Marlborough International Jazz Festival

The Marlborough Jazz Festival celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2011 and is now a favourite on the town's calendar.

When Nick Fogg became Mayor of Marlborough in 1985 he made a promise to the town to set up a festival which would culturally enhance and do justice to this historic market town, which earned its Royal Charter in 1204. Hence the Marlborough Festival of Music was born, which evolved into the International Marlborough Jazz Festival in July 1997.

This summer 2013, from 6.00pm Friday 19th to Sunday 21st July, Marlborough's pubs and other venues will host live jazz music. Music styles vary from Traditional Jazz to African Beats, Fusion, Latin, Swing Bebop and Blues.

For this one weekend Marlborough becomes the closest thing to New Orleans this side of the Atlantic as the town goes Jazz mad.

There are various combinations of tickets available for the weekend but the most popular is the weekend stroller ticket which allows you to dip in and out of most of the venues as you please during the entire weekend. All performances are within easy walking distance from the Orchard B&B.

A special bus service operates from Swindon Bus Station to Marlborough, calling at the villages en route and all details can be found on the website: Malborough Jazz

International Horse Trials at Barbury - and Wiltshire County Show

The Barbury Castle Estate comprises 2,000 acres of farmland, woodland and downland, just outside Marlborough and it is on this beautiful estate that the Horse Trials and County Show take place in July each year.This year it is between the 4th and 7th of July, 2013.

Horses have always been at the centre of the Barbury Estate and the now famous International Horse Trials also host the Wiltshire County Show, providing a wonderful day out for the whole family. If cookery and food are your interests visit the 'Festival of Food' marquee and enjoy the opportunity to sample and buy locally and country - wide sourced food. You can also watch while celebrity chefs demonstrate their skills.

Or maybe you'd like to see the traditional and modern farming techniques being demonstrated or browse the many trade stands to find that unusual 'not on the High Street' gift.

There is something for everybody at the Barbury International Horse Trials and Wiltshire County Show. It is a wonderful event and offers so much more than the splendid opportunity to see top class horses and their riders. Click Barbury Horse Trials for the official website Barbury Horse Trials .

"Many thanks. As usual, fantastic. See you again soon"

- Penny, Luxembourg (March/April 2017)