Each week, we bring you a round-up of community and family-friendly events taking place across Maidenhead, Slough, Windsor, Burnham, Twyford and the surrounding area.

FRIDAY:

ASCOT: Film fans can see a screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at Ascot Racecourse tonight (Friday).

The story, based on JK Rowling’s first novel, will be on show at the Luna Cinema. Doors open at 7.30pm with the film starting at 9pm.

Tickets cost £16.50 for adults and £12 for children. Premium tickets, which include a complimentary drink and priority access to the bar cost £29.

The British romantic comedy Notting Hill featuring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts will be screened tomorrow night (Saturday). Visit www.thelunacinema.com for details.

WARGRAVE: This morning saw  the first skiffs, punts and canoes face off as part of this year’s Wargrave and Shiplake Regatta (WSR), including the Open Water Swim.

This year’s event, taking place on Friday and Saturday, is the 150th anniversary and to celebrate they are running a new dongola event, which will allow families and friends to compete together.

It is one of the largest regattas on the Thames with races for skiffs, punts and canoes, with nearly 1,000 individual competitors competing in 400 races over two days.

Since the first event in 2011 the popularity of open water swimming has grown, adding an extra dimension to the yearly regatta.

The event is organised and run by the WSR Swim Team and all the proceeds of the swim will go directly towards the regatta to pay for the maintenance of the boats and running costs.

After the regatta there will also be a party to mark the 150th anniversary of the event.

For more information visit www.wsregatta.co.uk

SATURDAY:

DEDWORTH: A new park is being officially opened tomorrow (Saturday).

Victoria Park, in Broom Farm Estate, has been transformed from an often unusable football pitch into an eight acre modern park.

In February, the public were challenged to rename the park and Victoria Park was chosen as the winner because every street in Broom Farm is named after soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross.

The Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr John Lenton, will be at the opening ceremony which starts at 1pm.

FIFIELD: The team behind an annual fun day is hoping to raise thousands for charity tomorrow (Saturday).

Fifield Fun Day was started in 2003 and last year raised £7,500 for Taplow Traffic Charity Trust and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Money raised this year will go towards Thames Valley Adventure Playground and the local branch of Alzheimers Dementia Support, as well as smaller charities including 1st Slough Scouts, Windsor Horse Rangers and Braywood Memorial Hall.

The event will take place at Deep Meadows in Fifield Road, and feature a full-sized steam train.

Other attractions will include Mr Muddle’s magical mayhem, music, Punch and Judy shows, fairground and dog show.

The event is run by volunteers. Call Louise Shenston on 01628 783448 if you can help.

Fifield Fun Day will start at 1.30pm and entry is free.

MAIDENHEAD: The Heritage Centre will be holding a family fun afternoon on Saturday.

The event, arranged by the National Citizen Service will be themed around planes, trains and automobiles and take place at the centre in Park Street from 1-3pm.

Visit www.maidenheadheritage.org.uk for more information.

MAIDENHEAD/TAPLOW: Approximately 40 clubs have entered this year’s annual Maidenhead Rowing Club Regatta which takes place on Saturday, from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

The event, which has been taking place on the same stretch of the Thames – by the clubhouse just off River Road – for 157 years, will feature 146 races, one every three minutes.

Races are rowed upstream over a 500m course.

The entire course can be viewed from the grass bank at the finish area and admission is free.

The 2017 Maidenhead Regatta features adaptive rowing events for the first time for athletes with disabilities.

Adaptive rowing – sometimes called para rowing – is a fast growing and increasingly competitive area of the rowing scene with a growing number of community clubs (including Maidenhead) welcoming disabled rowers from beginner up to international levels of experience.

Regatta parking for competitors and spectators on Saturday is available at Taplow United FC (www.taplow-utd.co.uk) on the A4 from Maidenhead Rowing Club towards Slough, a short walk from the riverside.

There will be a wide range of food and drink at the clubhouse and in the riverside marquee near the Sounding Arch which will be open to all visitors.

SLOUGH: A range of family activities is being hosted at the Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre over the school holidays.

Tomorrow (Saturday), professional circus performers will teach children tricks while hula-hooping sensation Lisa Sampson performs and youngsters make their own clown masks.

Events run from 11am to 4pm.

SUNNINGHILL: Hollywood smash hit La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, is being screened as part of a meal and movie night.

Cordes Hall is hosting the event tomorrow (Saturday).

Tickets cost £20 and can be bought from Inspirations or Sapphire Estate Agents, in Sunning-hill High Street.

The evening starts at 7pm.  

THAMES VALLEY: Become a detective for a day when Thames Valley Police opens its doors to the public.

Its training centre in Sulhamstead, near Reading will be open from 10am-4pm on Saturday.

On offer will be displays from the dog and horse teams, talks on armed policing and children’s fancy dress.

This year’s theme is Children and Young People and there will be a dedicated Kids Zone.

SUNDAY:

MAIDENHEAD: A family fun day is being held on Sunday to raise funds for a young boy’s treatment for neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer.

The event at Lillibrooke Manor, in Ockwells Road, Cox Green, from 11am-3pm, has been organised by the Reuben’s Fight campaign in aid of three-year-old Reuben Virdee, from Furze Platt.

Visit www.facebook.com/ReubensFight to find out more.

MAIDENHEAD: The annual Thames Punting Championships will mark 31 years of punt racing in Maidenhead.

Punt racing has been taking place on the Thames since 1986 and once again spectators will have the chance to see the crews in action at Bray Reach, Maidenhead on Sunday, August 6. Some 20 single and double punt races will get underway from 11am and there will be a bar and refreshments for spectators.

Medals and cups will be presented after the final races from about 4pm.

A special punt v gondola race is also scheduled for the lunch break.

“We can expect a day of top quality racing with all the thrills and spills of a very competitive sport,” said chairman of the Thames Punting Club Dan Teuten.

Source: windsorexpress.co.uk