Raise your hand if your Dacorum Digest newspaper normally makes its way to the recycling bin pretty quick when it comes through the door.

*raises hand*

That was until a couple of editions ago when for some reason I decided to give it a read.  It turns out it is quite the little nugget of local information. 

Now, as many of you are busy parents whose time is taken up with much more valuable things like nappies and a constant trail of child destruction, I have picked out the highlights of what you can expect over the summer in and around Hemel Hempstead.
 

Check out the following below...

The Herts County Show
Ashridge Garden Party (Hospice of St Francis)
Tring Summer Carnival
Water Gardens Garden Party
Flamstead Scarecrow Festival
The Tour of Britain
New Cycling Hub
Gadebridge Park Splash Park Plans

Saturday 27th May - Herts County Show

I have to admit that although I have lived in Hemel my whole life, I've never been to the Herts County Show.  This year I am at a wedding so I am missing out once again!

Tickets are available at http://www.hertsshow.com/ online or via phone and there is a discount if you buy in advance.

If you're not going to the show, try and avoid the Redbourn Road as it is likely to be MANIC for most of the day!

Sunday 11th June - Ashridge Garden Party (Hospice of St Francis)

Head to Ashridge on the 11th June and support the amazing charity The Hospice of St Francis.  They have played a big part in my families life and deserve all the help they can get. 

More than 4,000 people flocked to last year’s event - the biggest community fundraiser in the Hospice’s calendar - raising a record £38,000 for the Berkhamsted charity and making it the Hospice’s most successful garden party ever.

Entertainment includes creams teas, pimms, children's entertainment (pony rides, Punch and Judy, bouncy castle, face painting, circus skills) food, shopping and much more. 

Advance tickets priced £5 are available from the Hospice main reception in Spring Garden Lane, all of its six charity shops, as well as its furniture showroom, Returned to Glory, in Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted, and its Berkhamsted gift shop, number twenty.

Alternatively, they can be purchased on the day for £7 per adult. Admission is free for under-16’s. For more information visit www.stfrancis.org.uk/gardenparty

Saturday 24th June - Tring Summer Carnival

Tring Carnival is a big event for a small town.  It runs from 12-5pm and there will be more than 70 stalls.

The Carnival week runs from Thursday to Sunday lunchtime and the highlight is the Saturday Carnival Day which is a smashing community event for all the family.
This year's carnival has a Wheels theme and includes a classic car show. 

Expect everything you'd see at a town carnival - cake, displays from local school and businesses, a dog show, food, fun and more cake!

Saturday 22nd July - Water Gardens Garden Party

Now, I'm a little sceptical on how they are going to make a usable space out of the water gardens.  In my mind it's simply a walkway from the car park to town - but apparently it is a walkway no longer. 

On the 22nd July from 11:30am there is going to be a Garden Party with face painters, baby raves (?!) children's gardening activities and food stalls.   It'll be followed by a week long Summer Festival in the town centre.

Click Here to see more of what they are doing with the space. 

11th/12th/13th August - Flamstead scarecrow festival

Started in 2002 as a means of raising money for the upkeep of the Village Church and the Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre the festival has gone from strength to strength. Every year so far there have been over 90 scarecrows on display and many people now look forward to the annual event. The last few years over 5000 people have visited the village each year.
 
The scarecrows will be on display and voting forms will be available from mid day on Friday. Voting closes on Sunday at 5pm.
 
In addition to the scarecrows there will be lots of other things to see and do. The village pubs and shop as well as the Pavilion on the Recreational Ground will be open over the weekend selling a range of food and drinks.
 
The village hall will be open selling teas and cakes. In addition there will be range of craft stalls in the hall and the village shop will be selling ice creams, cold drinks and sandwiches.

9th September - The Tour of Britain is back! 

On the 9th of September, Hemel's streets will once again be full of two wheeled vehicles as stage 7 of the Tour of Britain starts in our very own town. 

If this doesn't sound like your thing, probably best stay indoors as if it's like 2014, you can expect a whole bunch of road closures and traffic. 

Open Now - New Cycling Hub

A new cycling hub has opened next to the adventure playground between Grove Hill and Woodhall Farm.

This just happens to be the field where I walk my dog every morning...my spaniel who likes to chase bikes...

Starting soon - Gadebridge Park is getting a Splash Park!

Did anyone else spend their childhood 'swimming' in that tiny ankle deep paddling pool in Gadebridge park?  I was really sad when they got rid of it (and now sad again that I can't find a picture!).  Looking back though I think it was probably a bit of a health hazard!

Well health hazard no more, we're getting a brand new splash park!

There's not too much information online yet, but it seems work is to start in the next couple of months.
The Dacorum website does mention that the 'outdoor facilities' will be shut soon (are we saying goodbye to the crazy golf and giant chess board maybe?)  so it will be interesting to see how it effects the park over the summer.