All the info for the UK’s luxury summer events

 

 

The UK’s calendar for luxury events truly heats up in the summer. From tennis to gardening, there’s something for everyone to have an incredible day out. Attending prestigious events like these goes far beyond simply the fun you’ll have on the day out. There are many opportunities for networking, meeting like minded society people and trying exclusive food and drink from acclaimed catering providers. If you’re interested in getting yourself to one of the biggest events of high society’s’ calendar this year, here is all the info you need.

Royal Ascot

One of the biggest society events of the year. Royal Ascot has hundreds of years of history, beginning around 1711. It is a smorgasbord of luxury, from delicious food to fancy fashion and hats, alongside the best racehorses around. The Royals themselves attend the event every day, and enter the procession on horse drawn carriages which guests can watch. The Royals then go to the Royal Enclosure, the most prestigious enclosure of Ascot, entered on an invitation-only basis.

Of course one of the highlights of Ascot is the betting. There is a huge amount of money involved in Ascot, millions of pounds of prize money. It is the most valuable race meeting in the UK. So don your most extravagant hat and get involved with the biggest event in the horse racing calendar.

Date: 18th to the 22nd of June;

Ticket price: From £37 for Windsor enclosure admission on Tuesday and Wednesday to £400+ for The Restaurant in the Village. There are also various fine dining and hospitality packages and add ons available.

Up your buck: Purchase tickets to The Lawn Club on Wednesday (the day of the feature Group 1 Price Wales Stakes which include special access and Royal Ascot hospitality catering, for £443.72.

Chelsea Flower Show

This is the most glamorous day out in the gardening calendar. It features cutting edge garden design, from internationally renowned designers. Throw yourself into an oasis of sensory wonders, alongside finding new plants and ideas for your own home and garden.

The venue features many exciting things to see and learn, including the Discovery Zone in the Great Pavilion for educational and informative exhibits. Discover the science of growing plants, and find out the many health benefits of gardening.

Dates: 21st to the 25th of May.

Ticket price: The last few tickets are the Chelsea late, available at £97.

Up your buck: Purchase a luxury dining experience at Jardin Blanc, with menus designed by acclaimed chef Raymond Blanc. A dining experience ticket also includes entry to the flower show.

Wimbledon

Wimbledon needs no introduction. It is the championship of tennis, and the most prestigious and oldest tennis tournaments in the world, with the first championship taking place in 1877. In tennis, everything culminates into this one summer sporting event. As well as the massive recognition the winner of Wimbledon receives, they also get a whopping cash prize. In 2014 the mens and ladies singles championships took away a prize of around 3 million dollars. Wimbledon is an incredibly British affair, with people dressed in blazers and boaters, enjoying scones and strawberries and cream in the hot weather. The different grass courts host mens, womens, mixed, singles, doubles and different age groups. Some of the greats have made their names at Wimbledon including Roger Federer and Björn Borg. Even though Murray might not be playing this year, there are plenty of other players all dressed all in white (it’s a strict dress code) that you can see instead. Over the 2 weeks competition, 500,000 spectators come to watch. However, these don’t all get a seat in the stands. Lots of people come into the arena and sit on Henman Hill, or now known as Murray Mound, and watch on the big screen.

Date: 1st to the 15th of July;

Ticket price: From £64 to £225 for center court tickets, increasing in price every day;

Up your buck: Choose from a variety of hospitality suites and eat delicious food included.

Henley Royal Regatta

Once a year, Henley comes alive during one of the worlds best known rowing events. Bright colours and extravagant fashion including striped blazers and bowler hats decorate the landscape and the rowing talent is second to none. Britain’s most prestigious boat clubs plus international clubs, school and university teams. You can witness the famous feud between Oxford and Cambridge university as they compete the 1 mile straight course, or kick back with Pimms or prosecco by the rivers edge.

Dates: 3rd to the 7th of July.

Ticket price: From £27 depending on the day;

Up your buck: There are two official hospitality options; Temple Island and Fawley Meadows. Both offer prime locations along the course, Temple Island being right by the start of the rowing.

All these summer events boast (hopefully) hot weather, entertainment and the best food and drinks that money can buy. They are the reasons many important people visit the UK, and attract Royal attention year on year. Whether you are a keen gardener, a spectator, or just a social butterfly who likes a fruity cocktail, these are the luxury events for your summer calendar.