Back by popular demand, the free family friendly event Wildlife Connections Festival is coming to Chester Zoo next weekend.
The free family friendly event, held at the huge UK wildlife conservation zoo, will take place from September 16th-17th from 11.30am – 4.30pm.
The fantastic day is jam-packed with fun interactive activities and entertainment including live wildlife shows, creating your own bug den and plenty more.
At the six-hectare nature reserve, one of the UK’s best known children’s presenters Naomi Wilkinson will headline the event.
Conservations hope to raise awareness around the issue of species in decline including hedgehogs, butterflies, and wildflowers, as festival-goers enjoy a whole weekend connecting to nature and learning about the UK’s precious wildlife.
Promised to be a highlight of the festival is Naomi Wilkinson’s interactive stage show, which has been created especially for the festival and will focus on how everyone can do their bit to help our wildlife ‘survive and thrive’.
Fans will also get the chance to meet and greet Naomi on both days.
The festival is free to attend all weekend and there is no pre-booking required, with guests able to get up close and personal with the wildlife as well as get involved in a variety of interactive activities, such as bug hunting, bird spotting and workshops.
There will also be some great entertainment lined up including live music and a parade.
Ahead of the upcoming event, Chester Zoo’s Community Engagement Officer, Hannah Brooks, said: “Our fabulous Wildlife Connections Festival will be bigger and better than ever before this year.
“We’re over the moon to have one of the UK’s best known children’s TV presenters, Naomi Wilkinson, headlining across both days, as she very much shares our passion for protecting all of the wonderful species found right here in the UK.
“It promises to be a fun-filled weekend, packed with a whole host of activities.”
About the reason behind the festival and its importance for the Zoo and British wildlife, she added: “We’re in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis with species everywhere becoming ever more at risk of extinction, including here on our doorstep – but it’s not too late though to do something about it.
“There’s still hope and we can all make a difference, and we’ll therefore be giving our festival-goers lots of ideas and inspiration on what they can do to help turn things around for nature.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone to what’s sure to be a fantastic, wildlife-inspired weekend.”
Stockport’s free, one-day Christmas festival is returning this festive season, with 200 performers and more than 50 shows.
Spectacular Sunday will return to the town on November 17th at various sites and venues.
Following the success of last year’s event, hundreds of performers will take over Stockport, with everything from giant roller-skating presents to a living snow globe and roaming Christmas dolls.
There will also be street theatre, including grumpy Christmas grandads, a gigantic balloon man and water show.
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Produced by carnival arts organisation Global Grooves and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement. Events will be happening in iconic Stockport locations like Market Place, Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock and Suffragette Square.
A grand finale in Merseyway will bring together the brass bands of Stockport, ending the day with a huge flash mob and rendition of All You Need Is Love.
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Cllr Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said: “We’re so excited to bring this event back after last year’s amazing success.
“It’s such a fun way to get everyone in the festive spirit and really shows off what makes Stockport special – our sense of community and joy.
“With loads of free performances and activities, plus a chance to enjoy the newly improved areas of Merseyway, it’s a perfect day out for families.
“Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday is all about having fun, making memories, and starting the holiday season in style.” Spectacular Sunday is happening from 11am to 5pm on Sunday November 17th – find out more HERE.
If you’re stuck for somewhere to go this Christmas party season, or for any birthday, stag or hen do, or even a regular weekend with your mates, we’ve got the perfect spot. Boom Battle Bar is a massive games bar in the Printworks, with axe throwing (£45 – £80), shuffleboard (£15 – £25), augmented reality darts (£40 per lane), beer/prosecco pong (£30 per table), and even karaoke booths (£6 – £9 per person).
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They also do a bottomless brunch at weekends, alongside a street food offering, including halloumi fries, parmesan and truffle mac and cheese bites, chicken tenders, wings, loaded bacon parmesan fries and dirty BBQ loaded fries.
There’s an impressive array of drinks as well, with cocktails like the Basic B*tch, Honey It’s Time To Party, and GOAT Punch, as well as plenty of beer, wine and even big sharers.
Urban Playground has taken things to the next level, revealing three brand new games for thrill-seekers to sink their teeth into.
The Manchester Arndale entertainment venue, which is already home to an impressive array of games, has added even more fun to the line up. From mini golf to arcade games and loads of food and drink, Urban Playground has everything you need for an incredible day out.
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They’ve now added three new games to The Cube Live experience, ahead of the upcoming Christmas party season. ‘Pass’, ‘Exit’ and ‘Locate’ are the three new nail-bitingly tense games, and you’ll recognise them all from TV.
In Pass, two players rapidly weave a foam brick back and forth between free-standing poles, avoiding knocking the poles over as they go – requiring agility and great communication. Exit sees two players work together manoeuvring a ball out of a maze testing their patience to the max.
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Lastly, Locate is a single player game where players must memorise an illuminated white square’s location, before placing a block on it while blindfolded. They’re all deceptively straightforward, while also fiendishly addictive, and perfect for a team day out. Get booked in HERE to try the new games for yourself.