Approaching the end of another month (and a Bank Holiday!), attention turns towards May and you may be struggling to know what to write about. Fortunately, we have gathered some events and topics together that could make for some interesting content, with a look back at what is usually trending on the Journalist Enquiry Service for this month.

An added bonus: there is even more opportunity to reach PRs and publicists who have what you need for your news and features, as requests are now also included within the Vuelio platform. Start sending requests now…

What to cover right now

Next week will see the first of two Bank holidays in May (4 and 25) as many workers get to enjoy an extra day off and a long weekend. With the weather hopefully on side, people will be looking for ideas as to what they can get up to – whether that’s family activities, day trips, places to meet up with friends or locations for a date – these could all make for interesting and helpful articles for readers.

Literary festivals are becoming more popular, giving book lovers a chance to meet and hear from some of their favourite authors, and the biannual Stratford Literary Festival takes place from 7-10 May. Famous names such as Maggie O’Farrell, Prue Leith, Mark Gatiss, and Reverend Richard Coles will all be appearing at this year’s event. An interview with one of the authors would make for a good feature piece or you could look to review the festival as a whole.

Mental health is always an important topic to cover as journalists, and this month is Mental Health Awareness Month. This is mainly observed in the US, but in the UK, there is Mental Health Awareness Week which this year takes place from 11-17 May. If you want content to tie in with this then you could speak to a mental health expert to shed light on new research or common misconceptions, or look to get a case study of someone living with a mental health condition.

What’s coming up?

The improved Spring weather means more people are back out in their garden and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show can often be a good source of inspiration. This year it takes place from 19-23 May and various top garden designers will be putting on exhibitions for this year’s event. A feature talking to a gardening expert about this year’s best displays would work well, or you may want to do a product review of some of the best new gardening tools and gadgets out there.

Another festival to cover in May but this time for food & drink journalists with the London coffee festival taking place from 14-17 May. Over 275 artisan coffee and gourmet food brands will feature at the event, and last year over 22,000 people attended. You could write an article previewing or reviewing the festival, or ask a barista or coffee expert about some of the newest flavours on the market.

June and July are usually the main two months for Pride celebrations but it’s kicking off earlier this year with Birmingham Pride on 23 and 24 May. Big music artists like Katy B, Sigala, and Nadine will all be featuring during the two day event, as well as famous drag acts like Danny Beard plus many more events for everyone to enjoy. Shed some light on the LGBTQ+ movement by speaking to a historian or try and get an interview with one of the many famous faces that will be appearing at Pride events across the country this year.

Still stuck? Here are common trends from the Journalist Enquiry for May

We may not be that far into Spring but last year in May just over 7% of the total enquiries were around ‘summer’. This keyword can incorporate numerous different topics such as travel and holidays, beauty and fashion trends, gardening, home improvements and much more. Whatever area you cover as a journalist, there is likely to be a summer hook to it!

May onwards is the beginning of the music festival season with events like Mighty Hoopla taking place, and last year around 2% of the enquiries that were sent in May focused on this. A preview of the event and what visitors can expect would make for a good feature, or you may seek product reviews on the best festival camping gear or accessories to make the most of the weekend.

Finally, Father’s Day shifts into focus (this year on Sunday 21 June) in May and last year 2.5% of the total requests were looking to cover this celebration. Fellow journalists tend to focus on products to feature in gift guides but you might want more general information or case studies of fatherly figures that have gone above and beyond – either with charity work or achieving something else incredible – and deserve some extra praise and recognition.