Barceló Basingstoke Country Hotel

A honey-coloured Palladian mansion, Basildon Park is a National Trust property, with lovely parkland overlooking the Thames Valley. The 18th-century house has some notable plasterwork and an elegant staircase, as well as the unusual Octagon Room.

Held every two years, the Guildford Spring Music Festival is a week-long mix of performances, workshops, recitals and masterclasses. Many of the musicians, like co-president, tenor Philip Langridge CBE, are local with a zeal for promoting music in the city.

The 2010 festival includes a performance of Vaughan Williams' song cycle On Wenlock Edge, featuring Langridge and the Heath Quartet, also local.

Please see the Guildford Spring Music Festival website for breaking news of the forthcoming programme.

Guildford Spring Music Festival Website

The Reading Half Marathon is a well-established race that winds its way around the town before ending inside the Madejski Stadium. It regularly attracts around 16,500 participants a year and features the GreenPark Challenge 2.8km family fun run.

Reading Half Marathon Website

Newbury presents over two weeks of outstanding music each May, at a variety of unusual venues in and around the town. Visitors can enjoy orchestral concerts, recitals, chamber music, jazz, film, children's events, art exhibitions and lectures.

Newbury Spring Festival Website

Over 900 vehicles are on show at Basingstoke's War Memorial Park for the annual Basingstoke Festival of Transport. Motor enthusiasts can enjoy colourful displays of classic and vintage cars, trucks, ambulances and fire engines for free.

Festival Of Transport @ Basingstoke Government Website

The BMW PGA is one of the European Tour's biggest events, attracting all of Europe's top golfers and many from overseas. Beautiful Wentworth provides the perfect setting and the difficult run of finishing holes ensures there is plenty of drama.

While the lure of the dollar has enticed many players to the US, the European Tour remains an extremely lucrative alternative and now includes events as far afield as South Africa, Australia, Qatar, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

For the European stars on the Tour there is more at stake than pure financial reward: the top 10 players are automatically selected for the European Team to play against the US in the Ryder Cup. Save winning one of the majors, competing in this competition is the pinnacle of a golfer's career.

The Official Website of the PGA European Tour

Around 30,000 visitors convene at Guildford's Stoke Park for the Surrey County Show. More than 300 horse, livestock, floristry, food and poultry classes are held, so whether it's your prize pig or home-made honey, there is a class for you...

Surrey County Show Website

Basingstoke goes kite-crazy with its two-day festival dedicated to the hobby. Taking place at the Down Grange Sports Complex, the Basingstoke Kite Festival gives kite-fliers the chance to show off their flying skills or even design a new kite.

Basingstoke Kite Festival Website

The Glade Festival outdoor dance party, from the organisers of the Glade Stage at Glastonbury, aims to return to the spirit of Glasto 1972 - with funky techno. The event again takes place at the Matterley Basin near Winchester.

Less rock than Reading, without the hectic pace of Homelands, but considerably less chilled than The Big Chill, around 12,000 people are expected to attend the event.

Multiple arenas offer a massive line-up featuring a host of big-name progressive techno and hard house DJs.

Away from the action there are nature trails, chillout areas, cocktail bars, stilt walking, fire twirlers, massages, energetic healing and first-class festival facilities.

Glade Festival Website

Royal Ascot is one of the grandest race meetings of the year and also a great social event. As much attention is paid to the fashions being worn as to the horses in the paddock.

The Queen generally leads a procession from Windsor Castle to the course and one of the most enduring images of the meeting is the colourful and extravagant array of hats worn by the ladies - ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.

While the racing is at times overshadowed by the grandeur of the occasion, it remains of the highest quality. The best of the races is the Gold Cup, run on Ladies Day (Thursday). Keep an eye on the names of the owners on the race card as the Queen usually runs some of her best horses at this meeting.

If having a flutter on the racing doesn't take your fancy, there are other bets on offer throughout the meet. Bookies take bets on the colour of the Queen's hat on Gold Cup Day. In 2009 Her Majesty opted for a white hat, initially quoted at odds of 20-1.