Treat your unsung hero this Mother's Day

Guest post by Sue Emmerson, Press Office Manager, Visit Isle of Wight

From cab driver to confidante, Mum is always there to lend a helping hand and with Mothering Sunday just a few weeks away (March 10^th), the Isle of Wight has a great selection of events and activities to make your unsung hero feel really special.

A Night of Dirty Dancing (Saturday, March 9^th).  Mum will have the time of her life at this box office smash hit concert show inspired by the West End and touring musical.  All the hits are superbly performed in this fast moving, slickly choreographed theatrical treat including: She’s Like the Wind, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Hey Baby, Wipeout, Do You Love Me, Be My Baby, Hungry Eyes and, of course, the Oscar-winning (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.   So indulge her on a trip back to the summer of ’63 and relive Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s sizzling performance in the ultimate coming of age romance.  More information and booking informaiton is available here.

Stargazing Weekend at Fort Victoria (March 8^th-10^th).  Take advantage of the beautiful dark night skies on the Isle of Wight and treat mum to a gift she will never forget – a fascinating journey through time and space.  Suitable for beginners, the Stargazing Weekend at Fort Victoria Country Park in Yarmouth begins on Friday evening with some basic observing tips.  It continues on Saturday morning with a talk entitled: ‘Our star, the Sun’ and before long, mum will be observing the Sun with special telescopes.   Saturday afternoons are free and an ideal time for you both to wander around the delightful harbour town of Yarmouth.  Then on Saturday evening, it’s time for more stargazing and enjoying the wonders of the Cosmos.   The weekend concludes at 12.30pm on Sunday with a discussion about how to continue your interest in the stars and more solar observing.   The course costs just £45 per person and pre-booking is required. Details can be found here. 

Mum-friendly music festivals.  Music festival tickets make a great Mother’s Day present and the Isle of Wight has two of the very best: 

The Isle of Wight Festival (13-16 June)  Originally held from 1968 to 1970 and showcasing acts such as Bob Dylan, Hendrix & T-Rex the Isle of Wight Festival was revived in 2002 and for the past 11 years has firmly established the Island on the musical map. This year will see an appearance from American Rock Band, Bon Jovi, as well as British singer songwriter, Emeli Sande.   Celtic Soul trio, The Script are also headlining over the weekend as well as vintage style icon, Paloma Faith.  So buy a ticket and let mum re-live the height of the flower power era and chill out in the fields of the Isle of Wight. Adult tickets start from £75.

Bestival (5-8 September)   Buy mum a ticket to the UK’s funkiest village fete.  Bestival held at Robin Hill Country Park, is one of the most colourful events on the festival calendar.  As well as a line-up of big music names – this year’s headliner is Sir Elton John – it has the world’s biggest fancy dress party for 50,000 festival goers, a laughter club, a farmer market, Morris dancing and even a Women’s Institute tea tent. The full weekend ticket costs £190.

Queen for a day.  Take an intimate glimpse into Queen Victoria’s family life as you take mum on a tour of Osborne House, the stunning seaside palace where she lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children.   Built as a family home away from the pressures of court, this beauty spot is the perfect place to celebrate Mother’s Day.  Mum will enjoy exploring the lavish interior and visiting the Swiss Cottage, built to teach the royal children the art of household management.  Take a walk through the nearby wildflower meadow, all before a light lunch in the café - or for an extra special treat, afternoon tea in the sumptuous Terrace Restaurant.  Osborne House is open from 10am to 4pm on Mothering Sunday.

Mum & Me Spa Days.  Spend quality time with mum and both enjoy being pampered and relaxed.   The Melville Hall Hotel is offering two Mother’s Day packages at their Utopia Spa in Sandown – The Yummy Mummy Spa Day (£49 per person) and the Mum and Me Spa Day (£88 per person).  The packages include a range of relaxing massages and a choice of beauty treatments - guaranteed to melt away any tension – plus full use of the Spa leisure facilities on the day of your visit and complimentary refreshments.

More Mother’s Day gift ideas can be found here.