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This June marks the start of festival season with a raft of tip top celebratory family events to explore.
Book now for the first time the National Trust Children’s Book Festival has come to Quarry Bank – get the chance to meet some of the most-loved children’s authors and illustrators in the land.
Each June we always love heading to Hebden for the incomparable Handmade Parade where killer street bands and crazy creations take over the stunning Calder Valley town.
Don’t miss the chance to book for weekend-long adventures at the more extensive summer camping festivals too. Timber festival in the National Forest on the border of Derbyshire and Leicestershire will be the first international forest festival in the UK. Celebrating how trees can transform the lives of people and places there is a world-class arts, ideas and music programme which includes the world premiere outdoor theatre adaptation of bestselling book The Lost Words.
Read our sparkly new full festival guide to all the top things to do at the Just So Festival this year. Book soon (this festival always sells out) to witness a daring high wire act, a Playground of Illusions, custard catwalk, midnight feast, pillow fights and dancing opportunities galore.
Enjoy!
Here are our picks
In partnership with
Funded by
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1. Barnaby Festival 2018
Artist Zarah Hussain Barnaby Festival at Macclesfield Town Hall, Cheshire, 15–24 June 2018, free entry - Visit now
10 days of art, music, theatre, talks, walks, debate, comedy and 18 foot walking trees in Macclesfield.
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2. Chameleon Youth Free Taster Sessions
Joel Chester Fildes / Company Chameleon -
3. Children’s Book Festival at Quarry Bank
Children’s Book Festival at Quarry Bank at Quarry Bank, Cheshire, 23–24 June 2018, from £5.00 - Book now
Join the best-loved children’s authors and illustrators from across the land for a weekend of literary larks and piano playing bears in the woods at Quarry Bank.
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4. The Ministry of Lost & Found at Central Library
Joel Chester-Fildes The Ministry of Lost & Found at Manchester Central Library, Manchester, 23 June 2018, free entry - Find Out More
Pick up your map and join the first-ever Lost and Found expedition, a family-friendly afternoon of exploration, around Manchester’s Central Library.
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5. Cloudspotting Festival presents A Break In The Clouds at Gisburn Forest
Image courtesy of Cloudspotting A Break In The Clouds at Gisburn Forest, 22–23 June 2018, from £30.00 - Book now
Cloudspotting Festival is changing things up this year to present A Break In The Clouds in the earlier month of June. A family friendly celebration of the summer solstice under the stars featuring live music, forest art and camping.
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6. Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade
Handmade Parade Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade at Calder Holmes Park, 24 June 2018, free entry - Find Out More
Giant puppets with a travelling carnival theme and killer street bands coasting through the beautiful streets of Hebden Bridge. We’re booking our train right now.
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7. Swallows and Amazons at Storyhouse and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Swallows and Amazons at Storyhouse, Chester, 1 June–26 August 2018, from £19.50 - Book now
Experience the stage revival of this tale of outdoor summer childhood adventures in the magnificently redeveloped art deco Storyhouse building or in Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
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8. Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold at Timber Festival
Courtesy Jackie Morris Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold at Feanedock, 6–8 July 2018, from £15 - Book now
The language of the natural world is brought to life in the world premiere of the outdoor theatre companion to the bestselling book The Lost Words. Be the first to experience it at brand new festival Timber.
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9. Ockham’s Razor and Contact: Switch and Tipping Point at Upper Campfield Market
Mark Dawson Photography Ockham’s Razor and Contact: Switch and Tipping Point at Upper Campfield Market Hall, Castlefield, 15–18 August 2018, from £10.00 - Book now
Give your summer a lift with this family circus double bill from the award-winning Ockham’s Razor and Manchester’s Contact.
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10. Just So Festival 2018 at Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire
Pillow Fight at Just So Fesival courtesy of Chris Payne Just So Festival at Rode Hall, Cheshire, 17–19 August 2018, from £20 - Book now
Our brand new guide to everything you needed to know about the best family arts festival in the UK. Warning … contains custard catwalks, midnight feasts, pillow fights and amazing outdoor arts.
In partnership with
Funded by
More in Families
Contact and Jackie Hagan: The Forest of Forgotten Discos! at Hope Mill Theatre
This festive season, join CONTACT and Jackie Hagan for a new and exciting show for children aged 5+ (and the older ones who look after them!)
Chameleon Youth Free Tasters at Z-Arts
Chameleon Youth, part of Company Chameleon, is calling out for new members for 2018-19. If you’re aged 11 to 21, this is an incredible opportunity to be part of a cutting-edge home-grown dance company.
Chameleon Youth Free Tasters at Central Library
Chameleon Youth, part of Company Chameleon, is calling out for new members for 2018-19. If you’re aged 11 to 21, this is an incredible opportunity to be part of a cutting-edge home-grown dance company.
Minifest Fun Day at Z-arts
An afternoon of arty fun and a music festival for little ones and their grown ups. Artful Playground’s Minifest is a fun musical experience for children that adults will love too.
Music Action International present Harmonise at The Bridgewater Hall
Music Action International explore culture and conflict with 100 children from four primary schools across Greater Manchester, featuring original songs written by the school children and traditional music influenced by Syrian, Roma and refugees.
Chameleon Youth Free Tasters at Central Library
Chameleon Youth, Manchester’s youth dance company, is calling out for new members for 2018-19! If you’re aged 11 to 21, this is an incredible opportunity to be part of a dance company that is inspiring and different to the mainstream.
Perfect at Waterside Arts
Perfect is the touching story of a boy meeting his disabled sister for the first time, with puppetry, live music, animation and physical theatre.
Small Worlds at Waterside Arts
Small Worlds is an unforgettable piece of visual theatre – a unique integration of puppetry, miniature landscapes, original animated film and music – all presented within a magical tent.
The Tale of the Cockatrice at Waterside Arts
A dark and winding fable for monster-lovers young and old, The Tale of the Cockatrice features breath-taking puppetry and spine-tingling live music
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
Proto-feminism, the secret lives of birds, and the darkly satirical images of one of Britain’s leading political artists – we look forward to some of the top exhibition highlights coming up this month.
Literature
There’s plenty of poetry and a fantastic flash fiction workshop and showcase to catch, book launches and new collections coming out of our ears, and experimental wordage a-go-go from writers of both prose and pomes. And if you don’t like sitting still, there’s even a literature trail or two on their way…
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Theatre
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Music
While this summer’s festivals – including bluedot, The Good Life Experience and Festival No. 6 – provide a welcome distraction, the likes of the RNCM and The Stoller Hall continue to provide adventurous programming.
Things to do right now
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