⛩️ Japanese Garden Opening

Good morning, Wycombe!

I’m back from a week gallivanting around Greece and currently reassessing my usual diet after a 7-day straight consumption of Tzatziki and orange wine. Honestly, I’m a convert.

Anyway, enough about the Mediterranean. There’s plenty to keep us busy at home:

⛩️ Japanese garden opening
🌕 Full moon wellness evening
🎶 Haydn’s The Creation performed live at All Saints

Plus Derren Brown takes over the Swan, two comedy nights, a sourdough masterclass, St George's Day sorted — and more.

🎶 Bucks Weekender 2026 — Two Days of Live Music 

You don’t need to be a student to have the time of your life this May.

Tion Wayne, Joel Corry, Marvin Humes, Not3s and DJ AG will be heading to High Wycombe for a two-day, multi-room festival open to everyone — spanning live sets, DJ takeovers, Drag Cabaret, Shutdown parties and a Silent Disco running all weekend.

It’s going to be EPIC.

🗓️ Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd May
📍 The Venue Bucks, Queen Alexandra Road, HP11 2JZ
🎟️ Weekend tickets from £18 (18+ only) *BNU students get free entry!
🍔 Food vendors on site all weekend

Three rooms. A stacked lineup. One weekend you’ll actually talk about on Monday.

👉 Grab your tickets now 

Editor’s Highlights

🎷 K-Pop… But It’s Jazz

📍The Front Room | 🗓️ Sat 25th April, 7pm
Catch 22 Jams' house band reimagines BTS, NewJeans and more as live jazz, followed by an open jam with special guests until late.

🍣🥂 Sushi & Sparkling

📍 Daws Hill Vineyard | 📅 Sun 26th April, 3pm 
Roll your own sushi with Yoko from Sakana Oxford, paired with curated sparkling wines from the vineyard — all on a Sunday afternoon in the Chilterns.

⛩️ Japanese Garden Opening

📍 Downley | 📅 Open from 29th April, appointment only
A hidden gem on the edge of Downley — this private Japanese garden has a bridge, waterfall, moongate, and a proper tea house, with cherry blossom and maple planting to match. Admission by £4 donation to the National Garden Scheme (concessions available); contact Alan on 07986 817355 or [email protected] to book.

🪑 Wycombe Furniture Forum: Networking & AI Talk

📍 Ercol Furniture, Princes Risborough | 📅 Today, 3–5pm 
The first in-person meet-up from the Wycombe Furniture Forum, hosted at the iconic ercol factory — bringing together designers, makers and business owners from across the local furniture industry, plus a guest talk from AI consultant Jamie Claret on how the tech is already transforming the sector.

🧠 Derren Brown: Only Human Live

📍 Wycombe Swan | 📅 Tues 28th April – Sat 2nd May, 7:30pm 
Derren Brown is back at the Swan with a brand new show — and as always, the content is being kept tightly under wraps…

Entertainment

🎶 Natalie Gray – Live at Wycombe Arts Centre
📍 Wycombe Arts Centre | 📅 Fri 24th April, 7:30pm
Synthpop artist Natalie Gray — whose music has racked up 20 million streams — brings her full live band to High Wycombe, with support from singer-songwriter Beth Eliza.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 St. George's Day Celebration
📍 Micklefield Community Centre | 📅 Sat 25th April, 3pm 
Free family fun with live music, a bouncy castle, face painting and traditional English treats to mark England's day together.

🎼 Sing unto God!
📍 St Peter & St Paul, Gt Missenden | 📅 Sat 25th April, 7.30pm
Great Missenden Choral Society perform rarely heard Bach cantatas and Handel, with soloists from the Royal Academy of Music and period instruments from The Cassiobury Players.

🕺 Jukes Jiving R&R Tea Dance – 9th Anniversary
 📍 The Riverside Club | 📅 Sun 26th April, 12pm
Nine years of rock 'n' roll tea dancing — celebrate with DJ Jimmy Taylor on the decks and refreshments. £9 on the door.

😂 April’s Comedy in Hazlemere
 📍 Hazlemere Community Centre | 📅 Sat 26th April, doors 7pm
A night of laughs with TV comedians Hal Cruttenden and Red Richardson, hosted by Jonathan Elston, with a licensed bar to keep the good times going.

🧘 Wellness Moments

🍞 Introduction to Sourdough
📍 Oxmoor Farm | 📅 Sun 26th April, 10am 
A hands-on workshop with Kate Vale of Bramble Bakes covering starters, shaping, proving and baking, with lunch included and two loaves to take home.

🌕 Full Moon Evening
📍 Guildhall | 📅 Tues 28th April, 7:30pm (pay what you can: £25–£40)
Movement, sound bath by Hanae Harmony and journaling to mark the full moon — a proper chance to slow down mid-week. Led in partnership with women's empowerment coach Ren, all genders welcome and no experience needed.

📸 MenSnap
📍 Patch | 📅 Mon 27th April, 7pm 
A men’s support group through the medium of photography, led by a psychotherapist and photographer.

🔔 Gong Bath Sound Meditation
📍 Flackwell Heath Community Centre | 📅 Sun 26th April, 7pm 
Sink into a deeply relaxing sound healing experience led by Phoebe Winter — a blissful way to end the weekend.

🎨 Paint & Prosecco
📍 Lacey Green & Loosley Row Sports Club | 📅 Fri 24th April, 7pm 
A guided painting evening with step-by-step instruction and all materials included.

🔎 Family Fun Finder

🦸🏻‍♂️ Super Dad Saturdays
📍Tylers Green Methodist Church | 📅 Sat 25th April, 9.30-11.30am
A morning of family fun for kids under 5 and their dads, grandads or father figures. Children & Families worker Rachel says: “Kick out your partner and your kids, send them to me and have a lie in 😂😂 the kids will be entertained, but more importantly, my husband will be there with his Aeropress and fancy coffee beans. Text me on 07795 052 244 if you plan on coming so I can buy enough biscuits!”

📖 A New Movement Exhibition 
📍 We Make Wycombe Hub | 📅 Today–Sun 26th April, 12–6pm daily
A free exhibition from Regeneration Collective exploring the political contributions of art students — from challenging medical misogyny to resisting the class system, through artworks and zines. There’s also a mini zine and badge-making workshop on Sun 26th April.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Catch-Up Café
📍 St Anne’s Church, London Road | 📅 Sat 25th April, 10am-12pm 
All the family is welcome for toys, stories, crafts, tea and cake.

🚗 Fancy a Short Drive?

📜 St George's Day Women in History Fayre
📍 Aylesbury Town Centre | 📅 Sun 26th April, 12–5pm 
A full day of historical entertainment in Aylesbury — costumed characters, coin-minting, morris dancers, a dragon on stilts and a grand uniformed parade at 4pm led by St George on horseback. A brilliant free day out for the whole family. 🐉

🕯️ Vivaldi & Mozart Candlelight Experience
📍 St Mary’s Church, Henley | 📅 Fri 24th April
A string trio performing the Four Seasons and Eine kleine Nachtmusik by candlelight, with two sittings to choose from (7pm or 9pm).

Quiz Nights

• Mad Squirrel | Tonight | 8pm

• The Crown Penn | Tonight | 7.30pm

• Merletto Lounge | Fri 24th April | 7pm

Sports & Activities

⚽ FOOTBALL

• Wycombe Wanderers vs Lincoln City away on Sat 25th April. KO 3pm

• Wycombe Wanderers Women vs AFC Portchester away on Sun 26th April. KO 3pm.

🏉 RUGBY

• HWRUFC vs Bracknell II away on Sat 25th April.

• High Wycombe Belles Women vs Chesham Ladies away on Sun 26th April.

🏏 CRICKET

View HWCC’s friendly fixtures for this week.

🏃🏻‍♂️ RUNNING

Regular runs: Parkrun (Saturday, Rye Lido, 9am) | Junior Parkrun (Sunday, Pann Mill, 9am) | Risborough Run In The Park (Sunday, Wades Park, 9am).

Business News

Got a local business? Get on the directory 📍

The Wycombe Pulse business directory is growing — with listings across everything from restaurants and gyms to dog walkers and electricians. Adding your business is completely free and takes just a few minutes. Can’t find a category that fits? Leave it blank and I’ll sort it.

👉 Add your listing at https://wycombepulse.co.uk/directory/submit

📅 Dates for your Diary

🛍️ Spring on the Farm with Coopers Market
📍 Peterley Manor Farm | 📅 2nd–4th May, 10am–4pm
Free entry to this popular Chilterns artisan market, with the best local food, drink and independent makers.

🔪 Butcher’s Table: Meat, Greet & Eat
📍 Oxmoor Farm | 📅 6th May, 7–9pm
Spend an evening learning seam butchery and knife skills from Ricky and Scott at Block & Butcher, with grazing boards, a welcome drink and a goody bag to take home.

The Wycombe Wordle

Six guesses. Five letters. One Wycombe connection. Let me know if you get it!

🟩 Right letter, right spot
🟨 Right letter, wrong spot
⬜ Not in the word

👉 [Play here]

Feedback

Last week I asked for your thoughts — and wow, so many of you delivered. I’ve been away since then, but I’ve read every single email and I’m genuinely touched by how much care went into them. I’m working through replies now (bear with me!). And please, don’t stop — if you ever have ideas or suggestions for the Pulse, my inbox is always open.

That’s a wrap for this week’s Pulse!

Have a brilliant weekend — but before you dash…

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See you next Thursday,
Steph