The Children’s Festival returns this month, welcoming the whole town and surrounding villages to join for free family fun on Sunday 27th July.
Organised by local family support charity Purple Elephant, the event is expected to attract around 2,500 people, with 30 different activities running from 10am to 2pm.
Purple Elephant Service Manager Sue Willis said, “We want to celebrate childhood and that should be easy for the whole family. As well as being as accessible as we can make it, with the exception of food and drink stalls, the Children’s Festival has no selling or payment onsite, so parents can relax without putting their hands in their pockets in already-challenging times. The most important thing is just to be there and have fun.
“Entry to this joyful event remains free, with requests for a give-what-you-can donation at point of ticket-booking or on the day to ensure the tradition continues into next year and beyond.
Activities
Frome Town Council will offer den building in the Welshmill Woods, alongside Shared Earth Learning’s nature activities and Back to Nature’s bushcraft and whittling.
The Pod will be onsite with Scrapstore creative crafting, as well as Green and Healthy Frome and Everyone Needs Pockets offering a community weaving experience on a large wooden loom.
There will be a fairy trail featuring fairies made at half-term by local children; a Youth Club chill space complete with board games will be on offer for those needing a bit of time out – alongside a Sensory Room inside the Cheese and Grain.
IG Sports have archery, football, dodgeball and tennis and the Fusion Extreme team will be running borrow-a-bike-or-bring-your-own BMX workshops on the pump track in Welshmill Park.
Budding musicians
Outside the Cheese and Grain, there will be accessible basketball and boccia and inside the venue’s professional recording studio, Young People Frome will be helping budding musicians to create and record their own music (sessions bookable in advance at the Information Point, on arrival).
Other activities include Wild Words theatre, a dance show from Dance 60 company, storytelling from Terrestrial, hand and face art from The Glitter Temple, face-painting from Fantasy Faces 4U, giant puppets, mask-making and stilt fun from Children of the Rainbow. There will be a baby area for the very smallest visitors run by Frome Birth Talk, balloon modelling from Balloonitude, and children’s activities taking place in the Frome Museum.
A pay-what-you-can-afford make-your-own-wrap stall is provided by Fair Frome and HOPE will be offering a water and rest station. There will also be a unique opportunity to feed, interact and spend time with therapy animals from Twinnies Petting Farm, including a mini pony, lambs, baby goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chicks and ducklings, all paying a visit to the festival for their very first time.
Sue said, “Another first-time visitor will be the highly energetic Joe Garbett Get Lost Dance Company. Their all-male show, full of incredible energetic silly slapstick and captivating chaos will take audiences into an interactive world where tents can dance and massive maps swamp the land.
“At Purple Elephant, we wish to thank the Cheese and Grain as well as the incredible local volunteers who have put themselves forward to give their time and commitment to make this glorious event possible again, can also offer support workers, on site, and fast-pass assistance to children with additional needs.
Ticket-booking, either for free or with donations welcomed, plus details and a map of where each activity is taking place, are on Purple Elephant’s website.
If you have questions, including access or support and needs, please get in touch via email.
Full information can be found at: www.PurpleElephant.org.uk
