The first ever event in the area to celebrate Africa Day is taking place at Freeman Street Market this weekend. From 11am to 5pm on Saturday (May 25), members of the public can enjoy African food and drink, live music and dance performances and engaging history exhibits and artwork displays as part of National Africa Day. People can also browse an array of traditional African clothing and artefacts on display, while families with children can make the most of the fun activities like face painting and colouring on offer. READ MORE: Celebrated in many countries around the world, Africa Day commemorates the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on May 25, 1963. A spokesperson for Freeman Street Market told Grimsby Live: “We are hosting the first ever Africa Day Event in Grimsby hosted by The Health Gospel CIC. It’s National Africa Day, commemorating the independence of 18 countries in West and Sub-Saharan Africa in 1960. The event has been organised by The Health Gospel CIC (Image: Freeman Street Market) “The event forms part of our Love You Local Market campaign, which is a movement that celebrates the heart of local communities through markets, exciting promotions, new business initiatives, and engaging local participation. “We are so excited for this event, not only because it will bring a lively and uplifting atmosphere to our market but also to make new friends, have more people join our market community and celebrate local people, who love their local market.”

Youngsters will have the opportunity to encounter Grim and his Vikings in Grimsby this half term. Havelok’s Kingdom is a Viking-themed arts and crafts event for younger children, which is set to take place at Freshney Place Shopping Centre on Tuesday, May 28. The day, organised by Our Big Picture and Lindesige Saeweard – Grimsby’s new Viking and Saxon re-enactment group – will offer a number of free activities. READ MORE: Julia Thompson, the creator of Grimsby’s popular Viking festival, Grim Falfest and Havelok’s Kingdom, said: “The legend says that Havelok was just a boy when he was rescued by Grim the Viking who then fled with his own family to England and founded Grimsby. We wanted to create something special for younger children linked to the story.” Paula Denton, CEO of Our Big Picture, said: “It’s been amazing to be able to support this project over the past three years. Our team at Our Big Picture have been working on a new range of creative themed activities.” Children will have the chance to craft Viking masks, paper longships and more, while the Vikings will demonstrate some of the games they played and wood carving techniques. Amanda Austin, centre director at Freshney Place, expressed her delight at hosting the event, saying: “We’re pleased to be hosting an activity that celebrates the rich history of Grimsby, whilst providing free entertainment for local families.” The activities will run from 10am until 4pm, with the Vikings making their appearance between 11am and 3pm. The event is backed by The Heritage Lottery Fund and VESR. For more details, follow Havelock’s Kingdom on Facebook. Join the FREE Grimsby Live WhatsApp Community Get all the latest stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp – all you need to do is click the link. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

When it comes to pizza, I really don’t think you can beat the stonebaked kind. Said to be a healthier alternative to typical takeaway pizzas that are often made with processed ingredients, stonebaked pizzas are usually made with simply flour, yeast, water, and salt before being baked on top of a stone slab inside the oven. So when I heard that a new cocktail bar and restaurant called The Side by Side had opened in the heart of Cleethorpes – serving up a range of stonebaked pizzas, loaded fries and sharing boards – I just had to give the pizza a try for myself. READ MORE: Although I haven’t had chance to visit the restaurant itself yet, I was pleased to see that the food was available to order on the Grimsby & Clee Eats app. It took my partner and I forever to choose, because each pizza just sounds absolutely delicious, but in the end we decided on a simple Pepperoni pizza for him and the Spicy Calabrian for me, which includes tomato, Fior de Latte mozzarella, Calabrian sausage, nduja and sweet red peppers. The app does give you the option to add more toppings, so I went for the chorizo. The Pepperoni Pizza (Image: The Side by Side) The food arrived quickly, and we got stuck in. The crust was light and airy and reminded me of the pizzas I ate when I visited Italy – I much prefer woodfired and stonebaked pizzas to the typical takeaway ones because I just think they’re so much more authentic. The tomato passata was packed full of sweet flavour and was complemented by the creaminess of the mozzarella, while the nduja (a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from the Calabria region of Italy) just gave the whole thing a spicy, meaty kick that was unlike any other spice I’ve ever tried. The Side by Side, Alexandra Road, Cleethorpes (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive) The richness of the chorizo and Calabrian sausage combined with all the other toppings reminded me of an Italian ‘meat feast’ pizza, if there ever was such a thing. For two pizzas plus delivery and service charges, the total cost came to a little under £37. The Pepperoni pizza cost £13.50 and the Calabrian pizza with the extra topping of chorizo came to £17.50. I did think it seemed a bit high, price-wise, but the pizzas were very good quality. I look forward to visiting The Side by Side in person and enjoying one of their pizzas alongside a cheeky cocktail (or two).

A new street food restaurant offering the best of Latin American and Asian flavours has set up shop in the heart of Grimsby. BARE Street Kitchen opened in early May on Abbeygate and is the brainchild of couple Dale Brophy and Natalie Clark. Offering flavourful brunch combinations and an array of tacos and bao buns, the restaurant has been inspired by the couple’s love of the street food they tried on their travels around the globe. We headed down there on a sunny and warm Monday evening to try the delicious-sounding food for ourselves – and were so pleased we did. READ MORE: After sitting down on one of the downstairs tables and being served our drinks, it was time to order food. The first thing I noticed about the food menu was the creativity of the name of each dish, and the huge variety of options available. I’d recommend choosing four to six options to share between two people, and maybe a couple more if you’re absolutely ravenous. We went for ‘No You’re Wrong Colonel Sanders!’ which was described on the menu as Korean style double fried chicken, roast chilli and honey jam, pickled red onions and soy BBQ sauce and ‘Red Belly, Yellow Belly’, which was described as Hong Kong sticky red belly pork, chillis, toasted peanuts and sour mustard greens. The food was delicious (Image: Grimsby Live) When you order, you’re given the option of each filling being served in either a bao bun, soft flour tortilla or taco. For these two, we chose the bao buns – which I’d absolutely recommend if you order these. We also went for ‘Moqueca Mo’ Problems’ (chilli and lime marinated King prawns, coriander and coconut pesto with crispy onions and roast tomato jam) and ‘Can’t Get No Satay-sfaction’ (Satay style tofu burnt ends, peanut sauce, toasted peanuts, caramelised onions and house pickles). We chose the soft flour tortilla for these two. As we waited for our food to arrive, I couldn’t help but admire just how amazing the place looks inside. It’s evident that the restaurant has been a true labour of love, with the bright and colourful décor, modern and trendy furnishings and little touches that made it all feel very street food market-y, a theme which I know the owners Natalie and Dale were keen to recreate. The restaurant was quirky and colourful inside and out (Image: Grimsby Live) The food arrived quickly, and we dug in. Each dish was packed full of flavour, from the spicy kick of the belly pork and smokiness of the double fried chicken to the more subtle taste of the King prawns and Satay style tofu. Trying the food for the first time just reaffirmed for me how much work has gone into the restaurant – each dish had so many different elements, flavours and textures and it was clear that so much planning went into coming up with them, even down to the names. My favourites were definitely ‘No You’re Wrong Colonel Sanders!’ and ‘Red Belly, Yellow Belly’, with the latter probably taking the top spot of them all. I could have eaten about ten of them. Still a bit peckish after the first four, we ordered another ‘Red Belly, Yellow Belly’ and decided to also try the ‘MOLE! MOLE! MOLE!’ which was described on the menu as shredded chicken mole poblano, pickled red onions, crumbled cheese house slaw and toasted peanuts, plus a side order of chips, which were just absolute perfection. Think homemade “chippy style” chips drizzled in oil and sea salt and left in the fryer for just that little bit longer – yum. Because it was Margarita Monday (two margaritas for £10), we couldn’t exactly say no to that. I can’t say I drink margaritas very often, but I think it’s something I’ll be doing more of now. We both went for the mango flavour, and were very impressed. My verdict: I will absolutely be going back to BARE Street Kitchen to try the other options on the menu. It’s a perfect food spot for those who are quite adventurous and enjoy trying new dishes, cuisines and flavours, and it’s bringing something different and very much needed to the local food scene. The staff are also so friendly, and it’s true service with a smile – which is always a lovely added bonus.

We are now in the strange period before the next May bank holiday and it may seem like there is not much going on. But Grimsby Live has dug around, including under the sofa, and found a few events this weekend and into next week that might tickle your fancy. Maybe you are a Harry Potter superfan (or know somebody who is) or maybe you have a beer aficionado in your group. There are also some family-friendly events happening in our area, including the return of the famous Model Railway Exhibition at Immingham Museum. Little Ones might also be excited to see Iggle Piggle live on stage in a show described as “the biggest family event this summer” by The Independent. Here are our picks for the week starting Saturday, May 18: Brewery Tour at Docks Beers On Sunday Docks Beers is taking guests on a tour of the brewery – with plenty of samples to taste and a pint to enjoy at the end. Places must be booked in advance. On its Facebook event page, Docks Beer said: “Interested in beer, breweries & how to brew? Fancy an in-depth look into Docks Beers? Enjoy trying a variety of different beers with tasting notes? “We are running brewery tours at 12pm and 2pm and they are open to groups of up to 12 people. Tours last approximately 90 minutes and they include an overview of the company, a guided tour of the brewery and information about the art of making craft beer. “People on the tour will get to sample 6 different beer styles and receive a complimentary pint and a 10% discount on all takeaway beers and merchandise. Tours cost £20 per person and payment is required when booking.” To book a tour, visit the Docks Beers website. Grimsby Symphony Orchestra at Grimsby Minster Fans of classical music won’t want to miss Grimsby Symphony Orchestra’s performance at Grimsby Minster on Sunday. Swan Lake and Saints Saëns Organ Symphony (known for its use in the film “Babe”) are among the famous compositions that will raise the roof. On the page on Eventbrite, it says: “Grimsby Symphony Orchestra would cordially like to invite you to the dance! Invitation to the Dance! is our next concert at Grimsby Minster. “You can look forward to an evening of elegant music which will include excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Saints Saëns Organ Symphony and many more delights. Come and join us at 3.30pm. Tickets start at £10.” Tickets can be bought on Eventbrite. Mandala tutorial at It Started With A Stitch in Scartho Do you feel like embracing “cottage core”? A workshop on Saturday afternoon at the crafting shop in Scartho, It Started With A Stitch, will provide all the materials needed to make Mandalas. Talking about the event on the Facebook event page, the organiser said: “Join me for an afternoon of crochet fun and learn how to make your very own Mandala. “Everything you need will be provided along with a gorgeous selection of cotton yarns to work with. This workshop is perfect for anyone who has already mastered a treble crochet (UK terms – a double if you use a lot of US patterns!) “As always, refreshments will be provided. You just need to bring yourself.” Find out more and book by contacting It Started With A Stitch in 21b Waltham Road, Scartho. The Ultimate Harry Potter Quiz at Boston Brothers Boston Brothers bar in Victoria Street, Grimsby, is hosting a magical pub quiz with themed food and drinks – including a butterbeer on arrival. The event on Monday, May 20, costs £20 but this includes they butterbeer and a main meal. Announcing the event on Facebook, Boston Brothers said: “Calling all Muggles! Whether you’re a Gryffindor groupie or a Slytherin supporter, this one’s for you! Get yourself down to the Geeky Cauldron (Boston Brothers) On 20th May at 7pm.” Model Railway Exhibition at Immingham Museum The annual Model Railway Exhibition is returning to Immingham Museum over the weekend (May 18 and 19) according to Discover North East Lincolnshire. Posting about the event on Facebook, it said: “THIS WEEKEND the museum is hosting the Immingham Model Railway Exhibition so will be open to the public both Saturday and Sunday all day.” Visitors can also hear the story of the Mayflower Pilgrims who fled from Immingham to Holland more than 400 years ago. A Pilgrims Heritage Trail guides visitors around key sites including St Andrew’s church and the Pilgrim Monument. In the Night Garden Live at Grimsby Auditorium Anyone with little ‘uns might want to check out the stage version of In the Night Garden on Tuesday and Wednesday next week (May 21 to 22). Showing an Grimsby Auditorium, it promises a magical adventure to spark imaginations. Grimsby Audoriumn’s listing says: “Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends are back in their fun-filled live show Igglepiggle’s Busy Day! Join Igglepiggle as he looks for his friends in the Night Garden by following their funny sounds until he finds them all! “You’ll see all your favourite characters beautifully brought to life with full-size costumes, magical puppets, and enchanting music. This show lasts just under an hour and your little ones will be amazed when they see a very special visit from the amazing flying Pinky Ponk.” Book tickets via the Grimsby Auditorium website. Join the FREE Grimsby Live WhatsApp Community Get all the latest stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp – all you need to do is click the link. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Strictly Come Dancing’s superstar professional dancers, Dianne Buswell and Vito Coppola, are to star in a brand-new stage show Red Hot and Ready – and it is heading for Grimsby. Created by Jason Gilkison, Red Hot and Ready will dance its way round the UK in June and July 2025, visiting 27 venues. The tour will be presented by international dance phenomenon Burn the Floor, as the company makes a welcome return to the UK as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations. A dynamic new dance show-with-a-difference, Red Hot and Ready builds on the acclaimed performance legacy created by Burn the Floor over more than two decades. The show brings together Strictly’s Dianne and Vito, with their incredible ability to deliver show-stopping performances, and a cast of multi-disciplined Burn the Floor dancers from around the world who are nothing short of spectacular, as well as sensational vocalists and live band. READ MORE: Red Hot and Ready – it bursts onto the stage at Grimsby Auditorium on July 17, 2025 – will be the ultimate high-voltage dance extravaganza, exploding with jaw-dropping choreography, heart-pounding music and breath-taking moves, from seriously sexy to irresistibly charming, and celebrating the pure joy of dance. Dianne has been a two-time finalist during her seven years with the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and is hugely popular thanks to her fun, quirky personality and dynamic dance style, not to mention her flaming red locks! Winner of the show’s coveted Glitter Ball Trophy last year, Vito has become a firm favourite with audiences in his two years with Strictly, renowned for his outstanding talent as well as his cheeky sense of humour. Dianne, a former Australian Open champion, said: “I am truly excited to be going on tour with our magnificent new show with the most phenomenal partner Vito, and to sharing the love and the energy as we dance for you.” Vito Coppola lifted last year’s BBC Strictly Come Dancing glitterball trophy with celebrity Ellie Leach (Image: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images) Italian-born Vito, who began dancing aged seven, said: “I can’t wait to be on tour with the amazing, beautiful, vibrant Dianne Buswell. It’s going to be Red, it’s going to be Hot, and we are going to be super Ready and bring to you so much joy and smiles and happiness.” The show’s creator and choreographer Jason Gilkison said: “I am feeling blessed to be coming home to Burn the Floor and creating a new show for the first time in ten years. To have Dianne and Vito leading this dynamic cast really guarantees an unforgettable experience for our audience.” Red Hot and Ready is presented by Burn the Floor, the dance company widely credited with kick-starting the modern ballroom dance revolution following its 1999 World Premiere in Bournemouth. The explosive show was ahead of its time in combining the art and tradition of ballroom with rock and roll technology. Tickets for the Red Hot and Ready UK tour go on sale on Wednesday, May 22. Find more details at dianneandvito.co.uk

It’s the fail-safe recipe that Nancy Birtwhistle turns to if she knows company is on the way as it “goes down well with everyone”. The Great British Bake Off champion of 2014, who lives in Barton upon Humber, featured it in her first book, Sizzle and Drizzle. She said: “My lemon drizzle cake has always been popular, it’s got this nice crunchy top. “Everyone seems to like it. If I need to make a cake this is my go-to recipe and I must have made it hundreds of times. I might actually make one today (she did!) because I have some lemons left. READ MORE: Nancy Birtwhistle on ten years since winning The Great British Bake Off “The thing is, you can make the mixture into cupcakes or a bundt cake and in loaf tins. It keeps well in a tin and it freezes well.” I’m not an expert baker by any means but I thought I’d give Nancy’s “foolproof” recipe a whirl – you can find it on her website here. Here’s the step-by-step of how I got on.

When it comes to some of the best mother and daughter activities to enjoy, getting your hair done together has to be up there. But because my daughter is only three, it will be a good few years until highlights and hair dyeing comes into the mix – so when I heard about the new hair braiding salon that had opened in Grimsby, I was keen to give it a go. Situated at 17 Freeman Street, Braid Station was opened last month by former teacher Charlotte Wright, who decided to take the leap and incorporate everything she knew from teaching Business Studies, and open her own business doing what she loves. READ MORE: The niche salon offers a huge range of braid options, from everyday French and Dutch braids to more eclectic and colourful festival styles, box braids and even dreadlocks. Depending on people’s tastes and preferences, there’s probably thousands of individual options in terms of the braids, style and colours involved. So, keen to not have to straighten my hair for a couple of days, and with a very excited little one in tow, we headed to Braid Station on a sunny Tuesday evening to get our hair braided together. The salon itself is a little girl’s dream, with the floral mural on the windows, the huge wall of colourful hair, girlie products on sale and touches of pink and animal print everywhere you look. It’s a fun experience for children and adults alike (Image: Grimsby Live) My daughter went first, and we decided on two Dutch braids with light pink woven throughout. I didn’t know Dutch braids were even a thing before, to be honest – they’re very similar to French braids, but the hair sits more on top of the head in a 3D style, rather than underneath. Charlotte started by separating the hair and adding lots of gel to ensure the style stayed in place, and braided the hair whilst simultaneously weaving the pink “hair” into it. It took about 15 minutes in total, and I was glad my daughter – aka the biggest fidget-bum – managed to sit still through it. My daughter’s hair looked amazing (Image: Grimsby Live) She also loved being able to choose a couple of little charms to accessorize the braids, and chose two little unicorns that finished the look and made her look even more adorable. Next, it was my turn. I wanted something very classic and not too “in your face” so I went for two standard French braids. Mine took about 20 minutes, and I was pleased with the final result. I was happy with the final result (Image: Grimsby Live) The price came to £35 in total (£20 for me and £15 for my daughter), so it’s not really something you can do every single week, but it was a lovely little pick-me-up experience. I’d recommend going to Braid Station for something fun and girlie to do, whether with a loved one or for a spot of “me time”. Plus, with the weather getting warmer, braids are a great option for a low-maintenance, summer hairstyle. To find out more about Braid Station and the different braids Charlotte offers, you can like the Facebook page by clicking here.

The May Day Bank Holiday might have been and gone but, of course, there’s another one on the way in a couple of weeks’ time. As always, that means hundreds will be heading out to Cleethorpes to enjoy another long weekend with friends and family. Here we go back five years to look back at one of the May Bank Holidays in 2019 in the bars and clubs of the resort. Good times at Havana Cabana, Arthur’s, The Counting House, Tale of Two, Studio, and Rift all feature in the gallery below. You might spot yourself or someone you know! READ MORE:

A Cleethorpes band is hoping to multiply its musical success – once its youngest members have finished their GCSEs! Three of the four-strong band EVER have put their passion for live gigs and writing music on hold until their exams are over next month. But the group will be straight back on stage as one of the headline acts at this year’s Armed Forces Weekend at the end of June in Cleethorpes. EVER is made up of McKenzie Hillyard, 15, Isaac Stratford, 16, his elder brother Connor, 28, and Max McNiven, 15, on drums. Within just 12 months they have attracted 350,000 live streams on Spotify and 100,000 followers on Instagram. The band’s first single Don’t Know How To Love was a viral sensation and has been quickly followed this year with Overdrive. READ MORE: The run of exams next week includes English, history and maths and they are hoping it all adds up to success in the music industry. EVER’s viral streams runs into millions, though they are known locally for their fun nights performing in front of live audiences at a variety of venues. Over the Bank Holiday weekend they turned Docks Academy into a “mosh pit” with fans of all ages dancing to their rock music. EVER have been inspired in their beginnings by the likes of The Foo Fighters, Radiohead and Green Day. The band write a lot of their own music, with Isaac on vocals and rhythm guitar, McKenzie, on guitar, Max on drums and Connor on bass. EVER perform at Docks Academy Fresh Catch on May 4, 2024 (Image: EVER/Submitted) They have performed multiple gigs in the area but it is their stats online that has catapulted them to the attention of rock producers worldwide. They hope to have some news about contracts later this month and Isaac said he is keen to get into a recording studio to create the band’s first album. Their class teachers will be pleased to hear they are focussed on their GCSEs and will only have one gig during the mid-term break when they are performing in the car park at The Grosvenor, in Humberston, on Sunday, May 26. They will also have a free gig on Saturday, June 29 at the Armed Forces Weekend, in Cleethorpes. EVER will also be at The Signal Box Inn that weekend. In the meantime they are rehearsing at home. Isaac and Connor’s mum Shelley said: “There are no bookings during the GCSEs as they come first. But they love what they are doing and would be writing songs and performing every day if they could. We just ferry them around everywhere and, because they are not old enough, we look after their streaming and online support.” EVER members, from left, Max, Isaac, McKenzie, and Connor (Image: EVER/Submitted) Isaac and McKenzie said all the parents had given immense support to the band. “We are loving it and writing our own songs a lot. It is a joyful struggle,” told Isaac. He said he had been inspired by his dad Rob who formerly played in a band Ideal in the Nineties. He said all the band hope to tour in Europe and the US. McKenzie said: “I have been with the band since we started and love it. I can’t think of anything else in my life. We had a great Saturday night at Docks with a few mosh pits and being able to feed off the audience’s energy.” Meanwhile, they have their fingers crossed for a “meet and greet” with their idols Green Day ahead of their Cleethorpes Armed Forces gig. See more from EVER here Join the FREE Grimsby Live WhatsApp Community Get all the latest stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp – all you need to do is click the link. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.