What's On
The best family-friendly things to do around Lancashire this summer
We have you covered…
The six week summer holidays are looming, and I can bet good money that for most parents out there, the annual ‘how will I keep the kids occupied for six whole weeks’ anxiety is beginning to kick in.
Well, if you’re based in the North West, fear not!
With Lancashire right on our doorsteps, families will be spoiled for choice with fun, memorable and, most importantly, cost-effective activities to partake in this summer. Here’re some of the best ones…
The Wellbeing Farm / Facebook
The Wellbeing Farm Llama and Donkey Experience
Let’s start with one of the best ones – the Wellbeing Farm offers an incredible opportunity for families to come and interact with their resident llamas and donkeys.
Guests will get the chance to mingle with the animals as well as take them for a forty minute trail walk with the farm’s very own Dr. Dolittle, who will answer all your animal queries.
Tickets for the experience are £35 per person, and children must be aged ten or over.
Book your day out here.
Wellbeing Farm, Plantation Road, Edgworth, Lancashire, BL7 0BY
Samlesbury Hall
Preston’s very own Samlesbury Hall is offering a wide range of activities to keep the children and adults entertained this summer. Guests can take a tour with one of the Hall’s characterful guides, play in the hidden Mayflower playground, or meet the whole menagerie of adorable animals that take residence
on the grounds.
After all that fun, Dottie’s Wafflery will also be on hand for tasty treats and hot tea.
For tickets and more info, click here.
Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Road, Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 0UP
Visit Lancashire
Heritage Tram Tours
There’s nothing quite as iconic as the Blackpool trams – and now, you and the rest of the family can enjoy a unique experience on one of the original Heritage trams.
Travel the length of Blackpool’s famous coastline on one of these lovingly retained and restored
trams, many of which are over eighty years old.
Book tickets, which are priced at an affordable £6 per person, for your tour here.
Rigby Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 5DD
Windmill Animal Farm
This farm will give you and the family an authentic look into life on a working farm, as well as the opportunity to interact with and feed the resident animals.
As well as this, the farm also boasts three marvellous children’s play areas, with an on-site cafe offering hot and cold meals – though guests are also allowed to bring their own food to enjoy a picnic on the grounds.
Adult tickets are £7.95, while children tickets are £8.95 – under 1s go in free.
Visit the website here for more information.
Visit Lancashire
Ribble Valley Bike Trail
The best way to explore the stunning Lancashire countryside is by E-bike – you and the rest of the family can hire a Ribble Valley E-bike from a number of destinations such as The Inn at Whitewell, The Red Pump Inn, The Spread Eagle at Sawley, and Gisburn Forest Hub.
They can even be delivered to a specified location.
Perfect for cyclists of all abilities, these E-bikes will give you the gusto to tackle the hills, fells and forests that make up Lancashire’s iconic landscape.
Visit the website here for hire prices and availability.
Dunsop Bridge, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 3BB
The Honeybee Experience at the Bee Centre
For ninety minutes, you and the family will don real beekeeping suits and learn everything there is to know about the art of beekeeping, honey and pollonation.
The Honeybee Experience will teach you all about the honeybee and beekeeping techniques from an experienced beekeeper, all while being up close and personal with the bees in their hive.
You’ll also see the bees bringing nectar and pollen back to the hive, making honey, building honeycomb and doing their famous ‘waggle dance.’
Click here for bookings and more information.
Brindle Distillery, Holmes Farm, Sandy Lane, Brindle, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 8LZ
Bowland Wild Boar Park
Bowland Wild Boar Park
From meercats, owls and boars, to chicks, lambs and llamas, there’s a whole array of wonderful animals to meet and interact with, as well as habitats and nature trails to explore.
Families can explore the sixty-two acres by foot or by unique tractor rides – there will also be the opportunity to refuel in the farm’s newly-refurbished café and Ice Cream Parlor.
Click here for more information.
Forest of Bowland, Chipping, Lancashire, PR3 2QT
Mrs Dowsons Visitor Centre & Farm
Another one for the animal lovers – at Mrs. Dowsons Farm, they are passionate about giving their visitors the opportunity to see, touch and engage with their friendly farm animals, explore the countryside and experience a real working farm.
They also make their own award-winning ice cream using fresh milk from their farm dairy, which will be a fantastic treat on a warm day.
Click here for more information.
Hawkshaw Farm, Longsight Road, Clayton Le Dale, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 7JA
Thornton Hall Country Park
Thornton Hall Country Park
At the Thornton Hall Country Park, families can meet with the friendly farm animals and take part in activities such as lamb feeding and rabbit holding. Tractor rides through the fields are also on offer, as is an indoor play area featuring giant slides.
There is also a cafe on site, dishing up delicious burgers and pizzas for the whole family to enjoy.
You can find more details here.
Thornton-in-Craven, Nr Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BD23 3TS
Go Ape Rivington
The UK’s number 1 forest adventure challenge, Go Ape offers award-winning outdoor adventure activities for all the family.
Boasting Tarzan swings, tree-top obstacle courses and giant zip lines, Go Ape is guaranteed to be a fantastic day out.
Children need to be a minimum of ten years old to take part with a height of at least 4ft7″.
Check out their website here for more details.
Go Ape Rivington, Rivington Lane, Rivington, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 7SB
What's On
Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
Can’t wait for this!
Manchester Craft Beer Festival is back for another year, bringing with it more than 80 breweries and 500 different beers to sample.
The fourth edition of the festival will be taking place at Depot Mayfield on Friday July 5th and Saturday July 6th.
Cloudwater, Track, Marble, Northern Monk, Bundobust, Sureshot and Seven Brothers will be there to represent Manchester, alongside other UK stalwarts like Deya, Verdant, Siren and Leeds’ North Brewing Co.
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
Heritage breweries like Timothy Taylor’s, Chouffe and Timmermans will also be there, as well as international breweries from the US, Greece, Spain and Australia.
There will also be some great food options to line your stomach, including bao buns, crispy chicken and katsu tater tots at Bone Daddies, as well as Almost Famous, Bundobust, MorMor and Voodoo Rays.
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
Greg Wells, director of Manchester Craft Beer Festival, said: “It’s been a disheartening year for Manchester’s beer scene so far with closure of the beloved Indy Beer Con Fest and the unsuccessful debut of the International Brewing and Cider Festival, but we’re pleased to announce our return and bring more of what has been loved in the past three years.
“With even more breweries and experiences on offer and larger capacity this year, we’re buzzing to be back to satisfy all the beer lovers out there.
“The addition of a complimentary trade session to our programme is all about promoting this world class beer city and a small gesture to support all the incredible people who work across the drinks and hospitality industries.
“We all have a mutual understanding of the hardships our industries have faced in recent times so we thought it’d be a nice gesture to get everyone together for the love of drinks, food and music to celebrate beer and ourselves!”
Manchester Craft Beer Festival
The entry price includes all your drinks throughout your session, as well as festival glass and access to all the events happening.
And as it’s on during the Euros, it will be screening the football too.
Day tickets cost £57 per day session – with a discount for four tickets – or £145 for the whole weekend. Grab tickets HERE.
What's On
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
Get this one in your diary!
A brand new makers market is coming to Manchester this late May Bank Holiday weekend, with something for everyone.
Taking place at New Jackson – a new urban neighbourhood located at the southern gateway to the city – Manchester Made Market will be held on Saturday May 25th and Sunday May 26th.
Over the two days you’ll be able to browse a selection of local artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region.
Supplied
There’ll be everything, from food produce, homewares, crafts and creations to dog accessories, house plants, jewellery and homemade soap.
Among the traders will be Manchester and Cheshire-based florist and floral artists Dot & Flora, graphic artist Ablott MCR selling music prints, HGT with crochet fashion and homeware designs, and artisan candlemakers Leaves and Prickles.
Elsewhere, there will be essential oils and other treatments from Grounded Wellness, permanent jewellery from Sealed Links, and desserts from Cake With Heart.
Supplied
There will be plenty of street food options to keep you topped up while you shop, including The Wild Grill, Food Sorcery, Salvi’s and new favourite Medlock Canteen.
Neighbourhood Brew will be supplying some great drinks as well.
Supported by Renaker, the market is free, but you can upgrade your experience with a limited, free VIP ticket with access to the dedicated bar area.
What's On
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
It’s taking place later this month!
The legendary Manchester Flower Festival is returning to our city later this month, complete with pop-ups, installations and tributes to some local icons.
Taking place over the late May Bank Holiday, the event will be headlined by its ‘Floral Trail’.
This year’s theme is Manchester Icons, with a host of names past and present being honoured in flower form, including the late comedy legend Caroline Aherne, pop star Sarah Harding and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Collaborating with Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow, floral designer Liv Woodward will create a portrait of Caroline Aherne at the Floral Marquee on New Cathedral Street, using sustainably sourced plants and flowers.
Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding will be remembered in a ‘tribute garden’, sponsored by the AO Arena, with visitors able to donate to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal by scanning the QR code at the display.
The homage to Pankhurst has been created by female-led Decordia, featuring an ornate wooden Manchester Town Hall-inspired planter with sashes, posters and colourful icons, alongside a wicker figure of the suffragette herself.
This can be found at the corner of Cross Street and King Street, adorned with purple, green and white plants – the colours of the suffragette movement.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Other local legends will also be honoured with their own installations, including Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta and iconic Manchester brewery Boddingtons .
Fringe events will be taking place too, at locations including Northern Quarter art shop Fred Aldous, The Bridgewater Hall, the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct.
Selfridges Exchange Square, El Gato Negro, Tast Catala, Franco Manca, Grand Pacific Manchester and Urban Playground will also be taking part, with alfresco dining, festival-related dishes and cocktails.
The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival
Now in its seventh year, the Flower Festival, which is put together by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, with live entertainment, workshops, and arts and crafts markets.
It all happens from May 24th to May 27th – head over to the website HERE to find more information.
Find something to do in Manchester
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Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
New apartment development with huge gardens and outdoor space opening this year
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
