Bolton Food and Drink Festival has an amazing line-up of children’s activities over the August Bank Holiday weekend (24 to 27).
Theatre shows and free activities are just some of the things that have been arranged for the whole family to enjoy, at the event organised by Bolton Council in association with Aldi.
The Little Diamond Theatre Company will showcase ‘Stone Soup’, a magical tale of sharing and caring at The Albert Halls over the four day festival.
Children can join Deedee and best friend Tobias as they help a mysterious and hungry stranger create a delicious soup.
The fantastical story takes little ones on a magical theatrical journey from the moment they enter the building. Cast members will meet and greet families and join the children in pre-show craft activities, creating a face mask.
Each child will also be given their own wishing stone and pick a song sheet so they can join in with the show.
Families can expect song, dance, music and laughter as the cast lead children to the theatre for the main event.
Shows last an hour (including craft activities) and cost £6 each or £20 for a family ticket (two adults and two children or one adult and three children). Show times are 1pm and 3pm on Friday 24th and 11am, 1pm and 3pm on Saturday 25th to Monday 27th August.
On Saturday, the 1pm show will be a BSL signed performance suitable for a deaf and hearing-impaired audience.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com. Tickets will be available on the day from the Festival Information Point, on Victoria Square.
Children can also discover the magic of ancient Egypt with ‘Bolton’s Egypt’, at the Market Place Shopping Centre.
The activities have been organised by Bolton Library and Museum Services and come ahead of Bolton Museum’s £3.8m Egyptology gallery which opens on September 22.
Mini explorers can immerse themselves in interactive storytelling, ancient craft activities and games, Egyptian dress-up, and archaeological play in sand and water pits. Open daily from 10am to 4pm, all ancient Egyptian activities are completely free and do not require advanced booking.
Children can also join in free cooking, arts and crafts activities at Crompton Place shopping centre (in the former Clarks shop), in the town centre. Chefs will also be cooking up classic recipes from across the globe. Crompton Kitchen will open 11am to 3pm from Saturday to Monday.
Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Linda Thomas, said: “Every year we push to make the festival bigger and more exciting, and this time we are doing something a little bit different with the children’s activities, bringing them into our fabulous Albert Halls to enjoy a fantastic theatre production.
“The free events at the Market Place and Crompton Place shopping centres are great for families either in town for the whole weekend or if they are just popping in for a few hours. Along with all the children’s activities there will be plenty of street entertainment across the festival site.
“There really is something to interest everyone whether they like arts, crafts, cooking or the theatre.”
Paula Wood, centre manager at Crompton Place Shopping Centre, said ‘Crompton Kitchen’ will offer plenty of opportunities to whet the appetite of the festival’s youngest visitors.
“Sparking a greater understanding of food and cooking among children in the community is something that we are really excited about,” she said.
“We will have an interactive station, where over three days kids can have fun learning about putting flavours together as well as creating their own sweet and savoury snacks. There will also be a healthy food trail around Crompton Place for little ones to sink their teeth into, which will involve hunting for fruit and veg hidden in shop windows, with a little treat at the end for each participant.”
Market Place centre manager Nikki Wilson-Cook added: “We’re really looking forward to this year’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival. We always strive to hold events that span the generations and this event is no different. The Egyptian theme is intended to be both fun and educational and something that the whole family can take part in and enjoy!”
For further information please visit www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com or follow us on Twitter / Instagram @BoltonFoodFest and on Facebook @BoltonFoodAndDrinkFestival.