No, this is not a reference to the indifferent British weather, but to the series of Hurlingham experiences that are unique and life-affirming for so many of you and your guests

In early June, the clouds broke to release a burst of sunshine to light up a breathtaking array of classic cars. Once again, Fête Champêtre was a memorable evening for more than two thousand revellers. The informal contest to ‘outdo-your neighbour’s-picnic’ was in full force and, yet again, Fête acted as the early benchmark for the summer season. The one issue that needs reviewing is its over-popularity. Selling 2,500 tickets in under eight minutes is a wonderful problem to have, but it does result in disappointment for some members, and we are looking into further ways to resolve this issue in 2025.

Four weeks after Fête, the Member Events team was preparing for another busy week, which began with Young Hurlingham’s annual Camp Out, when 38 intrepid young members spent the night under canvas in the grounds. 

Following this, Summer Fiesta boldly announced itself, with a DJ and live singers on a Friday evening in the Dip. This inaugural event attracted nearly 1,200 party goers of all ages, who brought a picnic and their dancing shoes to enjoy an uplifting blast of live music that we know and love. The atmosphere was terrific, and this is surely an event we can repeat in future years.

The day after Fiesta, we returned to a more sedate tempo with the Family Picnic. More than 1,600 families and friends enjoyed the evening, which included fairground rides and live entertainment.

Once again, Fête Champêtre was a memorable evening for more than two thousand revellers

These events take months to prepare and a few gruelling hours to dismantle and clear up. The fact that the Club is returned to normality by the following morning is testament to the precision and hard work of our Club staff members. I would like to acknowledge and thank them for their teamwork and supreme dedication in making these events run so seamlessly – without them it would not be possible.

This year, there is still a day of fun activities for all the family on Hurlingham Sunday on 8 September and, on Saturday 2 November, the magnificent Guy Fawkes firework display to look forward to. Looking ahead, we are also beginning to identify some new events for the next few months which reflect our desire to use the East Wing refurbishment as a time to innovate and experiment. One new event is A Night at the Opera on Thursday 3 October, with performances at 6pm and 8pm. Soprano, Catherine Hooper and her pianist will perform two 45-minute sets, repeated twice so that members can attend pre- or post-supper. It’s been a productive honey-making season for our Hurlingham bees, and we will be hosting a Honey Tasting event on Wednesday 23 October. For more details, please see Jean Bird’s update on our bees on page 19. We are also currently exploring options to hold a variety of workshops. 

Meanwhile, we are planning a full autumn programme with all the regular favourites – see individual sections for details.

This is my final posting as current Chair of ME&E, and I look forward to handing over the baton to Henry Finlay after our October AGM. The future of Member Events and Experiences at the Club could not be in better hands.

LAURENCE CRONEEN, CHAIR, ME&E