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The long weekend means an extra day to spend with the family, but that need not mean extra spending
Herald the start of spring (and the promise of another four-day working week – oh, how we love them) with our guide to fun and free (or at least slightly cheap) things to do this long weekend.
Get gardening
The weather is meant to be pretty decent this weekend, so with an extra day off there is no excuse not to get your garden in order.
If you're planning an al fresco summer, Wyevale Garden Centres has knocked hundreds of pounds off its garden furniture, and you should check out Argos – its simple but stylish teakwood garden set has been reduced by more than £300.
Garden centre chain Notcutts has knocked £7 off its strawberry planters (now selling for £10.99), while Homebase has 10% off everything today and Saturday, including its grow-your-own range of herbs, vegetable plants and fruit seeds. And while you're busy planting, why not set aside a tiny pot to bring to work and join our office allotment project while you're at it.
Celebrate in old-fashioned style
What's May Day bank holiday without a spot of maypole dancing? Give it a whirl at a park near you for a family day out. Homewood Park in east Somerset is throwing a May Day garden party with afternoon tea and dancing, while there are Punch and Judy, Morris men and a hog roast at Cranbury Park in Winchester. Or why not take part in one of the oldest May Day celebrations in Padstow, Cornwall, where thousands are expected to congregate over the weekend.
May Morning celebrations will have started early this morning in Oxford, but the festivities are likely to carry on over the weekend. Meanwhile, Londoners can head to Alexandra Palace for the bank holiday funfair where you can ride the merry-go-round and eat ridiculous amounts of candyfloss (entry is free).
Or for something entirely different ...
Join in a Sikh celebration instead. The festival of Vaisakhi was a few weeks ago, but is being celebrated quite spectacularly this Sunday in Trafalgar Square. Vaisakhi on the Square opens with Sikh prayers and promises traditional and contemporary Asian music and dance and plenty of homemade veggie food. You can pop down for free from midday.
Take a break
It's too late to book a hotel for a last-minute escape, but that is not to say you can't enjoy a day trip away. Check your Nectar points or Tesco Clubcard balance and perhaps treat yourself to free entry into theme parks, castles and other attractions across the country.
If it is a long drive to your destination make sure you stock up on snacks before you leave; the service station will charge more than double for bottled water, crisps and sandwiches than your local supermarket. If you are catching the train you should keep hold of your ticket – the Days Out Guide has two-for-one entry vouchers for National Rail travellers at loads of attractions including the London Dungeon and Madame Tussauds.
See in spring at the Circus
The Moscow State Circus tours the north of England this spring, leaving Bolton on Monday and heading on to Skipton and Halifax – prices are between £10 and £27. The Chinese State Circus is in Southampton until Monday, before moving to Brighton, and Zippos Circus is making its way through Surrey – save £3 off each ringside seat when you book online (prices are between £8 and £20 for adults and £6 and £14 for children).
Make a meal of it
If you're in the capital, head down to the Slow Food Market at the Southbank Centre to enjoy amazing fresh farmers' produce that is sustainably produced. Entry is free and you might be able to get your hands on enough free samples to constitute lunch.
Still peckish? You can enjoy a leisurely light lunch on the cheap – Pizza Express's latest voucher is giving two-for-one on any main course from their new "light" Leggera range (the offer is valid over the bank holiday).
You can also buy-one-get-one free with the Gourmet Burger Kitchen May Day voucher or get two-for-one at Italian eaterie Ask.
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