No one needs an excuse or reason to visit the stunning Castle Howard. The grounds alone are breath taking, and the house… well, you have to see it to believe it. The Castle Howard Estate features over 200 listed buildings and monuments, and boasts 6,100 acres of farmland, 2,100 acres of woodland and 600 acres of parkland. And media bigwigs need no convincing of its grandeur, as Castle Howard has featured in productions such as ITV’s ‘Victoria’, ‘Brideshead Revisited’, and an Arctic Monkey’s music video.
Over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th August, there was even more reason to travel up the Howardian Hills to this truly beautiful location. The 3rd August saw the iconic Castle Howard Proms, and the 4th welcomed Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating for an extra special outdoor concert. We were lucky enough to go to both – and here’s what we thought about it.
Castle Howard Proms
Okay, so I have a confession to make. I’ve never been to Castle Howard. It’s always been at the top of my ‘Places-I-Have-To-Visit’ list, but either life or weather have got in the way and stopped me in my tracks. So not only was I excited to experience the spectacle of the Castle Howard Proms, but I was also finally getting to see the building itself.
Oh. My. God. You HAVE to visit. If you’ve never been, you must; and I really mean that. As I walked up the grassy knoll and caught my first glimpse of the building in the flesh, my breath was literally taken out of my mouth. It’s like being in a film. You just don’t think that a location like Castle Howard can exist in real life, and seeing it right there in front of you really is spellbinding.
But this breath-taking-ness was doubled in intensity by the thousands of people waving Union Jacks in a sea of ultimate patriotism; a huge stage housing ridiculously talented musicians; and Prom-goers donning actual three-piece suits with real candelabras on their picnic tables. I didn’t quite know where to look or how to take everything in, but I was loving every second.
Not long into the prompt 7.30pm start, the orchestra began playing the famous Dambusters. Cue the Spitfire flyover. I cried. The plane that won the war for us was flying over this stunning building, while we listened to an iconic piece of British music and waved the flag of Great Britain. Who wouldn’t well up with pride?!
After wiping away the tears we were introduced to the evening’s tenor, Wynne Evans, famous for driving any telly fan crazy with his ‘Go Compare’ ditties. His voice, of course, was sublime – but I particularly enjoyed his banter. His opening line was “first thing’s first, who’s got hummus?” Made me chuckle, given that probably 80% of the picnic-ers scattered across the grounds will have had hummus in their basket. #Predictable
Everything about the Castle Howard Proms was enjoyable. From the faultless musical performances to the immaculate gardens; the attentiveness of the event organisers to the delicious food and drink on offer; I’d highly recommend it to anyone. Even if you’re not a huge fan of classical music, it’s so much more than that. And my word – they know how to do a finale.
Oh, and top tip: if you’re going to be parking somewhere huge where you’re likely to lose your car on your way back, grab a helium balloon and stick it out your door.
Ronan Keating Live
Hey guys, Nick here. I’m one of the designers at Your Local Link, so you probably don’t see my name pop up too often. But I was given an opportunity to step outside of my usual work and become an honorary member of the Editorial team and review this event, as I’m such a huge Ronan Keating fan.
Needless to say, I was buzzing. I couldn’t wait to see Ireland’s sweetheart in the flesh, and dance wildly to hit songs such as ‘Life is a Rollercoaster’ and ‘When You Say Nothing At All’.
The weather had other plans.
Singer/songwriter Katie Kittermaster opened the evening, followed by indie pop band Miccoli, who stepped in last minute for The Wandering Hearts. The crowd were warming up, despite the rain, and everyone was getting excited about seeing the Boyzone superstar live on stage.
He delighted us all immediately as he walked on to his UK number-two hit single, ‘Lovin’ Each Day’. The rain, which was getting heavier, was definitely not going to stop this amazing night. The atmosphere in the amazing grounds of Castle Howard was electrifying, and so unlike any other gig I’ve been to before.
Sadly, things were about to get a little too electrifying. The weather went from a bad bout of rain (we’re Northerners, we can handle that) to thunder and lightning, in what unfolded to be a truly intense storm. So intense that it became dangerous – forked lightning was directly above us, and when you consider the amount of outdoor electronics (and umbrellas) being used, it was no longer safe for the performance to continue. So, unfortunately, Ronan called it a day.
That being said, we had an amazing time. You can’t not at a venue such as Castle Howard, no matter what the weather says. I’ll be the first to buy tickets for their next outdoor concert.
To find out more about future events at Castle Howard, and to plan your visit, check out www.castlehoward.co.uk.
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