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Fun gets under way as schools break up for summer

Published on Tuesday, July 11, 2023

12 minute read

Play Day 2022

FAMILIES looking for a low-cost day out this summer should check out what’s on in Leicester’s children’s centres, parks, libraries and museums.

As schools prepare to close for the long break, the city council is getting ready to open its venues for a summer of affordable fun, with the chance to explore a heritage building, ride on a steam train, dress up as a superhero, or enjoy the sound of a brass band amongst the ideas on offer.

Events coming up at Leicester’s museums include garden games and craft activities at Toy Stories at Newarke Houses Museum on Monday (17 July), weekly Railway Days at Abbey Pumping Station from Tuesday (18 July), a Wonderland Adventure at Belgrave Hall on Wednesday 26 July, Cops & Robbers at the Guildhall on Thursday 27 July, and a Heritage Sunday on 30 July, when buildings including the ancient Magazine and the Great Hall of Leicester Castle will be open to the public.

Other events taking place at Belgrave Hall include the Magical Garden on Wednesday 2 August, a Wizard School on 9 August and Superheroes v Pirates on 23 August, while the Guildhall hosts Gruesome Gargoyles & Castles of Clay on Thursday 3 August and Knights & Princesses on 10 August.

People are invited to bring a picnic to Newarke Houses Museum on 15 August and join the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, while a family-friendly Punch & Judy show is part of a special Puppet Paradise on 27 August.

Admission to Leicester’s museums is free of charge, but there’s a small charge for activities and special events and some events require pre-booking. Full details are on the museums’ website at leicestermuseums.org

Leicester’s libraries will be promoting a summer of reading, with a brand new sports and game-themed Summer Reading Challenge.

Ready, Set, Read! will encourage youngsters to walk, skip or scoot to their local library, where they’ll pick up stickers and rewards for every book that they read.

To mark the launch of the Summer Reading Challenge, free activities will run at Aylestone, Highfields and New Parks libraries on Monday (17 July); Beaumont Leys, the BRITE Centre, Hamilton and Knighton libraries on Tuesday (18 July); Belgrave, Central, Fosse and St Barnabas libraries on Wednesday (19 July); and Evington, Pork Pie, Rushey Mead, St Matthews and Westcotes libraries on Thursday (20 July). All sessions run from 1pm-3pm.

A free family fun session, with games, puzzles, crafts and stories, will also take place at each of Leicester’s libraries between 24 July and 17 August. Families can find out when their local library will be hosting its Fun Afternoon here

Some libraries will also be hosting additional workshops and activities, which are free to attend but must be booked in advance. More information is available at leicester.gov.uk/summerreadingchallenge

Another idea for a low-cost day out is to pack up a picnic, a ball and some outdoor games and head for one of Leicester’s beautiful parks. On Sundays throughout the summer, the council’s Bands on Parks programme brings live music to one park each week – and the timetable of free performances is available here 

From Monday (17 July) until Friday 25 August, young children and families can enjoy free activities at Leicester’s children, young people and family centres.

The Get Up & Go programme will include lots of indoor and outdoor fun, such as skipping, circus skills and giant games, as well as a chance to have a go on the new smoothie and spin art bikes.

Times vary at each venue so people are advised to check the timetable at families.leicester.gov.uk/getupandgo or to call their local children’s centre

Town Hall Square will host mini Playdays on Wednesdays throughout the summer, with giant outdoor games, story-time, arts & crafts and a dedicated area for babies. Mini Playdays will take place from 11am-2pm on Wednesday 19 July, 26 July, 9 August and 16 August, with the big one – National Playday – transforming Town Hall Square into a giant playground on Wednesday 2 August.

A free Summer Extravaganza on Victoria Park on Wednesday 23 August will bring the Get Up & Go programme to a close.

There are also lots of opportunities to have fun at one of Leicester’s many free summer festivals. This year’s programme includes Journeys Festival International (22-23 July), Cosmopolitan Arts Festival (29 July), the Caribbean Carnival (5 August – entry charge applies to carnival village), the Leicester Belgrave Mela (20 August) and a new event for the Bank Holiday weekend called re/action (26-27 August).

Deputy city mayor Cllr Sarah Russell said: “We’ve got lots of ideas for low-cost and no-cost activities that children and families will enjoy this summer.

“Whether it’s jumping on a steam train at Abbey Pumping Station, taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge, having fun at a festival, or joining us for a playday in Town Hall Square, there’s plenty going on from now until the end of August.”

More ideas for things to do in Leicester can be found at visitleicester.info

A summary of some of the free and low-cost events scheduled to take place in Leicester this summer is below:

What’s on in Leicester this summer

Activities are free, unless otherwise indicated

Sun 16 July  

Mon 17 July  

Tues 18 July  

Weds 19 July    

Thurs 20 July    

  • Summer Reading Challenge at Evington, Pork Pie, Rushey Mead, St Matthews and Westcotes libraries
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres
  • Bad Dad by David Walliams. Outdoor theatre at Belgrave Hall. Tickets £15.

Fri 21 July    

Sat 22 July  

Sun 23 July    

Mon 24 July     

  • Family fun at New Parks library, 1pm-4pm
  • Parents Create at Belgrave Hall & Gardens. 10am-2pm. £5 charge.
  • Get Up & Go at St Matthews, Thurnby Lodge and Woodbridge children’s centres

Tues 25 July    

  • Archaeology Family Fun Day at the Guildhall. 11am-3pm. £3. Booking essential.
  • Railway Day at Abbey Pumping Station, 11.30am-4pm. 50p for train rides
  • Get Up & Go at Bewcastle and Saffron children’s centres
  • Family fun at Beaumont Leys library, 1pm-4pm

Weds 26 July    

  • Wonderland Adventure at Belgrave Hall. 11am-3pm. £3 for activities (cash only)
  • Family fun St Barnabas library, 1pm-4pm
  • Storytelling on the Bookbus, Town Hall Square (morning only)
  • Mini Playday in Town Hall Square, 11am-2pm
  • Get Up & Go at Beaumont Leys children’s centre

Thurs 27 July    

  • Cops & Robbers at the Guildhall, 11am-3pm. £3 charge.
  • Family fun at Pork Pie library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres

Fri 28 July    

  • Get Up & Go at The Grove and at Eyres Monsell children’s centre

Sat 29 July     

Sun 30 July    

Mon 31 July     

  • Family fun at Aylestone library, 1pm-4pm
  • Parents Create at Belgrave Hall & Gardens. 10am-2pm. £5 charge.
  • Get Up & Go at St Matthews, Thurnby Lodge and Woodbridge children’s centres

Tues 1 Aug  

  • Railway Day at Abbey Pumping Station, 11.30am-4pm. 50p for train rides
  • Family fun at Knighton library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Bewcastle and Saffron children’s centres
  • Ride Leicester Festival: free activities daily throughout August. Details to follow.

Weds 2 Aug      

  • National Play Day, Town Hall Square. 11am-3pm
  • Magical Garden at Belgrave Hall. 11am-3pm. £3 for activities (cash only)
  • Family fun at Central library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Beaumont Leys children’s centre

Thurs 3 Aug      

  • Gruesome Gargoyles & Castles of Clay. The Guildhall, 11am-3pm. £3 charge.
  • Family fun at St Matthews library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres

Fri 4 Aug          

  • Get Up & Go at The Grove and at Eyres Monsell children’s centre

Sat 5 Aug        

Sun 6 Aug       

Mon 7 Aug      

  • Parents Create at Belgrave Hall & Gardens. 10am-2pm. £5 charge.
  • Family fun at Highfields library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at St Matthews, Thurnby Lodge and Woodbridge children’s centres

Tues 8 Aug  

  • Railway Day at Abbey Pumping Station, 11.30am-4pm. 50p for train rides
  • Family fun at the BRITE Centre, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Bewcastle and Saffron children’s centres

Weds 9 Aug     

  • Wizard School at Belgrave Hall. 11am-3pm. £3 (cash only)
  • Family fun at Belgrave library, 1pm-4pm
  • Mini Playday in Town Hall Square, 11am-2pm
  • Get Up & Go at Beaumont Leys children’s centre

Thurs 10 Aug    

  • Knights & Princesses, The Guildhall. 11am-3pm. £3 for activities.
  • Family fun at Evington & Rushey Mead libraries, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres

Fri 11 Aug        

  • Get Up & Go at The Grove and at Eyres Monsell children’s centre
  • Curve on the Square. Orton Square. 11am-7.30pm.

Sat 12 Aug     

Sun 13 Aug    

Mon 14 Aug 

  • Parents Create at Belgrave Hall & Gardens. 10am-2pm. £5 charge.
  • Get Up & Go at St Matthews, Thurnby Lodge and Woodbridge children’s centres

Tues 15 Aug  

  • Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Newarke Houses Museum, 11am-3pm. £3 for crafts.
  • Railway Day at Abbey Pumping Station, 11.30am-4pm. 50p for train rides
  • Family fun at Hamilton library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Bewcastle and Saffron children’s centres

Weds 16 Aug  

  • Woodland Safari at Belgrave Hall. 11am-3pm. £3 (cash only).
  • Family fun at Fosse library, 1pm-4pm
  • Mini Playday in Town Hall Square, 11am-2pm
  • Get Up & Go at Beaumont Leys children’s centre

Thurs 17 Aug

  • Wizard World at the Guildhall. 11am-3pm. £3 charge for crafts.
  • Family fun at Westcotes library, 1pm-4pm
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres

Fri 18 Aug        

  • Get Up & Go at The Grove and at Eyres Monsell children’s centre
  • Punk Festival Weekender: various venues. Charges apply for some events.

Sat 19 Aug     

Sun 20 Aug    

Mon 21 Aug  

  • Parents Create at Belgrave Hall & Gardens. 10am-2pm. £5 charge.
  • Get Up & Go at St Matthews, Thurnby Lodge and Woodbridge children’s centres

Tues 22 Aug    

  • Railway Day at Abbey Pumping Station, 11.30am-4pm. 50p for train rides
  • Get Up & Go at Bewcastle and Saffron children’s centres

Weds 23 Aug 

Thurs 24 Aug

  • Medieval Mayhem at the Guildhall. 11am-3pm. £3 charge for activities.
  • Get Up & Go at Netherhall, New Parks, Belgrave & Highfields children’s centres

Fri 25 Aug     

  • Get Up & Go at The Grove and at Eyres Monsell children’s centre

Sat 26 Aug    

Sun 27 Aug    

NB Information was correct at 11 July 2023 but programme is subject to change. Please check websites for latest information.