and beyond. From Pride celebrations and whisky tastings to wild pond dips and family-friendly crafts, there’s something for every age and interest this week. Grab your diary, here’s what’s on from 7 – 13 August.

🎟️ Events This Week

• 🏳️‍🌈 Ely Pride 2025 – Amherst Field 
  Ely’s biggest celebration of equality moves to Amherst Field on Saturday 9 August, 10am – 9:30pm. Expect a craft and street‑food market, funfair, community tent, on‑site parking and two stages packed with live acts – including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Vicki Vivacious. Entry is free, so gather your friends and show your colours.

• 🥃 North American Whisky Tasting – The Yard 
  Sample five distinctive whiskies from the USA and Canada at The Yard on Friday 8 August from 6:30pm. The expert‑led tasting introduces bourbon, rye and lesser‑known spirits, paired with nibbles. At £32.50 per person, it’s perfect for whisky lovers wanting to widen their palate. Numbers are limited, so book early and savour the journey.

• 🦖 Dinosaur Invasion & Fun Dig – The Beach at Ben’s Yard

  Roaring prehistoric giants stomp onto the sand at The Beach on Saturday 9 August, 11am – 4pm. Walk among life size dinosaurs, join a fossil digging adventure and snap photos with a T‑Rex. The experience is free with your beach entry fee, so grab a bucket and spade for a jurassic day by the lake. Little palaeontologists will be thrilled!

•  🧸 Teddy Bears’ Picnic – Ely Museum

  Bring your favourite bear to Ely Museum’s courtyard on Wednesday 13 August from 10:30am – 4pm for games, story‑time and a bear hunt. Entry is included with standard museum admission or an annual pass, so families can drop in anytime with a picnic. There’s even a chance to win the museum’s own bear – paws crossed!

• 🎨 Children’s Beaded Wire Sculptures Workshop – Haddenham Arts Centre
  Kids aged 8+ can unleash their inner sculptor on Tuesday 12 August from 10am – 12pm. Tutor Amy Witt teaches how to twist colourful beads and wire into freestanding sculptures for just £15 per child. Materials are provided and booking is essential. Parents can relax in the arts centre café while creativity flourishes.

• 🐉 Dragons and Dipping – Wicken Fen

  Pond‑dip with a twist at Wicken Fen on Friday 8 August, 1pm – 2:30pm. Families (age 10+) explore aquatic life, learn to spot dragonflies and listen underwater using a hydrophone. Tickets £5 must be booked in advance. Don’t forget your wellies and a sense of adventure!

Want to reach thousands of Ely readers each week?

👋 Local Picks

• ✂️ Children’s Craft Workshops – Burwell Museum

  Every Thursday in August, Burwell Museum hosts themed craft sessions at 10am or 11:30am. On 7 August, children can get hands‑on with historic tools and take home their creations. Tickets are £6.50 per child and adults go free. It’s a short drive from Ely and well worth the trip.

• 🎹 Organ Recital: Jonathan Lilley – Ely Cathedral
  On Sunday 10 August at 5:15 pm, Ely Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music Jonathan Lilley performs an adventurous programme including Ravel’s Tombeau de Couperin. Admission is free with a retiring collection, making this a perfect way to unwind as sunlight filters through the nave windows.

• 🍿 Chicken Town – The Maltings Cinema

  Fancy a Fenland comedy? On Wednesday 13 August at 7pm, the Maltings screens Chicken Town, following two school friends and a green‑fingered grandad as they hatch a hare‑brained scheme in East Anglia. Dubbed “This Country meets Breaking Bad,” it promises sharp wit and local flavour. Support indie film and see how mischief grows.

😊 Good News in 60 Seconds

• 🌳 Green Flag Parks Recognised
  Ely Country Park and Jubilee Gardens have both won coveted Green Flag status for 2025. It’s the 21st award for Jubilee Gardens and the tenth for the Country Park, recognising well‑maintained green spaces open to all. Volunteers and council staff were praised for creating biodiversity havens with bug hotels, bird boxes and picnic areas.

• 👶 Rotary Club supports Ely Baby Bank
  The Rotary Club of Ely has donated £1,400 to the Ely Baby Bank, which provides essential items to families with babies up to 18 months. The volunteer‑run bank serves hundreds of families with clothes, cots, toys and even coffee and cake in its welcoming space. The donation will help expand their free café and support even more local parents.

• 🚂 Commemorative Plaque Unveiled at Ely Station

  A new commemorative plaque has been unveiled at Ely station to mark the 180th anniversary of the first passenger train arriving in the city. The plaque is part of a series of history boards that delve into the history of the station. The boards are a permanent fixture and can be viewed on Platforms 2 and 3.

Have a great week and dive into something new! 🎉