This weekend Little Bird Made is returning to Knaresborough Castle (Saturday 31 May) and Harrogate Valley Gardens (Sunday 1 June). 
 
We are so excited to be back in these beautiful Yorkshire locations. With an array of fabulous traders & beautifully handcrafted products from clothing, photography, home fragrance, fine art, homeware, cakes, crafts and so much more. 
 
We can't wait to welcome customers, regular & new back to these stunning locations this weekend, and we would absolutely love it if you could share our event artwork with your guests, friends and family, your social media business pages (don't forget to tag us so we can give it a share and highlight your small business) for these artisan events. 
 
We have monthly events in Knaresborough Castle, Harrogate Valley Gardens, Easingwold, Wetherby, Thirsk, Richmond, Leyburn, Ripon, Acomb, Leeds Briggate, Leeds City Square & Harewood House (Christmas Event) & would love to be able to send you the artworks each month.
 
The artwork is attached for both events and we look forward to welcoming you all. 
 
Each month we have our artisan markets to help serve local communities with the best artisan stalls, whilst giving traders the best opportunities to showcase and sell their handmade goods.
 
I look forward to hearing from you & hope we can build a brilliant business relationship with yourselves, and supporting small businesses and high streets across Yorkshire. 
 
Thank you 
 
Gemma

If you love beer festivals and are looking for the perfect getaway, Harrogate is an ideal base for exploring some of the finest beer events in North Yorkshire.  Here at The Camberley, The Lodge and Camberley Cottages, we often host beer enthusiasts eager to experience the region’s fantastic festivals. From lively celebrations of craft ales and ciders to traditional CAMRA beer festivals showcasing the best of real ale, there’s something for every beer lover. Whether you prefer to stay in one of our comfortable rooms on a bed and breakfast basis, or you prefer a self-catering retreat in one of our stunning cottages, we are centrally located just a short walk from a range of restaurants and café bars.  The stunning Valley Gardens and Pine Woods are just a few minutes away.   With a range of event spaces offering music, comedy and drama for your evening’s entertainment, you could not find a better place to stay, allowing you to enjoy these festivals to the fullest while having a relaxing place to return to at the end of the day.

We’ve put together a list of this summer’s “must-attend” beer festivals for your enjoyment. 
 
Ripon Rugby Club Beer and Music Festival – 28 June 2025
Venue:  Ripon Rugby Club
This festival features a vast selection of over 40 local beers, accompanied by live music performances that span ten hours. In addition to beers, attendees can enjoy lagers, ciders, gin, Pimm's, prosecco, and a variety of food options. Find out more here. 
 
Skipton Beer Festival – 22 – 24 May 2025
Venue:  Skipton Town Hall
Organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), this festival showcases a wide array of real ales, ciders, and perries. Skipton is about 30 – 40 minutes drive from Harrogate and is known as the "Gateway to the Dales," having a charming market square, plenty of small independent businesses to explore and has a delightful, friendly feeling.  It’s well worth exploring once you have drunk your fill at the Beer Festival.    Find out more details about the festival here.  
 
Knaresborough Lions' Beer Festival – 16 – 18 August 2025
Venue:  Knaresborough House
This three-day festival is part of the annual FEVA celebrations in the town and offers a selection of special beers, as well as wine, cider, and lager. Food and soft drinks are also available, ensuring there's something for everyone. The Knaresborough Lions organise the event and support various charitable causes. ​Knaresborough itself is a short drive from Harrogate and is well worth exploring.  There is the opportunity to walk beside the river - check out the Black Mulberry Café if you fancy some food before your stroll – and you can even hire rowboats, which is great fun on a sunny day.  Mother Shipton’s Petrifying Well is also well worth a visit, if you have time. There will be a range of other events running alongside the beer festival as part of FEVA.  Talking of running, Knaresborough has a Park Run at Conyngham Hall – there is a large car park nearby, and it is a very attractive trail run, perfect for anyone looking to get a C in their alphabet challenge.  You can find out more about the Beer Festival here.  And if you’d like to learn more about FEVA, check out their website.

These festivals not only celebrate the art of brewing but also foster community spirit and support charitable endeavours. Whether you're a seasoned beer enthusiast or simply looking for a lively event to enjoy with friends and family, the beer festivals in and around Harrogate offer something for everyone.  Whichever festival you choose to visit, you can be sure of a warm welcome at The Camberley, The Lodge and Camberley Cottages.  Whichever accommodation you choose, you can be sure you will be right at the heart of the action within Harrogate, with restaurants, café bars, pubs and entertainment within a very short walk.  Why not book your break today?  

In July, Harrogate will host one of the most prestigious events on the crime fiction calendar: the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.  Taking place between 17 and 20 July, the festival offers the opportunity for fans of crime fiction to engage with the authors they love, discover new authors and even try their hand at writing themselves.  

This year’s festival boasts an impressive lineup of guests.  Irvine Welsh will be making his festival debut, delving into Resolution, the final instalment of his 'Crime' trilogy, now adapted into a hit TV series starring Dougray Scott. 

Lee and Andrew Child, authors of the acclaimed Jack Reacher series will discuss their latest thriller, In Too Deep, and provide an exclusive preview of Exit Strategy, the 30th Reacher novel set for publication in November. 

Attica Locke will showcase her hard-hitting novel, Guide Me Home, offering a nuanced exploration of contemporary societal themes.  And Festival regular Val McDermid will be teaming up with TV presenter Steph McGovern, who will launch her debut novel, Deadline, at the event. 

Kate Atkinson fans will be thrilled to learn that she will be discussing her latest Jackson Brodie novel, At the Sign of the Rook, with Lee Child.  

Mark Billingham, Kate Mosse, and Paula Hawkins will also return to the festival, showcasing their latest bestsellers.   

In addition to talks, the festival also offers a wide range of other literary events, including Creative Thursday, during which aspiring writers can participate in a full day of creative writing workshops led by industry professionals, providing invaluable insights into the craft of crime writing. 

There will also be Panel Discussions in which contemporary issues in crime fiction are discussed. For those who love both reading and fine dining, the festival includes a number of Author Dinners, where your favourite authors discuss their work over dinner.  

Tickets for the various events do tend to sell out very quickly, so it is well worth booking early to avoid disappointment.  You can check out all the events, and book your tickets, here.

The Camberley, The Lodge and Camberley Cottages are often busy during the Crime Writing Festival, which always attracts a lot of visitors to the town, so it’s definitely worthwhile booking your room with us as soon as you have purchased your tickets for the Festival events.   Booking direct with us will allow you to choose the room you prefer.  Whether you prefer the convenience of Bed and Breakfast or the flexibility of self-catering, here at The Camberley, The Lodge and Camberley Cottages, we have something for everyone.  

Attending the festival also presents the perfect opportunity to explore Harrogate, a town renowned for its elegant architecture, lush gardens, and rich history.  The festival venue, The Old Swan Hotel, is famously associated with Agatha Christie's mysterious disappearance in 1926 and is just a short walk from The Camberley.  

Following your Festival visit, why not stretch your legs in the nearby Valley Gardens, relax and unwind in the renowned Turkish Baths, or book afternoon tea at the famous Bettys Café Tea Rooms, renowned for its delicious cakes and elegant setting?

Whatever you choose to do, The Camberley, The Lodge and Camberley Cottages provide a comfortable base from which to explore.  Situated close to a range of restaurants and café-bars, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out, before returning to your comfortable room and a well-deserved rest after the excitement of the day.

Whether you're a devoted crime fiction aficionado or simply seeking a unique summer experience, staying at The Camberley,  The Lodge or Camberley Cottages in July offers the perfect setting for a relaxing break.  

The Latest edition in the Hunger Games Series follows the story of Haymitch and slots into the timeline between the story of Snow (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes). It tells of the reaping where Haymitch is chosen for the Quarter Quell, his allies from District 12 and the love he leaves behind in the form of the Covey girl Lenore Dove. Not to give away the story but we also see how Haymitch links in with Katniss and her family from before she was born, his surving the games with all that entails but still loosing to Snow's vicious revenge.

We are happy to share with you a new an exciting food tour business (Indie Food Tours) who are bringing a fresh approach to food tours with a self guided app. This means you can find previously undiscovered foodie gems but at an economical price. This can be an excellent option for groups or couples who like to try something new though we would recommend for larger groups that you book well ahead to make sure the restaurants involved have space and can give you the best service. Indi food tours are the unique way to find those interesting off the beaten track eaterys only known to locals as well as pushing you out of the comfort zone to try something new.