Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
Things to do in the UK in April 2012
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Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
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Things to do in the UK in April 2012
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APRIL 2012
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 Cherry blossoms |
 Tulips |
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EASTER
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| The Easter weekend is the time when Christians
remember the time that Jesus Christ was killed on a cross and later came
back to life. People eat "hot cross buns": currant buns with a
symbol on the top which represent the cross on which Jesus was killed (these
are cut in two, toasted, and butter is spread on each half). The date of
Easter changes each year, but it is always between the end of March and
the end of April. The 4-day holiday period is used by many people as a chance to travel. Airports can be very busy (book your flights early). If you are travelling by train, check if there is engineering work on the part of the railway network you need: extra bus services will be organised, but journeys can take longer. If you are driving, note that the roads can be very busy (especially on Thursday, Friday and Monday), and check for roadworks before travelling. If you want to go on a tour, try to book this early. Easter is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring (Eostre). Eggs and bunnies (baby rabbits) are two symbols that represent new life. There are many Easter traditions involving eggs, including eating chocolate Easter eggs, egg races, egg hunts and egg painting. |
 Statue of Jesus on the cross |
 Hot cross buns |
 Chocolate Easter bunny |
| Sun 1 Apr 2012 | April Fool's Day, UK Be careful - it is traditional for people to try to trick you ("fool you", "play a practical joke on you"). This is meant to be for fun, so try not to take it too seriously if someone tries a joke on you or tries to make you believe something strange. One of the most famous examples in Britain was a documentary shown on television about the spaghetti harvest in Italy! Many people believe that someone should only be tricked in the morning, otherwise the person who is doing the tricking is the "fool". The tradition may have started in France, where New Year's presents used to be exchanged on April 1st. In 1582 the Western calendar was changed, and New Year's Day was moved from 25th March to 1st January. Some people kept their former New Year's customs, but other people would think they were fools and would make fun of them. The custom of fooling people on this day was later copied in Britain and many other parts of the world. |
| Tue 3 Apr - Wed 4 Apr 2012 |
Champions League Football Second leg matches from the quarter-finals stage of the Champions League For further information, see: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague or http://www.itv.com/sport/football/champions_league * Football: Life/Sport/Football |
| Thu 5 Apr 2012 | Maunday Thursday, UK Maunday Thursday is when Christians remember the Last Supper, when Jesus met with his followers before he was betrayed by Judas and was captured by the Romans. |
| Fri 6 Apr - Mon 9 Apr 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Mon: Easter Holiday weekend in Paris ; Easter in Edinburgh Fri-Sun: Amsterdam & Bruges coach tour ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Fri-Sat: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Fri: Stonehenge Private Viewing Morning Sat-Sun: Sat: Cambridge Sun-Mon: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sun: Mon: Stonehenge Private Viewing Evening * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Fri 6 Apr 2012 | New tax year starts, UK The start of the new tax year. If you paid too much income tax during the previous tax year (6th April - 5th April), you can claim a tax refund. For UK tax information, see: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk Tax checker: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/stc.htm * Further details: Work/Employment |
| Fri 6 Apr 2012 | Good Friday, UK A public holiday in the UK. Some supermarkets and larger shops will be open, but many local shops will be closed. Buses and trains will run, often with a service that is similar to a normal Saturday or Sunday service. Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the death of Jesus Christ, who was crucified (killed on a cross) by the Romans. Christian churches hold special services. * Photos and information about Good Friday traditions: Ideas/Album/Good-Friday |
| Sat 7 Apr - Sat 14 Apr 2012 |
Jewish Passover Jewish people celebrate the festival of Passover during this 8-day period. Work is not permitted on the first two and the last two days of Passover. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/passover_1.shtml |
| Sat 7 Apr 2012 | Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race, London An annual university boat race on the Thames in London between Oxford University (the "Dark Blues") and Cambridge University (the "Light Blues"). The teams toss a coin to choose which side of the river they start (the north side is "Middlesex", and the south side is "Surrey": these are the names of the counties on each river bank. The race starts at Putney Bridge (near Putney Bridge underground station, on the Wimbledon branch of the District line; see: map), and ends after a distance of 4.25 miles (7 kilometres) just north of Chiswick Bridge (near the railway station Mortlake; see: map). The starting time changes each year, depending on the tide. Thousands of people line the river to see the two boats pass (after this people often rush to the nearby pubs to watch the rest of the race, which lasts about 20 minutes). The first contest took place in 1829, after a student at Cambridge challenged his friend at Oxford. Each year about 400 million people watch the event on television, in over 150 countries. Before the main event is a similar race between the second teams, which are known as "Isis" (Oxford) and "Goldie" (Cambridge). Other useful vocabulary: cox or coxswain (the person who steers the boat), stroke (the rower nearest the cox), bow (the rower furthest from the cox), a clash of oars (when the oars of the two boats hit each other), to catch a crab (when one of the oars gets stuck in the water and cannot complete its stroke). In 2012 the starting time for the race is 2:15pm. For more details about the event, see: http://www.theboatrace.org. You can watch the race live on television. |
 Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race |
| Sun 8 Apr 2012 | Easter Sunday, UK Special Easter Sunday services in Christian churches celebrate the belief that Jesus Christ came back to life on the third day after he was killed (known as the "resurrection"). There are special Easter Sunday religious services. Churches are often decorated with flowers. Children are often given chocolate Easter eggs by their parents or relatives. Sometimes eggs are hidden and children hunt for them in the house or garden. Note that many shops are closed on Easter Sunday, even if they normally open on other Sundays. Visitor attractions are usually open, but you should check before you travel. * Photos and information about Easter Sunday traditions: Ideas/Album/Easter-Sunday |
| Mon 9 Apr 2012 | Easter Monday, UK A public holiday in the UK. Many of the larger shops will be open, but you should check opening times; many smaller shops will be closed. Buses and trains will run, often with a service that is similar to the normal Sunday service. |
| Mon 9 Apr 2012 | Harness Horse Parade, Sussex An annual parade of horses, ponies and donkeys and their carriages. The venue is the South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TL (map) For details, see: http://www.lhhp.co.uk * Photos and information about this event: Ideas/Album/HarnessHorseParade |
 Harness Horse Parade |
| Fri 13 Apr - Sun 15 Apr 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train Sat-Sun: Horse Riding in Wild Wales ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge ; Wales Coast & Mountains Sat: Bath and Stonehenge Sun: * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Fri 13 Apr / Sat 14 Apr 2012 |
Vaisakhi, UK & worldwide The Sikh New Year festival of Vaisakhi is celebrated on April 13 or April 14. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/holydays/vaisakhi.shtml * Photos: Ideas/Album/Vaisakhi |
| Sat 14 Apr 2012 | The Grand National, Liverpool A famous horse race (a "steeplechase", which involves jumping over fences) at Aintree, near Liverpool. You can see it in the afternoon on television on BBC1. Many British people like to make a small bet about the result of this race. See: http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/grand-national * Horse racing in the UK: Life/Sport/Horse |
| date to be confirmed | Holland House, London Free celebration of Dutch culture in Trafalgar Square, London (shortly before the Dutch national holiday known as Queen's Day, which is on 30 April each year) See: http://www.holland.com/uk/Tourism/Theme-1/Holland-House-London/hollandhouselondon-1.htm * Holland: Travel/Tours/Netherlands |
| Tue 17 Apr - Wed 18 Apr 2012 |
Champions League Football First leg semi-final matches from the Champions League For further information, see: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague or http://www.itv.com/sport/football/champions_league * Football: Life/Sport/Football |
| Fri 20 Apr - Sun 22 Apr 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Fri: Stonehenge Private Viewing Morning Sat-Sun: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: The Cotswolds Sun: * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Sat 21 Apr 2012 | Accredited MBA Fair, London Fair for people who are interested in studying for an MBA (from 2-5pm). Exhibitors are all accredited by the Association of MBAs. See: http://www.mbaworld.com/springmbafair * MBA courses: Course/MBA |
| Sat 21 Apr 2012 | Queen's Birthday gun salutes, London & Windsor The Queen's real birthday is on 21 April (she also has an "official" birthday in June which is marked by the Trooping the Colour ceremony: Ideas/Album/TroopingTheColour). She was born in 1926. It is traditional for soldiers to fire cannons to celebrate royal birthdays or other national events. Cannons will be fired in the following locations: - A 41-gun salute at 12 noon fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park, London (opposite the Dorchester Hotel: map ; nearest Tube: Hyde Park Corner or Marble Arch) - A 62-gun salute at 1pm fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London (from the gunpark at the western end of London Wharf: map ; nearest Tube: Tower Hill). Guns have been fired from this location since the time of Henry the Eighth - A 21-gun salute at 12 noon at The Long Walk in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Windsor (near the Brook Street entrance: map) For background information about the gun salutes, see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/GunSalutes/Gunsalutes.aspx or http://www.royalparks.org.uk/tourists/gun_salutes.cfm * Royal traditions: Britain/Countries/Royalty |
 Gun salute in Hyde Park ... |
 ... and at the Tower of London |
| Sat 21 Apr 2012 date to be confirmed |
Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations, Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated in Stratford-upon-Avon, the town where he was born. There is a street procession from his birthplace to the church where he was buried, and other entertainment with a Shakesperean theme. See: http://www.shakespearesbirthday.org.uk * Guide to Stratford-upon-Avon: Travel/Tours/England/Stratford |
| Sun 22 Apr 2012 | The London Marathon, London The London Marathon has been taking place each year since 1981. Many of the runners are taking part in order to raise money for charity. There are three starting points (red, green and blue) close to Greenwich Park (in Charlton Road, St John's Park and Shooter's Hill Road; map); races start between 9am and 10am. The nearest railway stations are Maze Hill or Blackheath; Greenwich train station and the DLR station at Cutty Sark are also close. The race ends on The Mall (map; in front of Buckingham Palace, near Green Park, Victoria and St James's Park underground stations). The centre of Greenwich (near the boat called the "Cutty Sark") and the area near to the finishing line can become very busy (most of The Mall contains seats and can only be accessed by people with tickets). Recommended places to view the race are either close to the start, or somewhere along Westferry Road on the Isle of Dogs (the 15-20 mile section of the race, close to the DLR station Canary Wharf). A free spectator's guide is available from underground stations. You can also watch the marathon on television: it is shown on BBC1 in the morning and early afternoon. If you want to apply to run in next year's race, obtain a copy of London Marathon News from a local sports shop between August and October (not all people who apply are accepted). For further details about the race, see: http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com. * Photos of this event: Ideas/Album/LondonMarathon |
 London Marathon |
| Mon 23 Apr - Sun 30 Sep 2012 |
World Shakespeare Festival, UK & worldwide See: http://www.worldshakespearefestival.org.uk |
| Mon 23 Apr 2012 | St George's Day, England Saint George is the Patron Saint of England. It is believed that he lived in Palestine in the time of the Roman empire. He was imprisoned and killed after protesting against the persecution of Christians by the Romans. A legend was later created about St George - it is said that he saved a village and rescued its princess by killing a dragon. For more background information about St George, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_st.shtml. * Photos from St George's Day events: Ideas/Album/StGeorgesDay |
| Mon 23 Apr 2012 | St George's Day concert, London Free St George's Day celebration in Trafalgar Square |
| Mon 23 Apr 2012 | Shakespeare's Birthday 23 April is the day on which the birthday of William Shakespeare (England's most famous writer) is celebrated. |
 Shakespeare's birthday |
 Shakespearean plays at the Globe Theatre, London |
| Tue 24 Apr - Wed 25 Apr 2012 |
Champions League Football Second leg semi-final matches from the Champions League For further information, see: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague or http://www.itv.com/sport/football/champions_league * Football: Life/Sport/Football |
| Wed 25 Apr 2012 | ANZAC Day, UK & worldwide The name ANZAC is an abbreviation for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli, which took place in Turkey on 25 April 1915 (starting at dawn), during the First World War. 50,000 Allied soldiers (from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France and India) and 87,000 Turkish soldiers died, and many more were injured. This was the first time that soldiers from Australia and New Zealand had been involved in a major battle. Australians and New Zealanders use this occasion to remember those who have served their countries and the Commonwealth in times of war. 05:00 - Dawn Service at the Australian/New Zealand War Memorials in Hyde Park Corner, London (the service will last about 40 minutes) (you are recommended to arrive before 04:30) Later in the morning there is a brief wreath-laying service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall and a commemorative service at Westminster Abbey (tickets for this must be obtained in advance) For more details about these ANZAC Day events in London, see: http://www.australia.org.uk/lhlh/EventsAnzacD.html For further information about ANZAC Day in Turkey, see: http://www.embaustralia.org.tr/anzac/anzacdayatgallipoli.htm See also: http://www.anzacsite.gov.au * Useful general links for people from Australia: Links/Australia * Useful general links for people from New Zealand: Links/NewZealand |
 New Zealand War Memorial |
 Australian War Memorial |
| Fri 27 Apr - Sun 29 Apr 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train Sat-Sun: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge ; Wales Coast & Mountains Sat: Canterbury Sun: * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
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