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Easter is coming and we’ve been busy filling the What’s On page with lots of lovely activities and events. Here’s our pick:
Kick start the Easter weekend fun with the Easter Fun Fair on the Common starting on the Thursday evening of the Easter weekend and running until Easter Monday. Exact opening times are still to be confirmed, but we'll update the details on the link above as soon as we have them. And on Good Friday, you could combine that with joining in the annual Harpenden Easter Egg Hunt, organized by the Friends of Harpenden Academy. Tickets are on sale now or you can buy on the day.
The Eric Morecambe Centre has two family shows on over the holidays with the classic nursery rhyme There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly being brought to life on stage, and The Amazing Bubble Man wowing everyone with science and artistry. Older children, teens and parents might enjoy some classical music mixed with humour from comedy quartet MozART Group. At their sister venue, The Alban Arena, little ones are sure to enjoy Fireman Sam - The Great Camping Adventure and older children will be entertained by this production of The Little Mermaid with a chance to meet the cast afterwards, or can laugh and marvel at Rude Science - even the name is bound to amuse!
Just up the road in Luton there's The Museum of Marvellous Things featuring giant puppets and magical effects, and swashbuckling fun with Grooving with Pirates at the Hat Factory Arts Centre; Dinosaur Timewarp: A Family Panto and more bubbly fun with the Ultimate Bubble Show at Luton Library Theatre; and at Stockwood Discovery Centre a classic tale and modern one will be brought to life with The Three Bears and Dogs Don't Do Ballet.
Hopefully, the weather will be spring-like and you'll want to be outdoors are much as possible. If you can’t make it to the Harpenden Easter Egg Hunt, there will be one running all through the holidays at Dunstable Downs. There’s no need to book for this, just drop in. Luton Hoo will be holding their Spring Open Day on 3rd April, with arts and crafts, seed planting and a bunny hunt for the children. And St Albans South Signal Box will also be holding an Open Day on 24th March, which is one of the few free events we’ve found this Easter. Also free, and you could combine this with a visit to the signal box is an Easter Trail around St Albans city centre.
St Albans Museum have some bookable art & craft workshops running where you can Decorate a Mug or Create a Colourful Collage. Or at Verulamium Museum you can discover archaeology with two drop-in events that are included in the price of entry: A Blanket Dig and Become an Archaeologist. A bit further afield at Panshangar Park in Hertford, but worth a mention because it’s another free event (though there is a suggested donation), is Family Willow Weaving - registration is required.
There’s a new event in the calendar that we haven’t seen before. On Easter Saturday and Sunday at the county showground just outside Redbourn there will be The Hertfordshire Family Easter Festival, which promises "a whole array of attractions for all ages from babies to teenagers ... shows, music, rides, amazing street food and a whole load of exciting attractions!"
This is just a fraction of the Easter events and activities you can find on our What's On page.
Enter the ticket ballot (Herts residents only) and you and your family could be enjoying free entry to some great local attractions on the weekend of 20th & 21st April.
There's some great family tickets up for grabs from the likes of Campus West, Cedar Natures Centre, Celtic Harmony Camp, de Havilland Aircraft Museum, Foodies Festival, Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire Zoo, Knebworth House & Gardens, Laser Quest Hemel Hempstead, Mill Green Museum, Standalone Farm, The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead, Treasure Map Trails, Verulamium Museum, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Welwyn Roman Baths, Willow's Activity Farm and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
Or if you want to leave the kids behind, there's also some nice grown-up treats including afternoon tea or overnight stays at some of Hertfordshire's best hotels and beer or wine tasting at local distilleries and breweries.
Entry is now open on the Herts Big Weekend website and you can enter as many individual ballots as you like. Entries close on 31st March.
It may feel too early to be thinking about this year's Panto at the Eric Morecambe Centre, which will be brought to you again by Polka Dot Pantomimes, but we thought you might like to know that ticket prices have been frozen at 2023 prices until 31st March 2024!
Sleeping Beauty will run from 7th to 30th December 2024.
So if you want to ensure you get your favourite seats at a cheaper price, book before 31st March 2024!
Did you know, there’s now a Junior parkrun event taking place every Sunday, 9am at Katherine Warington School?
Junior Parkrun is a fun and friendly weekly 2k event for ages 4 to 14, and it's completely FREE to join in. You need to register once with Parkrun before you turn up for the first time, and then bring your barcode with you every time you take part.
More details here: www.parkrun.org.uk/katherinewaringtonschool-juniors
Sweeney Todd
20th March
- 23rd March
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Harpenden Farmer's Market
(FREE)
24th March
Lower High Street, Harpenden
Spot's Birthday Party
25th March
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Easter Funfair
28th March
- 1st April
Harpenden Common, Harpenden
Harpenden Easter Egg Hunt
29th March
Harpenden Common, Harpenden
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly
30th March
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
The Amazing Bubble Man
2nd April
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
The Signing Company Easter Class
3rd April
High Street Methodist Church, Harpenden
The MozART Group
7th April
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Harpenden Local History Day
(FREE)
20th April
Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Harpenden Farmer's Market
(FREE)
28th April
Lower High Street, Harpenden
Brambleton Model Railway Club Spring Open Day
11th May
Brambleton Model Railway Club, Harpenden
Charity Plant Sale in aid of the Children's Society
11th May
The Concourse opp Harpenden Library, Harpenden
Faure and Fizz
11th May
St Nicholas Church, Harpenden
Lamb Bottle Feeding
17th February
- 6th May
Aldenham Country Park, Elstree
CAB Student/Graduate Volunteer Information Session
(FREE)
19th March
Virtual Event
Sweeney Todd
20th March
- 23rd March
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Introduction to Solid Foods Workshop
(FREE)
22nd March
London Colney Family Centre, Alexander Road
Easter Adventure Quest
23rd March
- 14th April
Wrest Park, Silsoe
Zog and the Flying Doctors
23rd March
Watford Palace Theatre, Watford
Waterworth First Aid Training
23rd March
South Room, Sandridge Village Hall, Sandridge
Easter Eggstravaganza
23rd March
- 24th March
Willows Activity Farm, London Colney
Lambing Days @ Watergate Farm
23rd March
- 24th March
Watergate Farm, Nr Leighton Buzzard
Lamb Feeding Experience
23rd March
- 24th March
Herrings Green Activity Farm, Wilstead
Morning at Movies: Watch Disney's WISH at The Odyssey St Albans
23rd March
The Odyssey Cinema, St Albans
Lambing Weekend
23rd March
- 24th March
Oaklands College, St Albans
Harpenden Farmer's Market
(FREE)
24th March
Lower High Street, Harpenden
St Albans South Signal Box Open Day
(FREE)
24th March
St Albans South Signal Box, St Albans
Spot's Birthday Party
25th March
The Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Here's the latest recommendations from our visitors and followers. Click on the business name to find out more. If you'd like to add a recommendation for a business or organisation search for their listing here on the site and click on the Leave a recommendation button.
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