Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
Things to do in the UK in February 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 February 2012
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FEBRUARY
2012
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 Snowdrops |
| Fri 3 Feb - Sun 5 Feb 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Amsterdam & Brugge Budget ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Sat-Sun: Overnight Hilton Hotel Oxford, Stonehenge & Bath ; Horse Riding in Wild Wales ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: Cambridge ; Cambridge ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Windsor and Hampton Court ; Belgium - a day in beautiful Bruges * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Sat 4 Feb - Sun 5 Feb 2012 |
Six Nations Championship, UK/France/Italy International rugby competition (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy). Saturday: 2:30pm France vs Italy ; 5:00pm Scotland vs England Sunday: 3:00pm Ireland vs Wales * Rugby in the UK: Life/Sport/Rugby * Photos from a visit to a Six Nations game: Ideas/Album/SixNations |
 Six Nations rugby |
 Twickenham rugby stadium |
| Sun 5 Feb 2012 | Clown Service, London Each year, on the first Sunday in February, clowns gather for a church service in East London in memory of the British clown Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837). The church service usually starts at 3pm at Holy Trinity Church in Dalston (Tube: Liverpool Street, then bus 149 or 242; nearest train station: Dalston Kingsland; map). Afterwards there is normally a performance by the clowns in a nearby school, and a chance to visit the Clowns Gallery and Museum. * Photos from this event: Ideas/Album/ClownService |
| Mon 6 Feb 2012 | Waitangi Day New Zealand's national day, commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 6 Feb 1840. New Zealanders may celebrate with a meal, drink or party. * New Zealand links: Links/NewZealand |
| Mon 6 Feb 2012 | Queen's Accession: gun salutes, London/Windsor Queen Elizabeth came to the throne (aged 25) on 6 February 1952, the date when her father King George the Sixth died. To mark this event, 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. |
| Fri 10 Feb - Sun 12 Feb 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Paris Eurostar ; Amsterdam & Bruges coach tour ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train Sat-Sun: Isle of Wight Overnight ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge ; Wales Coast & Mountains Sat: York ; Bath and Stonehenge ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Cotswolds ; Oxford, Royal Windsor & Eton * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Sat 11 Feb - Sun 19 Feb 2012 |
Jorvik Viking Festival, York A Viking festival in York, including a battle re-enactment on the final Saturday. For full details, see: http://www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/viking-festival * Guide to York: Travel/Tours/England/York |
 Battle re-enactment during the Jorvik Viking Festival |
| Sat 11 Feb - Sun 12 Feb 2012 |
Six Nations Championship, UK/France/Italy International rugby competition (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy). Saturday: 4:00pm Italy vs England ; 8:00pm France vs Ireland Sunday: 3:00pm Wales vs Scotland * Rugby in the UK: Life/Sport/Rugby * Photos from a visit to a Six Nations game: Ideas/Album/SixNations |
| Tue 14 Feb 2012 | Valentine's Day, UK A time to tell someone that you love him/her. Both men and women can send cards or give presents. Traditionally, you do not write your name on the card or present (but you may add a clue so that he or she can guess it is from you). They are often sent by post, delivered by someone else or are hidden: they are not normally given directly to the person. Among the most common presents are chocolates, teddy bears and flowers. Couples sometimes go out for a meal: reserve a table early if you want to go to a restaurant on this day. * Ideas for Valentine's Day presents: Ideas/Gifts/Valentine |
 Valentine's Day |
| Tue 14 Feb - Wed 15 Feb 2012 |
Champions League Football First leg matches from the round of 16 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 |
| Fri 17 Feb - Sun 19 Feb 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh weekend break ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Sat-Sun: Overnight Hilton - Northern England Peaks and York ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: A Day in Wales ; The Cotswolds ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Brighton ; Cambridge, Ely & the Fens * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Tue 21 Feb - Wed 22 Feb 2012 |
Champions League Football First leg matches from the round of 16 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 |
| Tue 21 Feb 2012 | Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), UK Historically, on Shrove Tuesday Christians confessed their sins and asked to be forgiven for them (this was known as "shriving"). It is the day before the period known as Lent, when Christians traditionally did not eat fatty foods (for example: meat, fish, eggs and milk) for 40 days until Palm Sunday, which is a week before Easter Sunday. Families had a feast on this day to eat those foods which could not be kept for 40 days: eggs and milk were used by adding flour and frying them to make pancakes. This tradition is still kept by many families. The popular name for Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day. In France the day is called Mardi Gras, which means "Fat Tuesday". For more information, see here. |
| Tue 21 Feb 2012 | Pancake Races, UK About 500 years ago, a woman in the town on Olney in Buckinghamshire (map) was cooking her pancakes at home when she heard the bell calling her to church to make her confessions. She ran out of her house and rushed to church, still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron, tossing the pancakes into the air to stop them from burning. This became famous, starting a tradition known as pancake racing - people dress up with aprons, hold frying pans and race against each other. Pancake races are usually small events organised by local communities, and are often used to raise money for charity. A race still takes place each year in Olney - since 1950 there has been a friendly competition with the town of Liberal in Kansas, USA to see which of the towns can produce the fastest racer. Some of the pancake races in London are as follows: - Parliamentary Pancake Race: Pancake races at about 10am-10:30am between teams from the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Press. The location is in Victoria Tower Gardens, on the south side of the Houses of Parliament (nearest Tube: Westminster; map). See: http://golondon.about.com/od/februaryannualevents/ss/pancake_day_5.htm - Poulters’ Company Pancake Race: races from about 12 noon - 1pm (pancakes and hot drinks available from about 11am) in Guildhall Yard (in front of London's Guildhall in the City of London; nearest Tube: St Paul's, Bank or Mansion House; map). The contest is between teams representing each of the traditional livery companies (trade associations) and raises money for the Lord Mayor's chosen charity. See: http://www.poulters.org.uk/Poulters_events.html or http://www.thecookandthebutler.co.uk - The Better Bankside Pancake Race: event from 12 noon - 2pm, including races between teams from Bankside businesses. The location is in Cathedral Square, off Montague Close (to the north of Southwark Cathedral, close to the Mudlark Pub; Tube: London Bridge; map). See: http://www.betterbankside.co.uk - Great Spitalfields Pancake Race: race along Dray Walk at the Old Truman Brewery, 91-95 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL starting at 12:30pm (Tube: Aldgate East or Shoreditch; map). For details, see: http://www.alternativearts.co.uk/events * Photos from pancake races: Ideas/Album/PancakeRace |
 Pancake Races |
 Tossing a pancake |
| Tue 21 Feb 2012 | Brits Awards, UK Awards ceremony for British and international pop, shown on ITV1. For details, see: http://www.brits.co.uk. * British pop music: Britain/Music/Pop |
| Wed 22 Feb 2012 | Ash Wednesday, UK Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40-day period known as Lent (the 40 days - excluding Sundays - before Easter Sunday). In Christian churches there are services in which ashes are used to mark a cross on people's foreheads. Some Christians stop eating some type of food during Lent, and use the period for religious thought. For more information, see here. |
| Fri 24 Feb - Sun 26 Feb 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Amsterdam & Brugge Budget ; Paris Eurostar ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train Sat-Sun: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: Canterbury ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Windsor and Hampton Court * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Sat 25 Feb - Sun 26 Feb 2012 |
Six Nations Championship, UK/France/Italy International rugby competition (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy). Saturday: 1:30pm Ireland vs Italy ; 4:00pm England vs Wales Sunday: 3:00pm Scotland vs France * Rugby in the UK: Life/Sport/Rugby * Photos from a visit to a Six Nations game: Ideas/Album/SixNations |
| Sat 25 Feb 2012 | Study Group Fair, London An event for international students, currently based in the UK, who would like to graduate with a degree or masters from a UK university. Meet university representatives or advisors to discuss university entry and IELTS requirements, visa issues and UCAS applications. This event is from 12-4pm at Park Plaza Victoria, 239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EQ (nearest Tube: Victoria; map) For further information and to register in advance, see: http://www.unifis.co.uk |
| Sun 26 Feb 2012 | Maslenitsa, London A free event based on the Russian spring festival, featuring Russian music, dance, theatre and food/drink. In 2012 it will take place in Trafalgar Square, from 1-7pm. See: http://www.maslenitsa.co.uk |
 Lady Maslenitsa (mascot of the Maslenitsa celebration) |
 Russian folk singers |
| Wed 29 Feb 2012 | Leap Day, UK/worldwide Every 4 years there is a leap year, when there is an extra day in February. 2012 is a leap year, so the last day of the month will be 29 February. An old tradition is that women can propose marriage to men in leap years, and this was restricted only to leap day in some areas. The origin is an old Irish tale in which St Bridget (the daughter of an Irish chieftain) struck a deal with St Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) to allow women to propose to men every four years. * British pop music: Britain/Music/Pop |
| Wed 29 Feb 2012 | International football: England vs Holland, London 8pm kick-off at Wembley Stadium * Football: Life/Sport/Football |
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