Get ready for exciting events in Britain in 2011
By IANSFriday, December 31, 2010
LONDON - Check this exciting list of events lined up for you in Britain in 2011.
Here is a guide prepared by the British newspaper The Sun:
Jan 7: Oscar-tipped movie “The King’s Speech” is released.
Starring Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter, who both won gongs at the British Independent Film Awards, it tells the story of how reluctant King George VI overcame his stutter.
Jan 8-9: Comic Jennt Eclair, fresh from the “I’m A Celebrity jungle”, kicks off her Old Dog, New Tricks tour with two nights at Norwich Playhouse - and we promise there won’t be a witchetty grub in sight.
Jan 9: The World Professional Darts Championship final at Lakeside Country Club, Surrey.
Jan 14: Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour starts at Nottingham’s Trent FM Arena. Watch 2010 winner Kara Tointon and her professional partner Artem Chigvintsev shake their booties.
Feb 3: Chinese New Year. It’s the Year of the Rabbit and festivities will be held across Britain until Feb 6.
Feb 15: A bigger-than-ever bash is expected at the Brit Awards, moved east this year across London from Earl’s Court to the O2 Arena.
Feb 21: Boyzone are in Liverpool to kick off their Brother Tour, which runs until March 12. On March 8 they play London’s O2 Arena.
March 4: Teen star Justin Bieber starts his British tour at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena. The Canadian singer was the most Googled person in 2010.
April 7-10: Augusta National golf club, Georgia, hosts the US Masters tournament.
April 9: Racing fans will flock to Aintree in Liverpool for the John Smith’s Grand National.
April 9: Singer Katy Perry’s California Dreams UK tour reaches Wembley Arena.
April 16 till May 2: Quiet please, The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, hosts the world snooker championship.
April 29: Get the bunting out, organise a street party and wave the flag on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding day.
May 14: The 130th FA Cup Final, at Wembley, which is followed May 21 by the FA Women’s Cup Final at Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena.
May 18: Opening of “Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (3D and Imax). It’s a good month for films, with comedy “The Hangover Part II” released May 27.
May 26: Hay Festival in Powys, Wales. Bill Clinton dubbed the literary fest: “The Woodstock of the mind”.
May 28: Wembley hosts the UEFA Championship League Final.
June 3: Cotswold Olimpick Games at Dover’s Hill, Chipping Campden, Gloucs. The annual event honours the ancient Games of Greece.
June 4: Racegoers will head to Epsom for the Investec Derby.
June 20 till July 3: A fortnight of Wimbledon tennis.
June 22-26: Gigantic music fest Glastonbury returns.
July 15: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″. Say goodbye to Harry, Daliel Radcliffe, in the final movie of the series.
July 20: Catch the Batman Live theatre show. For the first time, the DC Comics superhero stars in an all-action arena adventure. Tour starts at the MEN Arena, Manchester.
July 21: England’s cricketers begin a Test series against India at Lord’s.
Aug 2-6: Camra Great British Beer Festival, with around 500 UK beers, at London’s Earls Court.
Aug 27: Pride Parade, Manchester, part of the gay Pride Festival. The 21st anniversary, so expect an even more colourful spectacle than usual.
Aug 28-29: Notting Hill Carnival. The largest street festival in Europe started in 1966 and attracts more than a million revellers.
Aug 26-28: The massive Leeds and Reading Festivals. One of the most famous events in festival history was in 1992 when Nirvana played their last UK gig and frontman Kurt Cobain came on stage in a wheelchair as a joke.
Sep 2: Blackpool lights up its Illuminations. The famous light show continues until Nov 6.
Sep 9 to Oct 23: The 2011 Rugby World Cup, expected to be the biggest sporting event ever held in New Zealand.
Oct 21-23: BBC Good Food Show at the SECC Glasgow. Features more than 500 exhibitors plus celebrity chef demonstrations and tastings.
Nov 18: “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn”. Opening of the first of two films based on the fourth and final instalment of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire romance novels.
Nov 20-27: ATP World Tour tennis finals at London’s O2, starring the world’s eight best players, hopefully including Brit Andy Murray.
Dec 2-4: Taste Of Christmas at the ExCeL exhibition centre in east London. Top chefs show how to cook a festive feast.
Dec 16: Release of “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and British funnyman Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn.
The Sun’s annual star-studded awards The Millies, to honour our military heroes.