This August, the team at Hereford Cathedral are inviting people to join them for a week of teaching, discovery and creativity as they host Cathedral on the Close! From Wednesday 16 – Monday 21 August, a marquee will be erected onto the Cathedral Close for a week of fun activities and events for people to discover more about what the cathedral offers.To find out more and book tickets, please visit: www.herefordcathedral.org/News/cathedral-on-the-closeA highlight of the week’s programme will be the Saturday Spectacular which takes place on Saturday 19 August from 11am. Organised in partnership with Hereford City Life, the Cathedral Close will be taken over by roaming dinosaurs, a craft fair and food suppliers. There will also be two stages of live music from local bands including Whiskey River, Vocalise Choir, Cider City Jazz, Bandemonium, LIV42DAY and Three Fiddles Project as well as a licensed bar.There are also two evening performance suitable for families as the cathedral’s new Chancellor James Pacey leads a team in a Sharing of the Parables, which will have been devised in a matter of hours during a Play in a Day Workshop, on the Friday evening. On Sunday evening, comedian and magician Steve Legg will bring a night of tricks and laughter for all ages to the Cathedral Close. Sharing a special selection of his very best tricks along with some brand-new material to celebrate 35 years on the road, Steve promises a night of hilarious moments suitable for those aged 5 – 105!The cathedral is also delighted to welcome two speakers to attend their Teaching in the Tent event on Wednesday 16 August. Katharine Hill, from national charity Care for the Family, will be delivering a talk on Parenting in a Digital Age exploring how to keep children safe, but also making the most of all the digital age has to offer. Later that evening Revd Steve Hollinghurst, Hereford Diocese’s Mission Enabler for the Environment, will present a talk for anyone who cares about us, our environment and is looking for hope in Christianity – environmental hope or environmental problem? These talks follow a morning of yoga and mindfulness led by local instructor Krista Passberger in the Cathedral Close.Alongside these events there are also opportunities to discover the cathedral and its community better. On Thursday 17 August the Cathedral Discovery Day will see groups from the cathedral outside in the marquee sharing different activities in an informal drop in event. The event will include crafts led by the Library and Education Teams, the Broderer’s Big Stitch Stall and Hudson Stonework, as well as tours and the gardeners’ plant stall! On Friday everyone from the local community is invited to join the cathedral for a coffee morning from 10am – tea and coffee will be provided free of charge and a range of baked goods will be available to purchase, made by the Cathedral Café.And finally, Cathedral on the Close ends with the incredibly popular Messy Church! Everyone from toddlers to grandparents are invited to come and take part in a day of creative and fun Christ-centred crafts and activities together. Messy Church will start at 11am and everyone will gather together for food at 12.30pm – families can drop in anytime throughout the day or stay for the whole session which is completely free.
