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Roll up, roll up, time is running out for your chance to WIN free tickets to a host of attractions and activities across the Garden of England as part of this year’s Herts Big Weekend…
If you’re a Hertfordshire resident, now is the perfect opportunity to take a look at some of this year’s fantastic offers and free tickets, available right on your doorstep. All you need to do to get involved is enter the online ballot before 16th March, and you and a lucky friend could be heading off for a Herts Big Weekend adventure on 4th and 5th April, as part of Visit Herts’ annual celebration of the county’s tourism industry.
Some of the county’s biggest attractions have signed up to take part in this year’s event, including Warner Bros. Studio Tour – London, Paradise Wildlife Park, Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, St Albans Cathedral, Knebworth House, Hatfield House and The Grove.
And, it doesn’t stop there with the Big Weekend also giving residents a chance to uncover a wide range of smaller, hidden gems throughout the county, including Rye House Karting, Pump House Theatre Watford, Aylett Nurseries, Weston Auditorium, Natural History Museum Tring, Hertfordshire County Show, Ware & Hertford Waterbus and Royston Cave.
In fact, over 50 Hertfordshire tourist attractions and businesses will be opening their doors or offering special gifts to lucky ticket holders this year, with experiences on offer ranging from visits to magical studio tours and stunning stately homes, to close encounters with wild animals, delicious meals, and relaxing afternoon teas for two. With hundreds of pairs of tickets up for grabs in this year’s ballot, the Herts Big Weekend is the perfect excuse to get out and discover (or rediscover) exactly what makes this charming county so special…
Registration for this year’s ballot opened on 20th February, and interest in the event has been brilliant so far, with a whopping 30,856 applications for tickets to date.
One of the most convenient and sustainable ways for residents to get around Hertfordshire is by train with Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern Railways all servicing the county. Book direct and you’ll pay no booking fees. Look for Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets to save money when you travel outside of Peak times.
Deirdre Wells OBE, Chief executive of Visit Herts, said: “The Big Weekend marks the start of the tourist season and is a fantastic way to celebrate all that’s on offer across Hertfordshire. Over the last five years, the Herts Big Weekend has given our residents some brilliant opportunities to discover, and rediscover, what’s happening in their home county and this year is no different!
“Once again, we’ve been overwhelmed by the support from attractions and businesses across the county, and the range of visitor experiences on offer. We would encourage all of our Herts residents to get involved and discover the amazing things to see and do right on their doorstep.”
Residents can apply for as many pairs of tickets as they like at https://www.hertsbigweekend.co.uk/ until 16th March. Following this, two tickets (one pair of tickets) per household will then be allocated at random by ballot (some family tickets are available).
This year’s event will once again support The Family Holiday Association, with a range of attractions also donating tickets to the charity, giving great days out to families that are normally unable to take holidays together.
The Herts Big Weekend 2020 will also form part of the Hertfordshire Year of Culture, which sees a multitude of cultural activities, special events and experiences taking place across twelve themed months. In April the theme is ‘Go Somewhere Local’, with this celebration providing the perfect opportunity for residents to become a local Hertfordshire ambassador.
For further information inspiration on things to do in Hertfordshire, head to www.visitherts.co.uk.
