Dads deserve recognition, and a fab family day out is a great way to celebrate. Here are Cyrus Pundole’s top picks for Father’s Day fun
Father’s weekend family rave
The Maltings, Ely
A family rave suitable for children, especially under-eights, is at The Maltings, Ely, on 15 June. DJ Nookie and DJ Trax will be spinning tunes throughout, with themed crafts, giant balloons, glitter cannons, bubble machines, face painting and more. Organisers Big Fish Little Fish have even come up with their own parachute dance. The fancy dress theme is the summer of love, so get searching charity shops for a bona fide old kaftan. Adults not admitted unless accompanied by a child, and no more than three children per adult.
Tickets are £9 for adults, £7 for children from eventbrite.co.uk. Music levels are monitored to keep young ears safe.
Father’s Day dining
Bedford Lodge, Newmarket
All dads who dine out at Bedford Lodge’s Squires restaurant on Father’s Day get the chance to win a driving day experience with Porsche Centre, Cambridge, worth £500. The menu is priced at £30 for three courses and includes a roast rib eye beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and thyme gravy, plus sticky toffee stilton with toffee sauce and tonka bean ice cream. The winning dad will attend a unique course with a Porsche driving consultant, and drive on the Porsche Experience Centre’s handling circuit, ice hill and low friction track. They also get to choose the car. It could be a 718 Boxster, the Roadster, or perhaps the all-terrain Cayenne. Perhaps the lucky dad will opt for the iconic 911 or the award-winning 718 Cayman S.
Gin & charcuterie tasting
Cambridge Distillery, Grantchester
Tempus Foods join forces with Cambridge Distillery for a sublime pairing. MasterChef 2010 winner Dhruv Baker is the founder of Tempus, and will be present on 15 June to talk through their unique approach to creating some of the finest charcuterie in the UK.
Expect to be able to try their buttery, delicate, slightly spiced loin of black pig, Tempus achari salami with fennel seed, Talicherry black pepper and fenugreek, and perhaps their rillettes: spiced, braised and shredded pork hocks. Three gins from Cambridge Distillery’s range will be specially chosen to match the food, with some of the secrets behind the distillation revealed.
Tickets are £27.24 from eventbrite.co.uk
Father’s Day Bushcraft
PAUS., near Bourn
Enjoy the peace and quiet of a hilltop retreat on 16 June, including sauna and red cedar hot tubs, while children learn bushcraft with Mel from Wildly Curious. There will be secret treats for the whole family on the day, including a fire to toast marshmallows on. Grown-ups can enjoy a dip in the hot tubs before the whole family comes together for a fireside picnic.
Father’s Day barbecue
Red Lion, Whittlesford
Soak up the extensive history at Whittlesford’s Red Lion, which is hosting a Father’s Day barbecue on 16 June from 12pm to 9pm. The Red Lion is a four-star award-winning 13th century coaching inn, which has been a haven of welcoming hospitality over its history.
It boasts on-site parking, and is opposite Whittlesford Parkway station, just six minutes from Cambridge station. No booking required, just turn up. There will be a gift for all the fathers who eat there on the day.
Father’s Day brunch
Old Bicycle Shop
Known for making some of the best brunches in town, what better way to celebrate Father’s Day than a trip to the Old Bicycle Shop, on Regent Street, on 16 June? Some special dishes will be added to the already fab menu especially for Dad’s big day. There are craft beers on tap and bespoke brews from Cambridge Brew House. Spaces are limited, so book beforehand to ensure your place at the table.
