The ‘unlocking’ of Ely is finally happening! Now we have some dates to work towards, it is all very exciting. Behind the scenes, Visit Ely have been busy planning some dates for your diary. First on the calendar is Easter weekend. From Good Friday through to Easter Monday, Visit Ely have two glorious guided tours now available to book, 11am and 2pm. Choose from a City, Architectural, Eel Trail or Riverside Trail and be guided by one of our expert qualified historians for 90 minutes of pure joy. All we need is the weather. To book a tour, please follow the link https://www.visitely.org.uk/whats-on/
In addition, other exciting dates for your diary are Ely’s Eel Day – July 17th Jubilee Gardens; Ely’s Foodie Fair – September 4th; Open Heritage Week Sept 11th – 18th; and
Apple Festival Oct 17th. There is so much more to add to that list from our other wonderful attractions here in Ely to fill your diary.
Visit Oliver Cromwell’s House
Whilst the big black door to Oliver Cromwell’s House has been firmly shut, a brand new, fully immersive audio tour has been created. Ready to launch on May 17th, the day the attraction reopens, we have two new audio tours to offer. Firstly, an adult tour which focuses on facts and dates, and a fun family tour (ages 7-11) that engages the younger audience. Both the tours are informative, lively, and hugely enjoyable.
Visit Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral hopes to reopen on 17th May (subject to Government advice). Over the summer they will have lots of tours on offer including Octagon Tower Tours, Specialist Tours, Monastic Tours and Private Tours (exact dates TBC). Here’s a preview of some really exciting events:
Heaven & Earth ‘The World in Our Hands’ 1 – 31st July 2021
A month-long event highlighting the environmental issues the world now faces and some of the ways we can make positive steps to helping to prevent further climate change. GAIA, a 7-metre replica of Earth, will be suspended from the Nave Ceiling and we will be running a series of lectures and online talks.
Ely Cathedral ‘Green Fair’ Saturday 31st July 2021
Ely Cathedral’s Green Fair in the beautiful grounds of the Cathedral will form part of a month-long event highlighting global environmental issues and solutions in the Cathedral. There are so many wonderful groups, small local producers, creators of up-cycled products in our community, that we are bringing together for the fair their will stalls, workshops/education and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
There will also be lots of events for children all over the summer:
Follow the Cathedral on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and check our website for the most current information.
Visit the Stained Glass Museum
The Stained Glass Museum is hoping to reopen to visitors from 17th May 2021, days and times TBC. The Museum sits within the Cathedral, so reopening depends on when our Cathedral opens its doors. In the meantime, the Stained Glass Museum team continues to engage with a global audience through online talks and on social media channels. There are some wonderful, educational opportunities for budding artists to engage in, please check out the events page https://thestainedglassmuseum.com/ and much more.
Visit Ely Museum
Ely Museum hopes to reopen in May following a £2.2m redevelopment. Explore new interactive galleries covering the heritage of the local area from dinosaurs to the present day. Find out about the landscape of the Fens and the people who lived here. It’s a great day out for the whole family. Make it a priority and you will not be disappointed.
For further details please head over to their website http://www.elymuseum.org.uk/
Visit Babylon Gallery
On May 17th the door will be open to the public to take in the latest exhibitions. Babylon Gallery & Arts is also responsible for the fantastic Ely Cinema screenings, which is something we have all missed very much, and it’s back! Ely’s Drive-In Cinema is returning to Lancaster Way Business Park on Saturday 8th May. Join us for another cinematic experience with all the family, from the safety and comfort of your own car.
Book your tickets here: bit.ly/Ely_Drive-In_Cinema
Visit Maltings Ely Riverside
This fantastic, listed building situated on Ely’s Riverside is the perfect venue for events, parties, conferences, theatre and much more. They kickstart their opening with the Pagan and Alternative Fayre, Sunday May 23rd. Their delightful café will reopen mid-week, where you can enjoy a coffee and cake, and take in Ely’s Ribe Tapestry.
The team is excited to return with a busy year of many events and cinema screenings, not forgetting Ely’s famous pantomime in December. Sleeping Beauty is produced and performed by KD Theatre Productions.
