Sour Cherry Soup comes to Chiltern Open Air Museum

‘Sour Cherry Soup’, a new 45 minute one woman show tells the story of the changing landscapes and populations of the Chilterns, as well as how the history of cherries is also the history of Southern England, reflecting the richness of the landscape, past, present and future.

Written by playwright Sara Clifford for the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme, the show has been inspired by real stories of Chilterns people, gathered by Sara at creative workshops and discussions with community groups across the Chilterns.

The stunning chalk landscape of the Chilterns is crisscrossed by historic pathways, hillforts and burial mounds, full of ancient woodland, hedgerows and chalk streams, with traces of human occupation going back at least 5000 years  – plus the cherry orchards, cultivated by generations of farmers ploughing the land, a bygone culture literally beneath our feet in the local towns and villages.

But it’s also a contemporary landscape, a thriving environment that supports busy town populations and diverse communities, as well as glorious walks across the hills and a fragile ecosystem of protected plants and animals. Join us to dive into the Chilterns in a way you may not have experienced before!

Need to know

• Please make your way to the Northolt Barn by 1:45pm, the performance will start at 2pm and will last 45 minutes
• This performance will be outside and no seating is provided – please bring chairs / rugs to sit on
• Please dress for the outdoors, but in the event of very wet weather we will move the performance into the barn
• Suitable for adults and children aged 12 . Younger children are welcome but they may not find the show very engaging
• The venue is wheelchair and buggy accessible
• This event can be booked in advance, for a £3 in addition to COAM entrance fee. Please enjoy all that the museum has to offer before and after the performance!

Brought to you by In Roads Productions for the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs in partnership with COAM.

Green Festival at Chiltern Open Air Museum

At this special green event: listen to live acoustic music, head to the green market, take part in wellbeing activities, meet a horse-riding nymph and 18ft tree puppet, and discover ways that you can help take care of our environment.

• Head to the artisan market where you’ll be able to buy eco-friendly products from a wide range of stalls
• Attend talks on nature and the environment delivered by expert speakers
• Listen to live music from folk collective Bottlefolk on Tour
• Get involved in fun activities for the whole family, including eco-friendly arts and crafts for kids
• Watch a performance by Arbor the Tree, the 18ft tree puppet!
• Focus on wellbeing at Tai Chi and yoga taster sessions run by Sport in Mind
• Visit the Chiltern Sound Spa’s meditation and wellbeing space
• Tour the museum’s gardens and orchards and meet the team that looks after them
• Find out about sustainable gardening and how to get the most out of your herbs and compost
• Learn about bees from a beekeeper with a live hive
• Find out about chalk streams and the River Chess Smarter Water Catchment initiative, and learn ways that you can help to save water
• Immerse yourself in nature with local bushcraft expert David Willis, who will be providing guided woodland tours and spoon carving demonstrations
• Chat to local conservation groups and organisations about their work and projects and find out how you can get involved*

*Groups include: The Chiltern Society, Chilterns Conservation Board, Woodoaks Farm, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, Sustainable Amersham, The Oasis Partnership, Watford Recycling Arts Project, Colne Valley Regional Park and Chiltern Bee.

Arbor the Tree

Part man. Part tree. 18 feet tall. Meet Arbor.

Follow Arbor as he strides around COAM, vanishing between trees and emerging with a cart full of tree seeds. Arbor tells the story of a tree pushed from his home and his fight to preserve his future.

Arbor is a visually stunning show with lots of lovable puppets. Created by the award-winning puppetry and theatre company, Smoking Apples.

Suitable for the entire family. Ages 4 – 11 years.

Specialist Talks

Allen Beechey – Chilterns Chalk Streams Projects Manager (CCB) –A talk on the ecology of the Chilterns chalk streams

Adrian Porter – Chiltern Chalk Streams Rivers Officer (CCB)–A talk on chalk stream restoration, practical volunteering, citizen science and how you can get involved

Dr Wendy Morrison – Heritage and Archaeology Manager (CCB) –A talk on how humans have shaped the Chilterns

Paul Jennings – Chair of the River Chess Association and local farmer – A farmers perspective on conscientious management and the importance of the River Chess

Chiltern Open Air Museum are pleased to see the return of their annual Classic Vehicle Show. Join them for a weekend celebration of classic vehicles. Come and admire an amazing collection of classic cars, motorcycles and historic bicycles. You will also be able to come and see a collection of historic tractors and wagons on our farm, which was once used for filming TV drama Downton Abbey.

Standard admission prices apply for visitors. Discounted entry when you pre-book your tickets. Free entry for Annual Pass holders.

Want to exhibit?

If you would like to exhibit your classic vehicle, COAM would love to have you.

Please book your Exhibitor tickets here. If you are attending on both days or bringing more than one vehicle, please add a ticket for each.

A note on the weather

The Museum is a charity and this fundraising event relies on lots of wonderful classic car owners exhibiting their cars on a voluntary basis. If the English weather is wet the event will still go ahead, however, these cars are our exhibitors pride and joy and some exhibitors may decide not to exhibit in these conditions.