February

Crufts Dog Show: dog breeders from all over the world bring their valuable dogs to take part in Crufts Dog Show in London. There are prizes for most breeds and one for the best dog, who is given the title Crufts Supreme Champion.

Saint Valentine's Day: Saint Valentine's Day is 14 February. People send a Valentine's card to someone they love, fancy, admire or secretly like. Usually you don't sign your name. The person who receives the card has to guess who sent it.

March

The Boat Race: this rowing race between the universities of Oxford and Gambridge has been held on the River Thames in London almost every year since 1836. The length of the course is 4,5 miles (7,2 kilometers).

Pancake Day: Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the day before Lent starts. Lent is a Christian fast which lasts for 40 days before Easter. Pancakes are made of not be eaten during Lent. Nowadays people don't fast, but some people give up sweets or smoking.

April

April Fool's Day: April Fool's Day is 1 April. You can play jokes on people, even on teachers. When they discover the joke, you say, "April Fool!" You have to play the joke before 12 o'clock minday, otherwise the joke's on you.

Easter: schools close for two weeks at Easter. On Good Friday, people eat hot cross buns, which are small sweet rolls. They eat them toasted with butter. People give each other chocolate Easter eggs on Easter Sunday. The eggs are usually hollow and contain sweets.

The London Marathon: this is one of the biggest marathons in the world. Each year about 30000 people start the race and about 25000 finish. Some people take part to raise money for charity, often wearing costumes. There is also a race for people in wheelchairs.

May

May Day: in villages throughout Britain on 1 May you can see children dancing round the maypole and singing songs. It is a pagan festival to celebrate the end of winter and welcome summer.

FA (Football Association) Cup Final: this is the biggest day in the football calendar. Two English football clubs play to win the FA Cup. The match takes place at Wembley Stadium in London. Scotland has its own FA Cup Final, played at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Chelsea Flower Show: this is Britain's most important flower and garden show. Thousands of people come to see the prize flowers and specially built gardens.

June

Royal Ascot: this is one of the biggest horse-race meetings in Britain. It is held at Ascot, in the south of England. The Queen drives there from Windsor Castle. Ascot lasts for four days.

Trooping the Colour: this is the second Saturday in June and celebrates the Queen's official birthday (her real birthday is 21 April). She watches a parade of hundreds of soldiers. There is lots of marching, military music and the soldiers are dressed in colourful uniforms.

July

Wimbledon: this is one of the four great world tennis championships and the only one which is played on grass. It is held in the last week of June and the first week of July at Wimbledon in south-west London.

Henley Regatta: this is the largest rowing competition in Britain. It is held at Henley-on-Thames, where the Thames runs in a straight line and makes it an ideal place for rowing. The regatta, or boat racing competition, has been held there almost every year since 1839.

Saint Swithin's Day: it is said that if it rains on Saint Swithin's Day, 15 July, it will rain for 40 days afterwards.

August

Notting Hill Carnival: the last weekend in August there is a big carnival at Notting Hill in west London. People who take part dress up in fabulous costumes. Steel bands play African and Caribbean dance music and people dance and blow whistles. It's the biggest carnival outside Brazil.

The Proms: this is a popular series of classical music concerts. The season lasts seven weeks and there are concerts every night. Most of the concerts are performed at the royal Albert Hall, in London. A lot of people like to go to the Last Night of the Proms. The orchestra plays popular tunes. People sing along and wave flags.