Two superb headline acts will bookend this year’s Lincoln Jazz Week, which takes place from 10^th to 18^th May.

Claire Martin OBE and The Montpellier Cello Quartet will open the festival with an unmissable concert at Lincoln Drill Hall on Friday 10^th May.

A week later British music icon Georgie Fame will be wrapping up the festival with a unique blend of jazz, rhythm and blues at the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) on Saturday 18^th May.

As if that weren’t enough, organisers Lincoln BIG have laid on a further 20 jazz sessions throughout the week – many of which are free to attend.

One of these free events is Jazz It Up, which takes place at the Lincoln Hotel on Eastgate on Saturday 11th May. The event features food, dancing and music from five-piece jazz band Midnight Masquerade and Go Jive with BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Melvyn Prior acting as host for the evening

Whether you prefer ragtime, bebop, continental, swing or acid fusion, there’s bound to be something to suit everyone at Lincoln Jazz Week!

Spectacular dragon boat races will be the centrepiece of a day of charity fund-raising on Brayford Pool next month.

Bishop Grosseteste University will stage the event on Saturday 18^th May – and they’re looking for businesses to enter teams and take part.

Dragon boat racing, which originated in ancient China, is proving to be a hit across Europe and is the fastest growing water activity in Britain today.

Crews of 11 to 15 people will race over a 200m course in 30-foot boats which are decorated to reflect the Chinese heritage of the sport.

The festival, which is being staged by Bishop Grosseteste University and Gable Events, will also feature family entertainment, activities for children, live music and a pamper tent.

Paul Stephenson, Fundraising and Campaigns Manager for BGU, said dragon boat racing is becoming ever more popular in the charity sector.

“It’s something that can engage our young student population, as well as having a wider appeal to businesses with its aspects of competition and team building,” he said.

“It’s fantastic that we can bring this all together to create an exciting charity event.”

Funds raised will go towards Bishop Grosseteste’s Sowing Seeds Growing Minds Programme, an initiative designed to educate children both in England and in the developing world about nutrition and healthy diets.

The team that raises the most money for the BG Foundation Fund will receive the Charity Trophy and win themselves a meal courtesy of Longdales B&B at BGU. There will also be trophies and medals awarded to the top crew, the best placed mixed gender crew and the best dressed crew.

There are two categories of entry fee per team – Standard and Gold – which cost £550 and £1,000 respectively. Both include the required equipment and qualified instruction, as well as advertising incentives for participating businesses.

To find out more call Bishop Grosseteste University on 01522 583760 or visit the website www.bishopg.ac.uk and follow the Support BG link to Dragon Boat Festival.

Hot on the heels of Carluccio’s, Ribs ‘n’ Bibs and Lincolnshire Red Steak House, another eating establishment has opened in Lincoln city centre.

On Tuesday Churchill’s opened its doors to customers on the upper High Street. Owner Matthew Parsons (24) has refurbished the former shop premises and now offers traditional British meals and refreshments.

The enterprise has created 15 jobs and Matthew, whose parents run Churches Restaurant in Boston, says business has been brisk over the first few days.

“The place has been packed every day so far and we’ve been absolutely manic,” he said. “I moved to Lincoln after university and thought we could recreate the success of the Boston restaurant in Lincoln.

“We had thought about a New York themed bar but we changed our mind and now try to cater for people who are looking for a traditional English meal who perhaps don’t want to sit in a pub.”

The value-for-money menu is full of old favourites such as steak and kidney pie, Lincolnshire sausages and Cornish pasties, but there are also paninis and pasta dishes for those who prefer a taste of the Continent.

Matthew welcomes the recent investment in cafés and restaurants in Lincoln and says it’s good news for the city.

“Many restaurants have opened recently and all are in high-quality refurbished premises. These companies are putting money into Lincoln and raising the bar for everyone else.

“The quality is getting better all the time and that can only be good for both the locals and the tourists who visit the city.”

Pictured are Churchill’s owner Matthew Parsons (left) and Head Chef Blake Jones.

Organisers of the much-anticipated Lincoln Inspired have announced that tickets for the community arts festival go on sale on Saturday 30^th March.

The festival, which will take place in venues across the city from the 7^th to 12^th May, will feature a mix of headline acts, writing workshops, music, comedy, conversation, food, film, theatre and events for children and schools.

And, in what the team behind Lincoln Inspired is calling a “major coup”, Lord Melvyn Bragg will visit Lincoln as part of the festival to discuss his eagerly-awaited new novel Grace and Mary.

Born from the discussions of like-minded arts enthusiasts, Lincoln Inspired has been put together by a team of volunteers led by resident arts consultant Sara Bullimore. In its debut year, organisers are hopeful that they have struck the right chord and can become a regular feature of the Lincoln community arts scene.

“We’ve worked hard to bring together a programme to appeal to as many people as possible. We’ve also tried to keep ticket prices as low as we can too, and some events are free,” said Sara.

The range of events will include top comic Mitch Benn at the Drill Hall, astronomy with Paul Money, wine tasting led by local expert Geoff Adams at the Lincoln Hotel and a Spanish-themed evening at the Bowl Full Tapas Bar. All of this, plus free story telling events, workshops for aspiring writers and much, much more.

There will also be one incredibly special (and scary!) guest making an appearance on Saturday 11^th May.

As part of celebrations to mark 50 years of the iconic BBC television series Doctor Who, writers, directors and actors from the show’s past and present will join Siren FM co-founder Alex Lewzcuk to discuss its rich history, accompanied by a Dalek!

“We will ensure that both the classic and contemporary of the show are celebrated and we hope to showcase the heart of the series; or in the case of the Doctor, the two hearts of the series.”

Alex, who has published academic research on both classic and contemporary science fiction, also joked that, “It will not be my first time interviewing a Dalek!”

As well as the live events in May arts lovers can tune into Siren FM, one of the festival’s major partners, who are building up to the event with various features and interviews.

The founders of Lincoln Inspired have opted against traditional funding methods, instead organising charity events to raise their own capital and partnering with generous individuals, businesses and organisations from within the city and further afield.

With this ethos of community involvement, the Lincoln Inspired team is confident that this ambitious project can provide enjoyment, entertainment and inspiration in the city of Lincoln for many years to come.

To get all the details on the programme of events, to book tickets and to find out how you can be involved, visit www.lincolninspired.co.uk, find Lincoln Inspired on Facebook or search @lincolninspired on Twitter.

The Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society will open the doors to the Road Transport Museum this Easter  Sunday, with patrons being treated to an all access open day.

The event, which the society hosts twice a year, will allow entry to hidden areas of the museum –  including the workshop – which will mean enthusiasts get the chance to view vehicles which are not  normally on public display.

Not only will visitors be treated to a unique look at vintage vehicles undergoing repair and restoration, but the open day will feature visiting cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, buses and coaches from across the United Kingdom.

Visitors to the museum will also have the opportunity to see many of the museum’s cars and buses take to the road for the day, offering a chance to see, hear and travel on the transport of previous generations.

A number of classic cars from the museum collection have been confirmed to take part: motoring aficionados are sure to be excited by the appearance of the 1928 Austin 12 Open Tourer, the 1937 Ford V8 shooting brake and the 1927 Humber 14/40.

As well as getting a fantastic insight into the museum, guests will have the chance to see what the city of Lincoln has to offer. The Vintage Vehicle Society will utilise its extensive collection of buses to offer free trips to and from the city centre and other locations with a park and ride service, as well as tours of Lincoln’s historic cathedral quarter.

The museum hope to attract over 500 visitors to the event, highlighting that it is a fantastic opportunity to witness these much loved classic vehicles in action on Lincolnshire’s roads.

Admission costs £6 per adult, including a dedicated programme and bus timetable, with under 16s allowed in free. For more information in the event, and to learn more about Lincoln’s rich motoring history, head to the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle website at www.lvvs.org.uk or visit their Facebook page.

Hartsholme Country Park’s annual Easter Egg Hunt will kick off a jam – packed Easter weekend of events and festivities in Lincoln this Good Friday, with plenty to attract and entertain those of all ages.

Good Friday will also mark the launch of the Children’s Festival at Lincoln’s Drill Hall, with various activities taking place as schools close for the holidays. Details of the schedule of events can be found on www.LoveLincoln.co.uk, and it includes The Fish Tank Youth Theatre, who will take to the stage over the Easter weekend with two brand new performances from their troupe of 6 – 11 year olds, guaranteed to leave you laughing, crying or maybe even a little bit scared.

Speaking of scared, the original Lincoln Ghost Walk will meet at the Tourist Information Centre in Castle Square on both Friday and Saturday. Take a walk through the historic streets of Lincoln’s cathedral quarter and learn about the ghost and ghouls who call Lincoln their home…

If the spirit world is more than you can handle, then maybe your spirits can be lifted by the various live music events that Lincoln has to offer this Easter weekend. Good Friday sees ‘Commuter Jazz’ at the LPAC and The Tap and Spile hosts its weekly Jam Session on Sunday evening.

There is of course plenty to fill your day as well as your night, with a series of events in uphill Lincoln. A ‘Birds of Prey’ weekend is taking place at Lincoln Castle where you can watch Mac the Harris Hawk and Loxley the Lanner Falcon as they take flight. And on Easter Saturday you can head down to the bottom of Steep Hill for the ‘Fete on the Strait’, an event organized by a group of local businesses featuring medieval bands, a Pimms Bar and face painting; plenty to entertain adults and children alike.

For details on all of these events, and many more including the open day at Lincolnshire’s Road Transport Museum and the Arthur Swallow Antiques and Home Show, pay a visit to www.LoveLincoln.co.uk.

Youngsters and fun-loving adults will be able to put their best Tony Hawk’s skating stunts to the test when a new park is opened in Lincoln.

Hobblers Hole, next to Whitton’s Park on Long Leys Road has been put forward as a potential site for the £200,000 dedicated skate park where tricksters can try out moves on skateboards or BMX bikes in a safe environment.

The area was left to the city by George Whitton as a place for children and young people to enjoy.

The skate park was initially earmarked for the West Common, but following a more in depth investigation by legal teams, it was found the proposed site could not go ahead under the Lincoln City Council Act 1985.

The move to this new site means that the original design plans might be altered. The City of Lincoln Council, which is leading the project, will be inviting new suggestions on the design of the skate park.

Antony Angus, Team Leader for Recreation Services at the City of Lincoln Council, said: “It is disappointing we could not go ahead with the skate park on West Common. One good thing is the proposed site is less constrained than the West Common, so the design may be tailored to give the users exactly what they want.  As well as a great skate facility, we want it to be part of a carefully landscaped project with noise mitigation, benches and planting.”

Anyone who would like to share their views on the new site can do it through the Lincoln Skate Park Project Facebook group or speak to the Recreation Team directly on 01522 873502 or recreation@lincoln.gov.uk

Major city attractions, museums and rarely-seen historic buildings will all be open for free  or discounted rates during the Discover Greater Lincolnshire Weekend (16^th to 17^th March).

Lincolnshire County Council is giving 10,000 lucky people the chance to see two of Lincoln’s top historical attractions for free.  Lincoln Castle is offering free entry for 10,000 visitors, and as a double whammy, the lucky people also get free admission to Lincoln Cathedral over the weekend.  The castle, nestling in the heart of historic Lincoln, is home to the Lincoln Magna Carta dating back to 1215, as well as the Charter of the Forest, while the cathedral boasts the Wren Library and was the home to several blockbuster film shoots.

The free tickets are limited to two per household and are available on a first come first serve basis online at http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/dgl or by contacting the authority’s Customer Service Centre on 01522 782040.

Councillor Eddy Poll, Executive Member of Cultural Services, said: “There will be lots going on. The Lincoln Castle Garrison living history camp will demonstrate what 15th century life was like. You’ll hear prisoners’ tales brought to life and can even take a tour of the prison. There will be archery displays throughout the day and you can even have a go if you think you’re a good shot!”

But don’t worry if you’re not one of the lucky 10,000 as there’s plenty of other activities to take part in.  Free sightseeing tours are being offered on the Tour Lincoln open top bus tour, leaving hourly from Lincoln Cathedral.  The first departs at 10am with the last ride at 3pm.  Tickets can be booked beforehand at www.visitlincoln.com.

Another gem is a free guided tour of the Guildhall in Lincoln City Centre taking place at 10am, 12pm and 2pm on both days, while the Museum of Lincolnshire Life has free entry to its Big Spring Clean event, which will see Victorian characters sprucing up the house and their shops ready for Easter.

The Collection and Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum will both have free entry, while visitors happy to brave the chilly March weather can take a walking tour around Steep Hill at 11am on Saturday, starting at the top of Steep Hill.  The downhill area of the city can also be explored with the Above the Bow Tour at the Stonebow at 10.30am on Sunday.  Finally there will be a tour exploring Lincoln’s Jewish history, leaving from the Jew’s Court Bookshop at 1pm on Sunday 17th March.

You can’t beat a bit of nostalgia – and memory lane never looked as good as when it’s lined with more than 100 classic VW camper vans.

On Sunday 17th March, scores of camper vans, including lovingly and uniquely restored models and collectors’ favourites, will park along both Brayford Wharf North and Brayford Wharf East in the city for the Lincoln VW Camper Day 2013. The road leading from Brayford Wharf East into the University of Lincoln campus will also be filled with vans.

As well as being able to get up-close to the vans, fans of the iconic VW motor are promised a full day of fun including a live band, VW stalls and a chance to see which van will be crowned top in the Show and Shine competition for the best turned-out vehicle.

Organisers Pete and Barbara Senneck are masterminding the family day out in association with Lincoln BIG and Skyway Promotions. The event will kick-off at 10am and run until 4pm.

“We hope people will make the most of the day and enjoy getting a closer look at a vehicle which has certainly maintained its popularity through the decades,” said Pete.

“Last year we attracted over 100 vehicles and this year we are expecting more, with owners driving many miles specially to attend this event.”

Lincoln BIG events and promotions manager Michael Armstrong added: “The Lincoln VW Camper Day is always a great attraction for families and visitors to the city, and we are really pleased that we have been able to make it bigger this year.”

As a budding singer, getting stage time can be an uphill battle – and cost a fortune.  Now, would-be musicians can perform their work in front of crowds for a minimum donation of just £1.

The open mic session and pledge day is being organized to raise money for a community arts festival called Lincoln Inspired and will be held at Lincoln Drill Hall’s café and bar on Saturday 2^nd March from 11am. The open mic takes places from 2pm until 4pm.

Acts are already signing up for the event, including Lincoln-based indie-folk band The Enclosed Garden.  Vistors can also be immortalized in film by appearing the a promotional video being filmed for the Lincoln Inspired campaign and website.

Members of the Inspired team, who are all volunteers, will be at the venue to answer questions about what’s planned and sign up new volunteers to help at the festival itself.  Free massages are also on the menu thanks to The Sanctuary Room in.

The Lincoln Inspired festival itself will take place from 7^th to 12^th May.

The programme already includes a Doctor Who event, comedy, children’s storytelling, jazz, astronomy and crime writing – full details will be revealed at the end of March

Visit www.lincolninspired.co.uk, facebook.com/LincolnInspired or follow @LincolnInspired on Twitter to keep up to date with the event.