Ten of the best things to do in and around Bedford in the next seven days

1 MUSICMonday Night Jazz, White Horse, Bedford, April 1Back by popular demand, The White Horse’s weekly session will welcome back vocalist Sara Dowling, who will be paying tribute to some of her favourite composers and songwriters. At a young age, Sara’s environment was a significant influence on her musical journey, swaying between her father’s record collection of Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Wynton Kelly, Bud Powell, Lester Young and Ben Webster to the haunting melodies blaring from her mother’s radio of the great Arabic chanteuses Fairuz and Umm Kalthoum. Details: thewhitehorsebedford.co.uk

2 FAMILYMother’s Day at Woburn Safari Park, March 31Woburn Safari Park is inviting mums to take a walk on the wild side and enjoy a unique safari adventure experience, which includes Spring Afternoon Tea and a Giraffe Mini VIP Experience.Details: www.woburnsafari.co.uk

3 MUSICBedford Choral Society, Bedford Corn Exchange, March 30The society sings a single but fitting piece of music in the run up to Easter. Composed by Anton Dvorak based on a medieval hymn to Mary, the ‘Stabat Mater’, it portrays her suffering as Christ’s mother during his crucifixion. Ian Smith, Bedford Choral Society’s music director, said: “It is a beautiful piece of music, struck through with tragedy, which was clearly heartfelt. “Dvorak is best known for his Hungarian Dances, and the New World Symphony, but this deserves to stand alongside these much more popular works.”Details: bedfordcornexchange.co.uk/events/whats-on

4 MUSICBig in 2019, Bedford Esquires, March 30The night promises a beast of a line-up, with two of the hottest new bands in the UK and a sizzler of a local to add to the mix: Monster Florence, Everyone You Know and Banton. The joint headliners have received airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 1, and feature on many of this summer’s festival line-ups.Details: seetickets.com

5 MUSICDawn Penn, Windsor Banqueting Suite, Windsor Road, Bedford, March 30Best known for the 1990s international hit You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No), Dawn Penn’s earliest recordings were written by her around 1966, her remarkable career involving working with the likes of Prince Buster and Steely & Clevie.Details: www.skiddle.com

6 MUSICHenge, Bedford Esquires, March 29“We come in the name of rave,” say Henge. “Absorb the mutated frequencies of cosmic dross. “There are no earth words to describe these sounds. But you will learn how to love and dance again.” Find out what this all means at Esquires.Details: seetickets.com

7 MUSICThe Askew Sisters, The Place, Bedford, April 4On record, Emily and Hazel use a palette of fiddles, melodeons, cello and concertina to create mesmerising textures. The sisters are returning to working as a duo after having been part of projects such as Songs of Separation, which won the Best Album award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.Details: theplacebedford.org.uk

8 THEATRELittle Shop of Horrors, Turvey Village Hall, until March 30Something mean and green is coming to Bedfordshire as Turvey Amateur Theatrical Society performs the cult musical classic. The story follows floral assistant Seymour, who stumbles across a new breed of carnivorous plant that promises to grant him fame, fortune and all his desires – as long as the food keeps coming...Details: thelittleboxoffice.com/tats

9 THEATREGirls Night, Wootton Village Hall, Church Road, Wootton, until March 30An evening of song, dance, tears and laughter presented by Wootton Country Players, Girls Night is a comedy set in Bab’s ‘80s karaoke club, where a wild, joyous and tearful evening unfolds with the girls.Details: countryplayers.org.uk

10 MUSICSavannah Jazz Band, Bedford Golf Club, Great Denham, March 28One of Britain’s most popular New Orleans-style trad jazz bands, Savannah promise to get the night swinging.Details: Call 01234 320022