Good morning, Surrey. Simon here! This is Inspired Surrey. The local newsletter that stocked up on sun cream and ice-cream for a sunny(!) bank holiday.

This Thursday is the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, marking the official end to World War II in Europe, and there’s a host of family-friendly VE Day events being hosted across the city - a great excuse to get together for a party.

In today’s Inspired Surrey:

• GuilFest tickets available 🎪

• VE & Surrey Day events galore 🎖️

• The World-Famous Monday Wordle 🧠

• What’s on Guide for this week 📅

Grab your favourite cuppa, and let’s get to it. ☕

🎪 GuilFest is BACK! 🌳🎸

📅 When:
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th July 2025

📍 Where:
Stoke Park, Guildford
GU1 1ER – Just a short walk from the town centre and train station

GuilFest is making its triumphant return to Stoke Park!

For one glorious weekend each year, this peaceful green space transforms into a buzzing hive of music, laughter, food, and fun. Whether you're a die-hard festival goer or just love a cheeky pint in the sun, this is the event of the summer.

🎤 The Line-up? Oh, it’s stacked… From absolute icons to crowd-pleasing tributes, GuilFest has something for every music taste and every generation:

Headliners & Legends:

• 🎷 The Jacksons – Motown royalty gracing Guildford. Enough said.

• 🎸 Razorlight – Get ready to shout “Americaaaa!” at the top of your lungs.

• 🎤 KT Tunstall – Suddenly we see… this is going to be epic.

Nostalgic Throwbacks & Tribute Gold:

• Soul II Soul, Leo Sayer, Sleeper, Dub Pistols, Altered Images, Skids

• ✨ Tribute magic from Definitely Oasis, Letz Zep, Elvana, The Marley Experience, Blondied, The Spice Girls Experience – yes, it’s basically a musical time machine.

Local Love & Rising Stars:

• 💃 Rock Choir, Guildford Vox, Horsell Sings, Royal Surrey Choir, Funke and the Two Tone Baby, and tons more on the rise.

And there’s loads more..

🎭 The Comedy Tent – Top comedians bringing the belly laughs
🪩 Dance Tent – All the beats, all the vibes
🧵 Art & Craft Village – Handmade treasures and creative workshops
🍽️ Delicious World Cuisine – Tacos, noodles, jerk chicken, churros... you name it
🍺 Rustic Real Ale Bar – Proper pints, no warm lager in sight
📚 Literary Tent – Engaging talks and hidden gems for bookworms
🍹 Cocktail Bar – Mojito in one hand, glitter in the other
🪘 Singing, Drumming & Dancing Workshops – Try something new!
🎲 Games Tent – Ideal for friendly (or competitive) fun
🌿 Bushcrafts – Channel your inner Bear Grylls
🎈 Kids Area – Bouncy castles, face painting, and loads to keep little ones happy

GuilFest has officially been named the Best Family Festival in the UK – and it’s not hard to see why.

There's entertainment for every age, space to chill or dance, and a relaxed, safe vibe that makes it easy to bring the whole crew along.

Walking distance from Guildford High Street and easily reached by train or bus. There’s also parking and park-and-ride info available on the official GuilFest website.

Grab your tickets here before they sell out.

@InspiredSurrey 📸

📸 @surrey_snaps | 📍 Boxhill Stepping Stones, Surrey

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🎉 Surrey Day 2025 – How WW2 Shaped Our County

📅 Saturday 10th May 2025

It’s nearly time for Surrey Day 2025, and this year’s event is shaping up to be a real corker.

Returning for its seventh year on Saturday 10th May, this county-wide celebration shines a spotlight on everything we love about Surrey — from our wartime history to our favourite woodland dog walks.

🎖️ The main theme? “How World War Two Shaped Surrey” — timed perfectly with the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Expect fascinating stories, heritage events, and a good dose of local pride as towns, villages, museums, and historic sites across Surrey dig into the past and share how the war left its mark on our communities.

📻 There’ll be live all-day coverage on BBC Radio Surrey, including interviews and broadcasts from events across the county, all culminating in the lighting of a ceremonial beacon. Big main character energy.

🐕 And if you’ve got a four-legged friend? They’re not being left out! With the brilliant secondary theme “Take The Lead for Surrey Day”, expect dog-friendly walks, events, and paw-some places to explore with your pup.

🌟 Some of the highlights include:

• WW2 tours at Limpsfield’s Air Raid Shelters

• Doggy Celebration Day at Claremont Landscape Garden

• Walkies & Wine at Albury Vineyard (tails wagging + wine sipping = yes please)

• WW2-themed events at Denbies Wine Estate, Brookwood Military Cemetery, and West Horsley Place

• And even a KNIT-A-THON with Age UK Surrey for the crafty among us!

🖼️ 2-for-1 Art & Culture at The Lightbox, Woking
📍 The Lightbox Gallery & Museum, Woking
📅 Saturday 10th May | 10am–5pm

Surrey residents are in for a treat with 2-for-1 entry to all gallery and museum spaces this Surrey Day!

🎨 Watts Gallery – Victorian Art, Scents & Sculptures
📍 Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Compton
📅 Saturday 10th May | 10am–5pm
🎟️ 2-for-1 entry for Surrey residents

💥 Whether you’re into history, heritage, hounds, or just fancy a great day out in our beautiful corner of the world — Surrey Day 2025 is your chance to be part of something special.

The Monday Wordle: Episode 31 🧠

It’s Monday, so you know what that means, Wordle time!

Click here to play.

We Are Now On Instagram 📸 

If you are on Instagram, please follow @inspiredsurrey if you can. It would be much appreciated. The account was only started recently, so we still barely have any friends/followers, I’d very much appreciate a follow!

Thank you so much to everyone who followed us! You’re the best! 😊

The Digest 🗞️😀

Big changes coming to the school run in Farnham: Surrey’s first ever School Street scheme launches this week at Farnham Heath End School, with car access restricted during peak times to cut air pollution and keep kids safer. From now on, Bullers Road will be open only to pedestrians, cyclists, and “wheelers” (scooter squad, this is your moment) between 8–9am and 2:15–3:30pm on school days. It’s all part of a £3 million push from Surrey County Council to make school zones cleaner and calmer. Extra parking’s been sorted nearby so drivers can still drop off without the chaos, and a shiny new crossing makes walking the final stretch easier than ever. Farnham’s leading the way — and if all goes well, more School Streets could be popping up near you soon! 🚶‍♀️🌱

The county’s very first gurdwara has officially opened its doors in Camberley, and the celebrations were nothing short of epic: Around 1,000 people gathered on Saturday for a day packed with prayer, music, martial arts displays, delicious food, and the unveiling of stunning artwork by Inkquisitive. For years, Surrey’s Sikh community had to travel to London or Southampton to mark major life events — now, they finally have a place to call home. The £1.5 million transformation of an old military base into the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Camberley was a true labour of love, with the community rolling up their sleeves to design, build, and decorate it themselves. But this isn’t just a space for worship — the gurdwara is also opening its doors to the wider community, offering everything from meals and language lessons to yoga and fitness classes. 🕌💛

This bank holiday weekend marks 180 years since the railway arrived in Guildford, and the town is rolling out the red carpet for train lovers and history buffs alike: A free exhibition featuring vintage film, steam train sounds, and historic photos is bringing the station’s story to life — from its opening day on 5 May 1845 to the arrival of electric trains in 1925. There’s also a brand new display honouring 10 incredible women who shaped the North Downs Line, from wartime stationmasters to pioneering signal engineers. Organised by the Friends of Guildford Railway Station and Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, the event is powered by volunteers, many of them former railway workers. If you’ve ever wondered how the railway changed lives in Guildford, this is your ticket to find out! 🚉📸

What’s On This Week 📅

East Surrey

🔆 Caterham Festival VE Day Lighting of the Beacon
Westway Common, Caterham, Thursday 8th, 7:00pm | More info

🕰️ Epsom Antiques and Collectors Fair
Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom, Tuesday 6th, 9:00am | More info

🚶‍♂️ Guided Walk & Lunchtime Talk w/Concert
Stone Hall, West Horsley Place, West Horsley, Tuesday 6th, 10:30am | More info

🎤 Songs of Dylan and Lennon
The Horton, Epsom, Friday 9th, 8:00pm | More info

🤣 Comedy Club
Epsom Playhouse, Epsom, Friday 9th, 7:30pm | More info

🌲 Trails and Tales: Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose
Gatton Park, Reigate, Friday 9th, 10:00am | More info

👩‍🔧 Woodland Cyanotype workshop with Lisa Pettibone
Leith Hill, Dorking, Thursday 8th, 2:00pm | More info

West Surrey

🌽 Guildford Farmers’ Market
High Street, Guildford, Tuesday 6th, 10:00am | More info

🎭 Educating Rita
G Live, Guildford, Thursday 8th-10th, 7:30pm | More info

💆 An Evening of Mindfulness at Clandon Wood
Clandon Wood, Guildford, Wednesday 7th, 6:45pm | More info

👑 Kings, Worthies & Scoundrels Guided Walk
Tunsgate Arch, Guildford, Tuesday 6th, 11:00am | More info

📘 Nicky Hambleton-Jones Fashion Class & Signing
Elphicks, Farnham, Friday 9th, 11:00am | More info

🔮 Psychic Night
The Bear and Ragged Staff, Farnham, Wednesday 7th, 6:30pm | More info

🛒 Chertsey MayDay Market
Guildford Street, Chertsey, Monday 5th, 10:00am | More info

🎖️ VE Day Celebration
High Street, Staines, Thursday 8th, 12:00pm | More info

Weather

Monday

16° 🌡️ 4° | ☁️ | It’s bank holiday Monday, and in true British style, it’s cloudy and overcast! It’ll be overcast all day, and there’s a chance for some rain late in the morning, but from then on, it’ll be a dry one. Your bank holiday BBQ can go ahead!

Tuesday - Thursday

16-18° 🌡️ 6-8° | 🌥️ | The temperature is going to gradually creep up for the rest of the week, heading into a nice sunny weekend. There will be a gentle breeze, but no rain due, cloudy with sunny intervals for the week, another nice one.

Thank you! 👍

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