Essex

I&#8217;ve immersed myself in Google over the last few days to unearth tons of Essex August things to do. Think art, theatre, music, drink and food. Got your attention? Ready, set, scroll.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-fun">FAMILY FUN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-8-1000x667.jpg" alt="Clacton Air Show Essex August things to do" class="wp-image-17736" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-8-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-8-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-8.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What&#8217;s first on our Essex August things to do?&nbsp;<a href="http://clactonairshow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clacton Air Show</a>&nbsp;(22-23 Aug), with its dynamic aerial displays plus other attractions. Twilight flights will also illuminate the night sky with lights, lasers and pyrotechnics.



Grays’ Thameside Theatre – a&nbsp;<a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/muddy-awards/muddy-stilettos-essex-awards-2024-winners-drinks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy Essex 2024 awards winner</a>&nbsp;– has this&nbsp;20 Aug&nbsp;<a href="https://thameside-tickets.thamesidetheatre.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173656035">Wizard of Oz</a>&nbsp;production (2pm and 6pm showings). It’s got all you need to keep bums in seats, journeying down the Yellow Brick Road with a twist!



Hedingham Castle has revealed its open air Adventure Cinema line-up. It kicks off on&nbsp;13 Aug&nbsp;with a screening of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk/events/adventure-cinema-presents-the-great-showman-sing-a-long" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Greatest Showman</a>. You can also see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk/events/adventure-cinema-presents-top-gun-original" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top Gun</a> on&nbsp;14 Aug, or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk/events/adventure-cinema-presents-pretty-woman" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pretty Woman</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;15 Aug.



What&#8217;s next on our Essex August things to do? Head to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.littleeastonmanor.co.uk/event-details/dino-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dunmow&#8217;s Little East Manor</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;10 Aug&nbsp;for dinosaur bones. As well as fossils, kids can also meet a seven metre T-Rex, cheeky raptor and baby dinos.



Then there&#8217;s <a href="https://www.eorailway.co.uk/events/kids-for-a-quid/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Epping Ongar Railway&#8217;s Kids for a Quid</a>&nbsp;event. Child fares are £1 throughout the summer break on all steam and diesel trains.&nbsp;



Thomas fans should visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quaytickets.com/dayoutwiththomas/en-GB/shows/day%20out%20with%20thomas%20at%20east%20anglian%20railway%20museum/events/4">East Anglian Railway</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;24-26 Aug&nbsp;for unlimited rides with Thomas, Percy and Daisy. There&#8217;s also stories, scavenger hunt, train-themed playground and more.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/6-5-1000x667.jpg" alt="Braintree Village Open Air Cinema " class="wp-image-17738" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/6-5-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/6-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/6-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/6-5.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Braintree Village are also on hand to keep you entertained with their&nbsp;<a href="https://braintree-village.com/summer-cinema-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Open Air Cinema</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;20-29 Aug. Get set to enjoy films including&nbsp;Barbie,&nbsp;Harry Potter,&nbsp;Dirty Dancing&nbsp;and&nbsp;Grease.



Water babies should head to St Osyth&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://curvewatersports.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curve Water Sports</a>&nbsp;to try their hand at wakeboarding, tubing and even kayaking. The&nbsp;<a href="https://curvewatersports.co.uk/pages/aqua-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aqua Park</a>&nbsp;looks cool.



More inflatables – but this time on dry land – with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tickettailor.com/events/megafundays/915974?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maldon Promenade Park</a>&#8216;s&nbsp;9, 16, 23&nbsp;or&nbsp;30 Aug&nbsp;dates. Here kids enjoy two hours on bouncy castles, as well as slides, fun runs, assault courses and activity units.



Juggling work and kids? There&#8217;s lots of drop off days from Essex Wildlife Trust. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.essexwt.org.uk/events/2024-08-07-abberton-wilder-holiday-club" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abberton Wilder Holiday Club</a>&nbsp;runs from 9am-3pm on&nbsp;7 Aug&nbsp;and lets 5+ kids take part in seashore searching, fossil hunting, fire lighting and den building.



At Southend Airport on&nbsp;18 Aug&nbsp;see the former RAF&nbsp;<a href="https://avrovulcan.com/events/visit-the-vulcan-classic-jets-day-aug2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avro Vulcan XL426 up close</a>. For an extra fee climb inside for a cockpit tour. There’s also examples of its weapons – 1,000lb high explosive bomb, anyone?



From&nbsp;29 to 31 Aug&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/events/charlie-cooks-favourite-book/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at Chelmsford Theatre</a>&nbsp;your kids can also enjoy a production of&nbsp;Charlie Cook&#8217;s Favourite Book, brought to life with puppetry and songs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-amp-drink">FOOD &amp; DRINK</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-17-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Maldon Smoke and Fire Festival" class="wp-image-17740" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-17-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-17-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-17-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-17.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<a href="https://www.smokeandfirefestival.com/">The Maldon Smoke and Fire Festival</a>&nbsp;(17-18 Aug)&nbsp;needs to be on your Essex August things to do.&nbsp;There’s BBQ Championships, music, kids’ zone, bucking rodeo bull contest, chilli/hot wing challenges and plenty to drink. You can also camp for the weekend.



Another must on our Essex August things to do is this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrightlingseaFoodAndDrinkFestival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brightlingsea Food &amp; Drink&nbsp;&nbsp;Festival</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;24-25 Aug. Think street food and tipples you keep going back for, plus live music, crafts and gifts. £4 entry; whereas kids go free.



Southend&#8217;s Cliffs Pavilion Maritime Room on&nbsp;21 Aug&nbsp;has a great&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/event/other/pie-mash-quiz-21-aug-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pie, Mash &amp; Quiz</a>&nbsp;night. Teams of two to 10 enjoy a drink, tasty pie and mash and finally get involved with some hard-core quizzing.



Cider-lover? Clacton has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tendringcamra.org.uk/clactonfest.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Real Ale and Cider Festival</a>&nbsp;on from&nbsp;21-24 Aug. Beer lovers should head to Colchester&#8217;s Three Wise Monkeys on&nbsp;22 Aug&nbsp;for their&nbsp;<a href="https://threewisemonkeyscolchester.com/events/summer-beer-festival-3/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Summer Beer Festival</a>. Or mark&nbsp;29 Aug to 1 Sept&nbsp;on your calendar for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Coggbeerfest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coggeshall Beer Festival</a>.



Toss a coin&nbsp;not&nbsp;to be the designated driver and book this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.peterwattswines.co.uk/shop/Australian-Wine-Tasting-Friday-2nd-August-p666460239" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Watts Wines&#8217; Australian Wine Tasting</a>&nbsp;2 Aug&nbsp;event. There&#8217;s six wines, tasting notes, discounts to buy and nibbles.



Sticking with wine, on&nbsp;24 Aug&nbsp;Dedham Vale Vineyard has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dedhamvalevineyard.com/product-page/wine-festival-early-bird-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">its own festival</a>&nbsp;about the good stuff. Bring camping chairs or blankets for wines, cider, beer, soft drinks, live music and lots of food.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-13-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chelmsford Sausage and Cider Festival" class="wp-image-17744" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-13-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-13-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-13.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



On&nbsp;10 Aug&nbsp;head to Chelmsford for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sausageandciderfest.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sausage and Cider Fest</a>. As well as all the sausages and cider you can manage there’s a fastest sausage eating comp to get involved in. There’s also entertainment, music and EastEnders’ Shaun Williamson as Barrioke.



Bottomless booze your thing? At&nbsp;<a href="https://twelvebar.uk/event/old-school-rb-bottomless-brunch-5/2024-08-24/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southend’s Twelve Bar</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;31 Aug&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;90mins of unlimited cocktails, beer and Prosecco, as well as nacho platters and old school R&amp;B.



There&#8217;s a lot of alcohol in this section, isn&#8217;t there? Let&#8217;s add one more to the equation with&nbsp;<a href="https://colchester-events.co.uk/event/gin-rum-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colchester Charter Hall&#8217;s Gin &amp; Rum Festival</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;10 Aug. Prepare yourself: there&#8217;s over 120 samples to try.



In need of carbs and cake the next day? RHS Garden Hyde Hall has&nbsp;Afternoon Tea&nbsp;on the&nbsp;11 Aug&nbsp;from 11.30am-3pm. £26.50 for the classic option; £15.95 for kids; £31 for Prosecco if your liver can take it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-and-about">OUT AND ABOUT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-7-1000x667.jpg" alt="Richard Ashcroft Audley End House &amp; Gardens " class="wp-image-17746" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-7-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-7-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-7.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It&#8217;s all go on the music front at Audley End House &amp; Gardens, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/audley-end-heritage-live-suede-aug-24/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Suede</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;1 Aug&nbsp;and special guests Johnny Marr and Nadine Shah. The next night (2 Aug) it&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/audley-end-heritage-live-madness-aug-24/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Madness</a>, supported by The Lightning Seeds. On the&nbsp;3 Aug&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/audley-end-heritage-live-richard-ashcroft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Richard Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;with Ocean Colour Scene and Tom Meighan, finishing with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/audley-end-heritage-live-elbow-aug-24/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elbow</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;4 Aug&nbsp;plus guests The Waeve and Dana Gavanski.



OK, so this is in another county, but Suffolk’s got some good gigs at Newmarket Racecourses. You’ve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket/events-tickets/newmarket-nights/james-arthur/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Arthur</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;2 Aug,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket/events-tickets/newmarket-nights/becky-hill/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Becky Hill</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;9 Aug, or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket/events-tickets/newmarket-nights/deacon-blue/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deacon Blue</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;16 Aug. We&#8217;re in it for the latter (shows age).



Our Essex August things to do continues with Chelmsford City Racecourse and the&nbsp;<a href="https://chelmsfordcityracecourse.com/whats-on/ministry-of-sound-ibiza-anthems-2549787" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ministry of Sound Ibiza Anthems with Ellie Sax &amp; Friends</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;31 Aug. Enjoy a live show of reimagined versions of classic tracks that originated on Ibiza.



Can&#8217;t wait for an Ibiza gig until the end of the month?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ibizaorchestraexperience.co.uk/chelmsford" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ibiza Orchestra</a>&nbsp;will be at Chemsford&#8217;s Central Park on&nbsp;9 Aug, with its 26-piece orchestra plus special guest Professor Green.



To Canvey Island now for the&nbsp;<a href="https://events.mhtickets.com/events/74309" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Big 90s vs 00s Festival</a>&nbsp;(17 Aug), with music from Baby D, Livin Joy, Let Loose and Toploader, as well as Toby Anstis playing 90s hits. Because singing Let Me Be Your Fantasy is a must.



On&nbsp;3 Aug&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/35006056968A301F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">80s Calling! at Colchester’s Castle Park</a>&nbsp;sees The Human League, Bananarama, Level 42, The Farm, Hue &amp; Cry and The Christians all on one stage. Retro revival at its finest or what?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-14-1000x667.jpg" alt="Goldie Lookin Chain Essex theatre The Institute Braintree" class="wp-image-17747" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-14-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-14.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Goldie Lookin Chain are also at&nbsp;<a href="https://theinstitutebraintree.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173646666" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braintree theatre The Institute</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;3 Aug. Welsh boys straight out of Newport, they&#8217;re known for classics like&nbsp;Guns Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do&nbsp;and&nbsp;Your Missus is a Nutter.



Then there&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.easternelectrics.com/news/2024-lineup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eastern Electrics</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;24 Aug&nbsp;at Waltham Abbey’s Lee Valley Showground. So who can you see? You&#8217;ve Groove Armada, Joseph Capriati b2b Seth Troxler and more over the bank hol weekend.



From music to tamer affairs now, kicking off with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.explore-essex.com/whats-on/finchingfield-post-mill-heritage-open-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Finchingfield Post Mill: Heritage Open Days</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;18 Aug. Visit the Grade II listed – and oldest – windmill in Essex, thought to have been built around 1756.



Afterwards, head to Southend’s Beecroft Art Gallery’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southendmuseums.co.uk/exhibitions/the-drag-show" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Drag Show</a>&nbsp;for a free exhibit until July 2025 of garments from household drag names. We&#8217;re talking Lily Savage, Danny La Rue and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestants such as Bimini and Tia Kofi.&nbsp;



Finally, <a href="https://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/autumn-fair/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BBC Gardeners’ World&nbsp;Autumn Fair</a>&nbsp;is at Audley End House &amp; Gardens on&nbsp;30 Aug-1 Sept. There&#8217;s special guests, workshops and garden inspo. And you can also see landscapers go head-to-head to create a garden in just 16.5 hours.



Want to know what else to check out in our neighbouring counties?&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/days-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here&#8217;s lots more fabulous events worth travelling for</a>.

Hot off the press! 40+ Essex August things to do

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