With longer evenings, warmer weather and – for families – lots of time off school to look forward to, make the most of the summer months at Painswick Rococo Garden, with a whole programme of alfresco entertainment for the season.
Bring the bubbly for an evening of opera on Friday 7 July 2023, as the Gloucestershire pleasure garden plays hosts to a Royal Opera House-level standard musical performance from sustainable opera company, Wild Arts.
Known for its 'affordable and accessible' performances that are ideal for anyone who might be new to opera, audiences can expect a love story told through operatic masterpieces, performed by four up-and-coming stars, with spellbinding musical scores played by a string quartet.
Opera tickets cost £35 for adults and £10 for children aged 16 and under – and include entrance to the garden, so there's time to explore before the performance starts at 7pm.
Following on Saturday 15 July 2023, there's a brand-new wine tasting event, as Rococo Garden teams up with the Stroud Wine Company to deliver a guided safari-style tour, with tastings of approximately 30 different wines from all over the world – served at five different locations around the gorgeous garden.
Pack a picnic or pre-order a cheese and charcuterie box to complement the tasting, featuring creamy cheeses, soft bread and succulent meats, as well as chutney made from ingredients grown at Rococo Garden.
Wine tasting tickets cost £27.50 per person, with the option of a £15 driver's ticket which includes admission to the garden and a soft drink on arrival. The cheese and charcuterie box is priced at an additional £13 per person.
For families, the Enchanted Garden trail is bringing willow-sculpted fairies, dragons and unicorns back to Painswick Rococo Garden, for another year of fairy tale-themed fun.
Throughout the summer holidays from Saturday 22 July to Sunday 3 September 2023, curious kids can embark on a whimsical adventure, following the map to find the other-worldly creatures hiding in the woodland and around the follies. Dressing up is strongly encouraged!
Then, rounding off the summer on bank holiday Monday 28 August 2023, catch an open-air performance of Hercules from IKP – the theatre group known for its 'delightfully daft' shows that put a comedic twist on classic stories. It's bound to get the whole family laughing!
Tickets for the Enchanted Garden trail cost from £7.50 for children aged four to 10 and include an Enchanted Garden trail pack; it's £4.90 for children aged 11 to 16 and £10.50 for adults, with additional activity packs available to purchase for £2.60.
There are two showings of Hercules at 11am and 2.30pm, with tickets costing £12 per adult or £10 for concessions, which includes under 16s and over 60s.
Painswick Rococo Garden is open from 10am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday, as well as every day during the summer holidays.
Tickets for all events, as well as general admission to the popular Gloucestershire attraction, can be booked online via rococogarden.org.uk.
