The Hare and Hounds, Leavenheath

14/06/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our Summer Solstice Garden Party yesterday and helped make it such a fantastic day. It was brilliant to finally open the shutters, pour the first pints, and see the garden bar being used exactly as it was intended – bringing people together.

As the garden bar project reached completion, I’d also like to recognise the incredible people who helped turn what started as another one of my ideas into a reality.

🔌 Kieron Lock of Lock Electrical for all the wiring and electrical installation.
🚜 Ian Kerridge of Border Construction for all the groundwork and getting us off to a solid start.
🔨 Tom Bird for his carpentry skills, hard work, and seemingly endless ability to turn his hand to just about anything.
🏠 Dan Bird of Herbert & Justice Roofing for his expertise fitting the rubber roof and making sure the whole thing stays dry for years to come.
🚪 Brett Deeks of Boxford Lane Joinery for somehow managing to make my salvaged door and questionable door lining actually work perfectly.
🪚 Richard Fernley of RF Home & Garden Maintenance for building the perfectly lined-up shutters and his attention to detail.
🚐 Nick Raymond of MGR Gardens for the use of his van to move what felt like half a timber yard and for keeping the garden looking tip-top throughout the build.
🍻 Barry Pitts for his skilful noggin cutting, general graft, and for making sure the team never went thirsty.
❤️ And finally, my long-suffering wife, for putting up with my impulsive decisions, endless trips to builders’ merchants, and the fact she’s barely seen me during the just under four weeks it took to build this from scratch. None of this would have been possible without her patience, support and understanding.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that less than four weeks before the party this was just an empty patch of garden and an idea scribbled on a bit of paper. The amount of time, effort, skill and goodwill that went into this project has been incredible.

If I’ve accidentally missed anyone, please accept my sincere apologies. Every bit of help, advice, tool-lending, tea-making, material-moving and encouragement has been hugely appreciated.

And the fun doesn’t stop there! Today we’re hosting our Kids Cinema, so if you’re looking for something to keep the little ones entertained, come along and join us for an afternoon of films, snacks and family fun. We’re looking forward to another great day at the garden bar.

Built by local people, for local people. Thank you all for your support, and we hope to see you at the Kids Cinema today! 🍿🍻

13/06/2026

13/06/2026

🚨 IT’S GO TIME! 🚨

After weeks of planning, building, wiring, testing, lifting, carrying and the occasional bit of head-scratching, we’re delighted to say…

🎶 The stage is built
🔊 The sound system is in
💡 The lighting is programmed
🍻 The brand new garden bar is fully stocked

Hare & Sounds Summer Solstice Party is ready to roll!

The gates open at 12pm today and we’ll be serving cold drinks from the new outdoor bar all day long while an incredible lineup of DJs and live percussion keep the party flowing right through until 11pm.

☀️ Free entry
🍔 BBQ food available all day
🍹 Cocktails, beers, ciders & more
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family friendly atmosphere
🎵 Music from 12pm - 11pm

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped get us to this point. We’ve thrown everything at this event and can’t wait to welcome you all later on.

📍 Hare & Hounds, Leavenheath, CO6 4PW
🕛 Bar open from 12pm

Who’s joining us for the first Hare & Sounds party of the summer? 🎶☀️🍻🐰🐶

12/06/2026

Before we throw open the gates tomorrow, there’s just one more DJ left to introduce…

🎧 SUMMER SOLSTICE DJ ANNOUNCEMENT #7 – DARCYB 🎧

🔥 OUR DJ COMPETITION WINNER 🔥

Back in March, we launched the very first Hare & Sounds DJ Competition to discover new talent and give someone the opportunity to play on the Summer Solstice stage.

After two fiercely contested rounds, one DJ stood out from the crowd…

🥇 DARCYB 🥇

DarcyB is a fresh face on the scene, but her story started on the other side of the booth. After years spent on dancefloors, living for the music and feeding off the energy of the crowd, she’s now stepping behind the decks to create those moments herself.

Drawn to house classics alongside fresh underground sounds, DarcyB is carving out a style that’s packed with feel-good energy, familiar favourites you may have forgotten about, and the kind of tunes that make people smile when they hear them.

New to DJing? Maybe.

New to dance music culture? Absolutely not.

Her connection to the crowd was clear throughout the competition and ultimately earned her the judges’ vote and a place on tomorrow’s line-up.

We’re incredibly proud to have given a platform to emerging talent and even more excited to see DarcyB make her Summer Solstice debut.

And with that…

🎉 THE LINE-UP IS COMPLETE 🎉

The stage is built.
The sound system is ready.
The bar is stocked.
The DJs are primed.

All that’s missing is YOU.

📍 Hare & Hounds, Leavenheath, CO6 4PW
🗓 TOMORROW – Saturday 13th June
⏰ From 12pm
🎟 FREE ENTRY
🍔 BBQ • 🍹 Cocktails • 🎧 DJs • 🥁 Live Percussion
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Friendly

Let’s make this the biggest Hare & Sounds event yet.

See you on the dancefloor. 🔥🎧☀️🐇🐕‍🦺

11/06/2026

🎧 SUMMER SOLSTICE DJ ANNOUNCEMENT #5 – THE UNKNOWN DJs 🎧

Next up on our Summer Solstice line-up, we welcome a duo whose pedigree speaks for itself…

🔥 THE UNKNOWN DJs 🔥

With over 20 years performing together, Jamie & Stuart have carved out a respected place within the UK house music scene through dedication, passion, and an unwavering commitment to the dancefloor.

Their journey has taken them through some of the UK’s most iconic clubs and brands, holding residencies and playing at venues including The Cross, Ministry of Sound, Pacha, and The Egg, alongside countless other events and festivals. Their reputation soon spread beyond UK shores, leading to performances in Ibiza, the United States, and further afield.

Known for their ability to read a crowd and create unforgettable moments, The Unknown DJs deliver sets packed with energy, groove, and musical depth. Whether it’s a sun-drenched terrace, an intimate club, or a packed festival crowd, they know exactly how to take people on a journey.

After stepping back from the scene to focus on family life, Jamie & Stuart have returned with renewed passion and a fresh hunger for the dancefloor. They’re already making waves once again, combining their return to DJing with time spent in the studio, working on new productions and exciting projects for the future.

For Hare & Sounds, they’re more than just another booking. Jamie is one of the driving forces behind everything we do, and alongside Stuart they’ll be bringing two decades of friendship, experience, and musical chemistry to the Summer Solstice Garden Party.

🚀 The next chapter is underway — and it’s shaping up to be their biggest yet.

📍 Hare & Hounds, Leavenheath, CO6 4PW
🗓 Saturday 13th June
🎟 FREE ENTRY
🍔 BBQ • 🍹 Cocktails • 🎧 DJs • 🥁 Live Percussion
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Friendly

Expect house music, smiles, hands in the air moments, and a soundtrack built from two decades of dancefloor experience.

Who’s ready for The Unknown DJs? 🙌🔥🎧

🎧🔥🐇🐕‍🦺

10/06/2026

Who’s ready for recreating moments like this again? THIS SATURDAY!!
Music from 1pm plus the grand unveiling of our garden bar

08/06/2026

🎬 Kids Cinema Afternoon – Final Call for Tickets! 🍿

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who has already booked their tickets for next Sunday’s Kids Cinema Afternoon. We really appreciate the support and we’re looking forward to welcoming you all. ❤️

However, being completely transparent, ticket sales are currently lower than we’d hoped and we’re still a little way short of the numbers needed to make the event work.

We’ll review ticket sales and make a final decision by the end of the day on Wednesday, so if you’ve been meaning to book but haven’t got round to it yet, now is the time!

For just £6, kids get:

🌭 A hotdog or burger from the BBQ
🥤 A Fruit Shoot
🎬 Two family films – Superworm (1pm) and A Bug’s Life (1:45pm)

Bring your own camping chair, beanbag or blanket, settle into the marquee, and let us keep the kids entertained while the grown-ups enjoy a relaxed Sunday afternoon.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, we’d love to make this happen – but we need your support over the next few days.

🎟 Tickets available here (tickets only needed for kids):

https://www.seetickets.com/event/kids-cinema-afternoon/hare-and-hounds/3637485?src=event-page-share

For anyone concerned about booking before a final decision is made, if we don’t reach the required numbers to proceed, all ticket holders will be contacted and receive a full refund.

Please share with any friends, family, school groups or local parents who might be interested. Every ticket sold genuinely helps make events like this possible. ❤️