My regular look ahead to events happening next month that would probably be in my events guide, if only they weren’t happening outside the psychological barrier of the M25 motorway.
| Whalton Bale Fire | 4th July |
| Whalton is the only village since 1903 to have maintained the ceremony which is a relic of the round of seasonal fires with which the ancients greeted the progress of the sun through the year. | Whalton, Northumberland |
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| Norwich Lord Mayor’s Celebrations | 4th-7th July |
| Several days of celebrations culminating in a float parade and festival on the Saturday. | Norwich, Norfolk |
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| Hat Fair | 5th-7th July |
| Named after an ancient fair, it is now a street arts festival lasting several days. | Winchester, Hampshire |
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| Bradwell Pilgrimage | 6th July |
| Annual procession by the local congregation to the remote and ancient church of St Thomas. | Bradwell on Sea, Essex |
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| Ambleside Rushbearing | 6th July |
| This is a festival celebration associated with the ancient custom of annually replacing the rushes on the earth floors of churches | Ambleside, Cumbria |
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| Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day | 6th-7th July |
| Ancient tradition where young men hunt "the beast" through the town, followed by a mummers play and procession. | Bodmin, Cornwall |
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| Wenlock Olympian Games | 6th-21st July |
| The 127th Olympic games preserving the ideals of Dr William Penny Brookes – the inspiration for the modern Olympic Movement. | Much Wenlock, Shropshire |
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| Oxenhope Straw Race | 7th July |
| Teams race two-and-a-half miles through the town carrying bales of straw, but also have to stop at five points along the route to drink a pint of beer. | Oxenhope, Yorks |
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| Hinckley Soap Box Derby | 7th July |
| The fourth year for this event attracts entries from a multitude of both wacky and smart machines. | Hinckley, Leics |
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| Oxenhope Straw Race | 7th July |
| The Oxenhope Straw Race takes place every summer in the Pennine village of Oxenhope, near Keighley. It was started by two men who made a bet about racing from one pub to the next carrying a bale of straw. | Oxenhope, West Yorkshire |
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| Black Cherry Fair | 11th-12th July |
| Around 100 stalls, parades and fairground funfair. | Chertsey, Surrey |
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| ClogFest | 12th-14th July |
| Clog dancers from all over England gather in Skipton, North Yorkshire, on the second weekend in July to celebrate the glorious tradition of English step dance. | Skipton, Yorkshire |
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| John Clare Cushion Ceremony | 12th-14th July |
| Local school children lay "cushions" of flowers at the grave of the local famous poet, John Clare – other festivals take place over the weekend. | Helpston, Northamptonshire |
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| Kent County Show | 12th-14th July |
| The three day event brings together the very best of Kent with animals and food, fun and excitement and a sense of what ’The Garden of England’ has to offer. | Maidstone, Kent |
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| World Pea Shooting Championships | 13th July |
| The 43rd annual festival that takes place on the village green along with local village fete. | Ely, Cambs |
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| World Tin Bath Championships | 13th July |
| Paddle boat racing around the harbour with the contestants rowing in old tin baths. | Castletown, Isle of Man |
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| Brighton Kite Festival | 13th-14th July |
| 34tg annual free kite festival carried out on the outskirts of the town. | Brighton, East Sussex |
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| Vintage Steam Rally | 13th-14th July |
| Country fair with music, stalls etc – and steam road engines. A local road rally also takes place. | Stourport-on-Severn, Worcester |
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| Farnborough International Airshow | 14th-15th July |
| A weekend of air displays and static stalls to finish off a trade show that precedes the weekend. | Farnborough, Hampshire |
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| The War and Peace Show | 17th-21st July |
| Military vehicle show with an average of 3,000 vehicles on display, costume reenactments and stalls. | Paddock Wood, Kent |
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| Tweedmouth Feast | 18th-21st July |
| The event celebrates the salmon fishing that was once a common sight on the River Tweed. Its origins date back to the 12th century festival of St Boisil. | Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland |
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| Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival | 19th-21st July |
| Debates and discussions from a Trade Unionist perspective at the festival named after the famous "martyrs" to the labour movement. | Tolpuddle, Dorset |
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| The CLA Game Fair | 19th-21st July |
| Te best that the British countryside has to offer including a host of features, new competitions, and plenty to get involved in from shooting to shopping, fishing to real food, dogs, horses, gardens and more | Alcester, Warwickshire |
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| The Royal International Air Tattoo | 20th-21st July |
| The worlds largest air show – trade and for the public. | Fairford, Gloucestershire |
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| Thames Traditional Boat Rally | 20th-21st July |
| Two days of displays of around 200 traditional and restored vintage boats on the Thames | Henley on Thames, Oxon |
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| Ebernoe Horn Fair | 25h July |
| Historic fair with its own special traditions, including the annual cricket match and the singing of the Horn Fair Song. Takes place on St James’s Day each year – it’s traditional. | Ebernoe, Sussex |
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| Marldon Apple Pie Fair | 27th July |
| The Marldon Apple Pie Fair has been going since 1888 in memory of local farmer, George Hill, who would use his windfall apples to bake an enormous apple pie for the village. Nowadays, locals and visitors alike join in the celebrations. | Marldon, Devon |
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| Eastbourne Lammas Festival | 27th-29th July |
| Along with the variety of music from the bands on the main stage and Morris dance displays, the highlights of the weekend are the seafront procession, the drumming, the open air ceilidh and the ritual celebration of Lammas. | Eastbourne, Sussex |
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| Eyemouth Herring Queen Festival | 27th July – 3rd Aug |
| Crowning of a fete Queen to mark the 68th annual "fishermans picnic" that is now a town-wide event. | Eyemouth, Scottish Borders |
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| Maidstone River Festival | 30th July |
| A series of raft races of various handmade boats more notable for their comic design than seaworthiness. | Maidstone, Kent |
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…and of course, the Manchester International Festival 🙂
Farnborough International Airshow 14th-15th July
Are you sure..? FIA is usually held in alternate years with Paris – I think the next Farnborough is in 2014