August
August has finally arrived – only one more month of keeping the kids busy during the summer holidays. So savour the last of the summer! Go for a dog walk in Lyme Park, or try archery at Tatton Park. There’s still time for one last family festival – head to the Just So Festival in Cheshire. And for all the creative kids out there, try everything from making historic jewellery, to weaving, to crafting scarab beetles, all at West Park Museum.
5-7 August 2026
In The Night Garden
Now in its 17th year, In the Night Garden Live is one of the UK’s favourite family events.
Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends are back in their fun-filled live show Igglepiggle’s Busy Day! Join Igglepiggle as he looks for his friends in the Night Garden by following their funny sounds until he finds them all!
You’ll see all your favourite characters beautifully brought to life with full-size costumes, magical puppets, and enchanting music. This show lasts just under an hour and your little ones will be amazed when they see a very special visit from the amazing flying Pinky Ponk.
Age recommendation: 0-4 years but enjoyed by up to 6
Quays Theatre
The Lowry, Salford Quays. Manchester
Tel: 0333 320 2838
www.thelowry.com
5, 8, 12, 19, 26 August 2026, 2pm – 4pm
Lego Club | Manchester Central Library
Do you love Lego? So do we! Drop in, pick your favourite bricks and build anything that takes your fancy. From castles to spaceships, the possibilities are endless! No need to book in advance. First come first served.
Suitable for ages 4 and above
Free, drop-in
Manchester Central Library
Saint Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD
www.librarylive.co.uk/event/lego-club-2
6 August 2026
The Wizarding Adventure
It’s time to sign up to our spellbinding school of sorcery as you take a wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour of the Wizard Academy and learn to become a master of mystery and magic.
During this magical interactive experience you’ll take lessons in the basics of broomsticks, practice your potion making, be instructed in incantations and learn to tattle and talk with a tawny owl.
For students age 5 – 12 recommended, but anyone is welcome to enrol.
What’s included:
– One return trip from Bury to Rawtenstall hauled by a genuine steam (and spell) powered train
– An approximately two-hour wizarding experience with the region’s most pre-eminent enchanters.
– Wizard themed activities and plenty of photo opportunities.
– Make your day complete with a trip to Bury Transport Museum, sited just across the road from Bury Bolton Street Station.
Food and drink will be available to purchase from our café on Platform 3/4 at Bury Bolton Street Station and from the Rawtenstall Buffet.
The East Lancashire Railway
Bury Bolton Street Station,
Bolton Street, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0EY
Tel: 0161 764 7790
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
7, 16 August 2026
The Dino Adventure
Have you ever wanted to pet a pachycephalosaurus, get together with a Triceratops or tickle a T-Rex under the chin?
Now’s your chance. Come on an adventure of Jurassic proportions to The East Lancashire Railway and get the opportunity to get up close and personal with their baby dinosaurs.
You’ll get to learn all about these adorable dinosaurs from our expert handlers in this fully interactive experience that is both educational and entertaining for all the family. Come along an earn your diploma in dino know how and begin your training as a palaeontologist of the future.
What’s included:
– One return trip from Bury to Rawtenstall hauled by a dino-proofed steam train.
– An approximately two hour dinosaur experience with expert rex wranglers and triceratops tamers.
– Dinosaur themed activities and plenty of photo opportunities.
Make your day complete with a trip to Bury Transport Museum, sited just across the road from Bury Bolton Street Station.
Age recommended: 5 – 12 and anyone is welcome to join the fun.
The East Lancashire Railway
Bury Bolton Street Station,
Bolton Street, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0EY
Tel: 0161 764 7790
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
14 – 15 August 2026
After-hours with the Mermaids
Come and meet the magical SEA LIFE mermaids at SEA LIFE Manchester!
Tickets: £28 adult, £24 child, £5 passholders
Pre-booking is essential
SEA LIFE Manchester,
Trafford Palazzo, Trafford, Manchester M17 8AS
Tel: 0161 749 2875
www.visitsealife.com/manchester/explore/events/after-hours-with-the-mermaids
21 – 23 August 2026 (campers could stay until 11am on Monday 24 August)
Just So Festival
Whole weekend of an eclectic mix of the best in outdoor family arts and old fashioned fun, where you and the family can explore your creative side from lantern parades to puppet shows and circus skills, singing and dancing; explore and discover art together in a spellbinding natural landscape.
Cricket Ground Entrance, Rode Hall Estate
Scholar Green, Cheshire ST7 3QT
www.justsofestival.org.uk
22 August 2026
Peppa Pig Family Fun Day
The East Lancashire Railway is thrilled to welcome back everyone’s favourite cheeky little piggies. Come and meet Peppa and George at intervals throughout the day in the fantastic Bury Transport Museum. You can also take part in Peppa Pig’s Hide & Seek activity trail!
With no additional cost to general admission, the family fun continues with a cracking fun fair, face painters, craft activities and even a petting zoo so that you can meet some farmyard friends.
Pre-booking required
Please note: trains will not be running – this is an event held exclusively at the Bury Transport Museum.
Bury Transport Museum
Bolton Street Station, Castlecroft Goods Warehouse, Bury BL9 0EY
Tel: 0333 320 2830
Booking Office: 0161 876 2015
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
23 August 2026
Wonderland Adventure
You’re late, you’re late, for a very important date! It’s time to take a tumble down the Rabbit Hole for a curious adventure through Wonderland with Alice and her friends.
During this weird and wonderful interactive experience you’ll meet the surreal inhabitants of this bizarre place.
Your adventure includes a steam train ride from Bury to Rawtenstall and back and a roughly two-hour Wonderland experience with colourful characters and themed activities.
Pre-booking required
Bury Transport Museum
Bolton Street Station, Castlecroft Goods Warehouse, Bury BL9 0EY
Tel: 0333 320 2830
Booking Office: 0161 876 2015
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Add your event to the list
(for Manchester & Cheshire area, please)
Farmers market
Saturday 30th August
11am – 5pm
The Horse and Jockey, Chorlton, M21 9HS
Enjoy artisan produce from local producers on the backdrop of the Chorlton Green. Live music, kids activities and food and drink!
Artist Hilary O’Mahony will be creating a sculpture with the help of kids and big kids alike so adults are free to meander the market. While Lucy Cortese will be giving stone carving demonstrations throughout the day.
Both the Farmers’ Market and Craft Fair take place on the last Saturday of every month. The Craft fair takes place inside the pub and the Farmers’ Market is set against Chorlton’s Green.
As always the Market sees local producers and makers sell their products directly to the public. Allowing customers to pick up award winning and artisan produce locally.
Get your game face on this summer at the Museum of Science and Industry’s first ever gaming event, featuring some of the most popular video games of the past 30 years. Running from Saturday 25 July to Sunday 9 August, PLAY it! Manchester – in partnership with leading gaming specialists Replay Events – is a hands-on celebration and immersive gaming experience for fun-loving visitors young and old alike.
From Pong and Pacman to Minecraft and Halo there is a game to suit beginners and experts, dads and daughters, multiplayers, retro fans and everybody else in between. Over 120 games and consoles are available to play during each 90 minute pre-bookable gaming session, which run at set times throughout this family friendly 16 day event.
Split into 6 different zones, featuring the most loved and popular games linked by theme, content and brand – from Mincecraft, Atari and Lego to Wii, Megadrive and Nintendo, PLAY it! Manchester offers a unique opportunity to experience the very best in contemporary and retro gaming culture within the museum’s historic Great Western Warehouse, part of the oldest surviving passenger railways station in the world.
PLAY it! Manchester also plays tribute to Ocean Software, one of the most recognisable names in gaming. Established in Manchester in the 1980s, this globally renowned software development company are responsible for some of the world’s most iconic systems, such as Commodore, Amstrad, Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive. A selection of these family favourites will be available to play throughout the event.
Visitors are also invited to experience life in the 1980s computer room, and take part in fun challenges, from freestyle BASIC programming to working classic arcade games and using the original educational computer – the BBC Micro. Never before has a career in STEM, science technology, engineering and maths, promised so much fun.
Whether you’re a family dropping in for a 90 minute session, a seasoned gamer making the most of PLAY it! Manchester’s full-day pass, or a night owl visiting the twice weekly adult-only evening sessions, there are plenty of opportunities to test your skills, show off to your kids or play something new for the first time. So come along and PLAY it!
PLAY it! Manchester runs from Saturday 25 July to Sunday 9 August at the Museum of Science and Industry as part of the museum’s summer programme.
PLAY it! Manchester is recommended for ages 6 +
Tickets are available to book now via msimanchester.org.uk.
August Egyptian Activity Sessions at West Park Museum:
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All activities take place at West Park Museum, Prestbury Road, Macclesfield, SK10 6BJ. (01625)613210
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Drop-in Craft Sessions at The Old Sunday School, Roe Street, Macclesfield, SK11 6UT. (01625) 613210
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Craft workshops at The Silk Museum
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Takes place at The Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield, SK11 6TJ. (01625) 613210.
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Teenage Art Classes at The Silk Museum
at at The Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield, SK11 6TJ. (01625) 613210
Prepare for a summer packed full of adventure and plenty of exciting FREE events!
Every Tuesday from 11 – 4pm throughout the summer holidays Chill Factore are running free activities for you to enjoy with your friends and family. Embark on a Snow Trek where you will witness Ski or Snowboard Lessons first hand and see the action unfolding in the exciting Snow Park, before heading off to enjoy a quick go at sledging. You can also enjoy a climb up our 12m climbing wall!
There will be exciting free activities for everyone, from little ones, to big ones to those new to the slope to those more experienced. From giveaways to special guests and special events there will be more FREE fun than you can ever imagine! The lovable Mini Moose will be there to delight all the children as well as much more fun…But we don’t want to spoil the surprise, so come on down to find out!
Oh and that’s not all, throughout the whole of August we will be offering buy one get one FREE on Ski or Snowboard Lessons or Fun Tasters, Lift Passes and Snow Park Passes!
For those who already ski and snowboard try our FREE ‘Have a Go Sessions’ available on Moguls, Race and Freestyle or learn from a professional with our new ‘Have a Go with a Pro’ session available when you buy a Lift Pass throughout August.
Chill Factore; the coolest place to be this summer!
Pre book to secure your place at http://www.chillfactore.com
Minibeast Mission at Tegg’s Nose Country Park
Wednesday, 10th August 2016. 10am to 12pm
Meet at Tegg’s Nose Reservoir car park, Holehouse Lane, Langley, SK11 0NB
Your Mission – if you choose to accept it – is to join Nature Stuff to track down the ‘Most Wanted’ Minibeasts. Use minibeast mugshots and a variety of tracking techniques to complete your assignment.
Suitable for children age 5 to 10.
Cost £6.50 per child. Accompanying adults come free.
Places are limited. Booking and payment in advance is essential.
Children must be accompanied by an adult / Wear wellies and suitable oudoor clothing / Please leave your dog at home.
For further information http://www.naturestuff.co.uk or call 07870 804413.