Good morning, Wycombe!
A mere two weeks ago I was moaning about the weather. And here I go again. The other way this time.
It’s just been a bit too hot this week. Honestly, I was looking more for a mid-20s temp, light breeze and less of a sweaty, tomato-esque face. Is that too much to ask?
Weather angst aside, this week’s edition is packed:
🎈Opening date for the new Eden soft play
📸 My favourite reader photos of Wycombe
⚽️ WWFC are heading to High Wycombe Market this Friday!
Plus the lowdown on the ice cream van saga on The Rye, a new evening on Wyrd Wycombe, a wildflowers and witchcraft walk, and much more.
Editor’s Highlights
📍 B'Hive | 📅 Fri 29th May, 6.30pm
Local folklore duo Mark Page and Stevyn Colgan dig into Wycombe's hidden history — eerie legends, mysterious lore and wyrd vibes from the town's past. A brilliant evening for anyone who's ever wondered what lurks beneath the surface of our streets.
📍 Oxmoor Farm | 📅 Weds 3rd Jun, 7.30pm
Elle Brighton has spent 12 years tagging sharks, swimming with orcas and discovering new species across the Indo-Pacific — now she's bringing those stories to the Chilterns.
📍 Adams Park | 📅 Sat 30th May, kick-off 3pm
A charity match at the home of the Chairboys, raising money for the Wycombe Wanderers Disabled Supporters Association — supporting accessibility and inclusion for disabled fans.
📍 The Walled Garden | 📅 Fri 29th May, 5–9pm
Three brilliant independent food trucks — KILLA Waffles, Friends and Flavours (epic burgers, vegan options too) and Parma Medics (Aussie chicken parmas).
📍 The Front Room | 📅 Sat 30th May, 7pm–11pm
High Wycombe's favourite live jazz night goes Italian — the house band reimagines hits from the golden age of Italian cinema and style, with hand-picked guest musicians dropping in throughout the night. Arcade and board games available all evening too.
If you fancy something a little different this weekend, the Marlow Art & Crafts Society Exhibition is back — and it's exactly the sort of wholesome local event we love seeing thrive.
Running since the 1950s, the society brings together everyone from complete beginners to professional artists, and their annual exhibition is a chance to see (and buy) an incredibly varied mix of local creative work. Think colourful paintings, landscapes, ceramics, crafts and 3D pieces — something for every taste and budget.
It’s friendly, relaxed, free to enter, and ideal for a wander.
Visitors can also vote for their favourite artwork, with the winning artist taking home the society’s legendary annual silver trophy.
🗓️ Friday 29th - Sunday 31st May, 10am-4pm
📍Liston Hall, Chapel Street, Marlow SL7 2NJ
🅿️ Next to Liston Road Car Park (short walk from Dean Street Car Park & the High Street)
🎟️ Free entry
💳 Card payments welcome
Whether you’re a serious art lover or just fancy seeing what talented local people are creating, it’s well worth the short journey down the A404.
Wellness Moments
🌿The Slohaus Sunday Ritual
📍 Slohaus Wild Spa | 📅 Sun 31st May, 9:15am
Start your Sunday with sauna, contrast therapy and a sound bath with crystal singing bowls, held outdoors in nature. Herbal tea included.
🌿Buckinghamshire Wildflowers and Witchcraft Walk
📍 Penn | 📅 Fri 29th May, various times
A guided walk weaving together wildflower botany, folklore and myth — discover how familiar blooms were once used for healing, protection, love spells and seasonal rites.
🎨 Get Creative
🕯️Candle Painting Creative Session
📍 Hughenden Village Store | 📅 Weds 3rd June, 7–9pm
Paint your own candles with Create Your Happy — simple techniques taught from scratch, no experience needed. You'll leave with 2-3 beautiful candles.
👗Fashion Finds: Dress for the Occasion
📍 John Lewis | 📅 Sat 30th May, 3pm
Need a wedding guest, Mother of the Bride or races outfit? John Lewis personal stylists and brand specialists from Whistles, Phase Eight and Hobbs host an informal talk on the latest SS26 occasion dressing trends — with the chance to try on new ranges and get expert advice.
🌱Grow Your Own – Workshop for New Growers
📍 Back Lane Allotments | 📅 Sat 30th May, 2pm
Want to start growing your own food but not sure where to begin? Join Grow Together for a relaxed, free workshop with ideas, discussion and practical hands-on activities at their community allotment. Hot drinks and homemade cake provided.
🎨 Botanical Watercolour Workshop
📍 The Walled Garden | 📅 Sat 30th May, 10am
Learn to draw and paint beautiful botanicals with self-taught fine artist Gail Jones — a relaxed, inspiring session accessible to all abilities, working in harmony with the season.
🎈Eden Centre Soft Play Opening 13th June!
Pirates Landing, the brand new soft play centre at Eden, has announced its opening date: Saturday 13th June. Tickets are available now to buy on their website.
I can’t wait to check it out with my kids. Prices are very reasonable — from £7.50 (off peak, under 2s) to £13.50 (peak, kids 4+). Best of all — adults are free!
Entertainment
🎉 House Party Episode 1
📍 La Luna Ceylon | 📅 Sat 30th May, 10pm
Free entry, old skool vibes and big tunes — Sooziee & Kirsten host the first episode of their House Party night, with music from Serial Ravers & Friends and live music from Kirsten. First 25 through the door get a free shot. 🗝️
🍽️ A Taste of Afghanistan
📍 The Full Moon, Little Kingshill | 📅 Tonight, 6.30pm
An evening of authentic Afghan sharing dishes and warm hospitality — with a complimentary drink on arrival.
🥂 Long Crendon Manor Garden Party Fundraiser
📍 Long Crendon Manor | 📅 Sat 30th May, 12.30–4pm
A fundraiser with serious heart — welcome fizz, buffet lunch, a cello quartet and a raffle and silent auction, all in aid of Ukrainian humanitarian charity 'That Day' NGO.
🎼 Choral Evensong for Trinity Sunday
📍 Holy Trinity Church, Penn | 📅 Sun 31 May, 6.30pm
Choral Evensong for the Patronal Festival, with the Wycombe Chamber Choir performing works by Byrd, Stanford and Parry — followed by a complimentary reception in the church hall. Free to attend, all welcome.
Quiz Nights 🧠
Mad Squirrel | Tonight | 8pm
Belle Vue | Tonight | 8pm
Merletto Lounge | Fri 29th May | 7pm
Sports and Activities
⚽️ FOOTBALL
Wycombe Wanderers are coming to town 🧤
If you're in the town centre this Friday, keep an eye out for the Chairboys — WWFC are setting up a market stall to reveal their brand new goalkeeper kit. It's a fun way to get fans involved in the new season build-up, so swing by if you're passing.
🎾 TENNIS
HW Lawn Tennis Club has a home fixture this weekend.
Padel Social
📍 Holmer Green Padel Club | 📅 Sat 30th May, 12–5pm
Virelli Club's inaugural Padel Social blends competitive play, casual hits, Pilates sessions, live DJ, and curated food and drinks. From £10 for social entry — all levels welcome
🏏 CRICKET
🏃🏻♂️ RUNNING
Run Encrypted 5K
📍 The Rye | 📅 Sun 31st May, 10am–12pm
A free, no-pressure community 5K around The Rye. Ends with a café finish.
Regular runs: Parkrun (Saturday, Rye Lido, 9am) | Junior Parkrun (Sunday, Pann Mill, 9am) | Risborough Run In The Park (Sunday, Wades Park, 9am).
Community Notes
Ice Cream Politics 🍦
I was gutted to hear that Lisetta of Lisetta’s Ices has lost her pitch at The Rye. 💔
She’s been a fixture on that riverside patch for 30 years — known to pretty much everyone in town and loved as much for her warmth as for her proper Italian ice cream.
The how and why aren’t fully clear. I’ve heard that concessions like these are awarded via a yearly sealed bid tender and that the incumbent trader can’t match a competing bid if it comes in higher. If that’s the case, it means 30 years of loyalty, community, and turning up every single day counts for nothing against a number on a piece of paper.
This isn’t just one trader losing a pitch. It’s a piece of Wycombe going with her. It looks like a tick-box decision with zero regard for what actually makes a community.
Of course, that’s not the end of the story. Lisetta has moved up to Totteridge Rec and I hope we’ll all show up for her in her new home. And good luck to the new ice cream van at The Rye. They’ve been caught in the storm of the community’s consternation but it’s not their fault — they’re just taking advantage of an opportunity. Lisetta’s a tough act to follow.
🌍 Community & Climate Café
📍 Patch | 📅 Tonight, 7:30pm
A friendly evening of real-life inspiration for living in a more planet-friendly way — come along, share ideas and leave motivated. All welcome.
🌿 Nature at the Heart of White Hart Street
📍 White Hart Street | 📅 Fri 29th May, 10am–12pm
Join the Chiltern Rangers to water, spruce up, and plan out what to plant this year — with the goal of bringing colour and pollinators right into the town centre.
📸 You showed me your Wycombe.
A couple of weeks ago I asked you to submit your photos of High Wycombe. Thanks to everyone who sent something in — it’s fascinating to see a town you know so well through others’ eyes, and some of the shots were genuinely beuatiful.
I tried to narrow it down to 12 that show the real breadth of our town — from the urban to the natural, sweet to spooky, weird and wonderful.
🗓️ Dates for your Diary
🎷 Wycombe Jazz Festival 2026 — 5th Anniversary
📍 The Brunel Engine Shed | 📅 Sat 6th June, 2–11pm
A diverse lineup of emerging and established talent from Bucks and beyond takes over this brilliant new venue right opposite the train station — tickets available now.
🌞 Summer Solstice
📍 West Wycombe Walled Garden & Hellfire Caves | 📅 Sun 21st June
Celebrate the longest day of the year with an evening of fire, folklore and festivity — and if you want to go deeper, join author and QI writer Stevyn Colgan for an intimate candlelit lecture on solstice history inside the caves.
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
That’s a wrap for this week’s Pulse!
Have a cool weekend — but before you dash…
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See you next Thursday,
Steph
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