THE social calendar for 2021 is looking hopeful after a year of cancelled events and lockdowns.

The Government’s roadmap to ending lockdown restrictions has finally offered a glimmer of hope that normality may be on the cards this summer.

If the vaccine rollout continues to succeed and cases stay low, social contact rules could be eased outdoors from May 17 and ‘all legal limits on social contact’ could be removed from June 21.

Here are eight of the best events taking place in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight this summer:

Winchester Hat Fair

THE longest running festival of outdoor arts, which attracts nearly 100,000 people to Winchester each year, will go ahead this year.

Organisers of the Hat Fair, which features international street performers, dance, circus, music and local community performances and has been running since 1974, will go ahead as planned between July 2 and 4.

Initially conceived as a busking festival, Hat Fair takes its name from the tradition of the audience showing their appreciation by putting money in the hat at the end of the show.

The festival is family friendly and free to attend, for more information visit the website here.

Isle of Wight Festival 2021

The Isle of Wight Festival is a summer staple revelling in over 50 years of musical history.

This year the dates have been moved in line with Covid regulations and will take place from September 16 to September 19.

The Isle of Wight Festival are aiming to bring back as many of the artists as they can which could include Lewis Capaldi, Lionel Richie, Snow Patrol and Duran Duran.

Whatever happens, rest assured, you'll enjoy a stellar line-up over the festival weekend. It will be the perfect place to see out the summer in spectacular fashion.

Victorious Festival 2021

Victorious is a family friendly festival for music lovers, a stone’s throw from the sea. It’s a day festival located on the picturesque Southsea Seafront and takes place over August Bank Holiday Weekend (August 27 until 29).

There is off-site camping, where festivalgoers can pitch up a tent off Portsea Island and get a free shuttle bus to the festival site. Following the rapid expansion of Victorious in just a few short years, you can expect some huge acts to turn up at Southsea Common this summer.

Boomtown 2021

Boomtown Fair is a four day festival set in the Matterley bowl in Hampshire, UK on the second weekend of August. Now heading into its 12th chapter, Boomtown fuses a diverse line-up of underground and global music with boundary pushing immersive art, theatre and performance coming together as a living, breathing, fictitious city.

Made up of 14 districts, Boomtown follows a storyline that evolves each year to create a world within a world. A theatrically-led experience like no other, the event’s hundreds of actors bring the film-like street sets to life where attendees (citizens) are encouraged to become their inner character and be a part of the story themselves.

Carfest South

CarFest South will become a fully socially distanced, three day festival held at Laverstoke Park Farm from August 27 until 29 2021.

Laverstoke is a family-run farm that combines 21st century science with environmentally friendly farming methods to create a place that is both organic and biodynamic. At the very heart of the farm, is its wonderful herd of Asian Water Buffalo.

CarFest has been lucky enough to have had some of the UK’s most iconic and loved artists and bands support us over the years. With a selection of stages across the festival site, they promise to continue to entertain guests, with a line-up that will keep the whole family happy!

The event features the very best Vintage Classics, to F1 and Grand Prix cars and famous movie cars.! With a themed Motorsport Paddock where you can meet the drivers it is definitely a paradise for petrolheads.

Let’s Rock Southampton!

The retro festival returns to Southampton Common on Saturday July 10 2021. With a fabulous line-up of artists to bring you the very best of the 80s, and an action packed day of general 80s madness, there is plenty to do for everyone at this Family Friendly Festival.

Synth pop legends OMD will headline the event, they will be joined on stage by Love Is All Around and Goodnight Girl crooners Wet Wet Wet, new wave favourites ABC and 80s singer songwriter Howard Jones, who was born in the city.

Lymington Seafood Festival

The annual Lymington Seafood Festival is back for three days of glorious seafood, shopping and live music.

On Saturday July 17 Ultimate Elton and The Rocket Band will take to the stage. The festival will feature some of the most exciting and innovative artisan food and drink producers who’ll be cooking up fishy delicacies from around the world across the weekend.

Ventnor Fringe Festival

Celebrating its 11th Anniversary in 2021 the Ventnor Fringe is a week-long festival which sees the Isle of Wight’s southernmost town totally transformed into a whole world of pop up venues and bars in every conceivable space, hosting over 100 different shows.

From outdoor cinema, the best new comedians and gigs in the harbour to the truly barmy events like improvised hip hop in a Laundrette or a 1930's Parisian 'Book Bus' the Fringe has something for everyone. Best of all you can pick and choose which ticketed events to see or simply explore the many free events on offer.