Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
What's On in Lancashire
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The Tiger Who Came To Tea
14th-15th July 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs...
Les Misérables: School Edition
17th-19th July 2026
Venue: Blackburn Empire Theatre
Website: blackburnempire.com/show/
Epic, grand and uplifting, Les Misérables School Edition packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world. Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of...
Robin Hood
17th July-23rd August 2026
Venue: The Dukes
Website: dukeslancaster.org/whats-on/
This summer, Williamson Park is transformed into a lush forest as the Dukes Park Show returns with another thrilling outdoor adventure: Robin Hood. Full of daring escapes, thrilling fights, comedy and...
Bing Live!
18th-19th July 2026
Venue: Preston Guild Hall & Charter Theatre
Website: prestonguildhall.co.uk/genre/family/
Bing and his friends are coming to Preston! Join Bing, Sula, Coco and Pando as they find out how to tell stories by pretending, dressing-up and singing songs. Full of fun, laughter and music, Bing Live!...
Blackpool Colour Run
18th July 2026
Venue: Starr Gate Beach
Website: www.blackpoolcolourrun.co.uk
Run, walk or jog with friends and family along a 2.5km, family‑friendly beach course. By the finish line, you’ll be painted every colour of the rainbow! Suitable for all ages and abilities, everyone...
Brick Explorers Build Station
18th July-28th August 2026
Venue: RHS Garden Bridgewater
Website: www.rhs.org.uk
Get creative at the brick building station and help transform a grey city into a greener, more wildlife-friendly space. Add your own nature-inspired brick creations and discover how plants and gardens...
Brick Explorers Sculpture Trail
18th July-31st August 2026
Venue: RHS Garden Bridgewater
Website: www.rhs.org.uk
Find the incredible brick-built wildlife sculptures hidden around the garden, collect their superpowers and match the stickers in your activity booklet. Along the way, discover how you can support garden...
Day Out with Thomas
18th-19th July 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Hop on board a train ride with Thomas, a real steam engine, watch live shows, join the Thomas and Friends™ character hunt, have fun with garden games, and keep the beat going at the Music Corner, plus...
Exhibition - Small Worlds: Treasures of Victorian Play
18th July-1st September 2026
Venue: Rufford Old Hall
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/rufford-old-hall/events/
Discover the magical world of Victorian childhood in Small Worlds: Treasures of Victorian Play, a new object focused display, which will explore how children played and learned during the 19th century....
GIANT Dragonfly Hunt
18th July-31st August 2026
Venue: WWT Martin Mere
Website: www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere/whats-on/
Can you spot all of the dragonfly sculptures? Explore high and low as you search for these larger-than-life insects, each one representing a different species! See if you can find them all and identify...
Lowther’s Ice Cream Festival 2026
18th-19th July 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
Taking place outdoors over a (hopefully!) sunny weekend, this free-to-enter event is packed with delicious treats and family-friendly entertainment. A weekend of great food, free entertainment, and plenty...
Summer of Play at Rufford Old Hall
18th July-1st September 2026
Venue: Rufford Old Hall
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/rufford-old-hall/events/
Embark on your next summer adventure at Rufford Old Hall. Enjoy outdoor games in the paddock, borrow sports day kit to play and picnic on the lawns and try some Victorian-style toys and games in the house....
Butterfly Walk
22nd July 2026
Venue: Mere Sands Wood
Website: www.lancswt.org.uk/events/
Enjoy a guided walk around the reserve to marvel at magnificent butterflies. You will walk at an easy pace, stopping at various points to appreciate these beautiful insects. Please meet in the Visitor...
Thursday Craft Workshops
23rd July-27th August 2026
Venue: The Atkinson
Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk
Join the ‘Make It’ artist-led craft workshops every Thursday from 23rd July until 27th August, where children can get creative and take home their own creations. Drop in, 11am-3pm.
Top Secret – The Magic of Science
23rd July-27th August 2026
Venue: Viva Blackpool
Website: www.vivablackpool.com
Fusing the mystery of magic with wondrous and miraculous feats of science. Hang on to your seats as they transform the venue into a real-life science laboratory! Top Secret will inspire and educate every...
Buzz – A Theatre Experience
25th July-24th August 2026
Venue: RHS Garden Bridgewater
Website: www.rhs.org.uk
Discover the magical world of Buzz, an enchanting interactive theatre experience from Colour the Clouds Theatre Company. Join Betty the Beekeeper on an immersive storytelling adventure and discover how...
Construction Club
25th July 2026
Venue: The Atkinson
Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk
Unleash your imagination with a massive supply of LEGO® bricks. Takes place on the last Saturday of each month. Admission is free, but spaces are limited, so arrive in good time. Children under 12 must...
Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR.
25th-26th July 2026
Venue: Darwen Library Theatre
Website: bwdvenues.com/whats-on/
Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, Matilda JR. is a joyous girl power romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an...
Saturday Openings at Lancashire Police Museum
25th July-29th August 2026
Venue: Lancashire Police Museum
Website: www.visitlancashire.com/events/
This school summer holidays, Lancashire Police Museum will be open three days a week. Opening on the usual Thursdays, Fridays and also Saturdays, 10:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4pm.
Taylor Mania
25th July 2026
Venue: Lancaster Footlights & Grand Theatre CIO
Website: lancastergrand.co.uk/shows/
An award-winning extravaganza that plays tribute to one of the leading contemporary artists of our time. Katy Ellis, a self-confessed ‘Swiftie’, with an incredible live band and dancers will deliver...
Wanderland
25th July 2026
Venue: Cottam Hall Playing Fields
Website: www.wyre.gov.uk/wanderland/
Presented by Wyre Council, Wyre's popular family festival returns this summer bigger, brighter and better than ever! Enjoy crafts, workshops, and surprise entertainment everywhere you look. It’s the...
Summer Workshop: Storytime & Creative Session (Ages 2 – 5)
27th July 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
Enjoy an interactive story time and creative workshop to spark imagination and fun. Featuring a different story each week, young people and their adults will work with a professional artist to explore...
Annie
28th July-1st August 2026
Venue: Blackpool Opera House
Website: wgbpl.co.uk
The smash-hit West End production of Annie returns to Blackpool Opera House as part of a major UK and Ireland tour, starring Claire Sweeney as the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Featuring a Tony Award-winning...
On Screen: The LEGO Batman Movie (U)
28th July 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
Batman works together with his ward, Robin, and the police commissioner's daughter, Barbara, to foil Joker's plans of taking over Gotham City. Special Summer Offer: 1 Adult goes free with every Child.
Summer Workshop: Creative Session & Film Screening (Ages 6+)
28th July 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
Young people are invited to join in on Tuesdays throughout the summer holidays for a special series of creative workshops! Spend the morning working with a professional artist, creating and using before...
Summer Holiday The Musical
29th July-8th August 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/
If summer had a soundtrack, it would sound a lot like Summer Holiday. Bursting with classic feel-good hits from the golden age of '60s pop, the show features favourites made famous by Cliff Richard and...
K-Pop Party
31st July 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Join a trio of K-Pop inspired characters for a live sing-along to popular songs from the film, as well as an interactive dance along featuring bubble machines. This will be followed by a meet-and-greet...
Dinoroar Children's Competition Hunt
1st-31st August 2026
Venue: Clitheroe Castle
Website: www.visitlancashire.com/events/
Enjoy a dino-themed August at Clitheroe Castle Museum. Young visitors can take part in a daily fun dinosaur museum hunt and enter a competition for a chance to win a goody bag of souvenirs from the museum...
Dinosaur Adventure Live: Danger On T-Rex Mountain
3rd August 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/dinosaur-adventure-live-danger-on-t-rex-mountain/
Join the intrepid rangers on a quest to recover the data crystal, restore power to the island and save the dinosaurs! An unforgettable Jurassic experience for all the family to enjoy. This awe-inspiring...
The Wizarding Adventure
6th August 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Join the delightfully wacky professors as they reveal the secrets of real magic. Learn powerful incantations and perfect your wand-waving skills, use your imagination and learn how to soar through the...
Drop-in Fencing Workshops
7th-24th August 2026
Venue: Rufford Old Hall
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/rufford-old-hall/events/
This summer, go along to one of the drop-in fencing workshops and get an introduction into the sport of historical fencing. These 20-minute demonstrations are suitable for 5 – 13-year-olds and feature...
The Dino Adventure
7th August 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Get ready for a day of dinosaur discoveries, Jurassic joy and larger-than-life adventures – because at Dino Academy, history comes to life!
Blackpool Air Show 2026
8th August 2026
Venue: The Promenade
Website: www.visitlancashire.com/events/
Blackpool Air Show will return for 2026, with some of the world’s finest military and civilian aircraft, performing over the iconic seafront. The programme will showcase a whole host of amazing flying...
The Fleetwood Food, Fish and Music Festival
14th-16th August 2026
Venue: Fleetwood Market
Website: www.fleetwoodmarket.co.uk
Organised by Wyre Council, this free event celebrates the town’s fishing heritage with activities for all ages. Visitors can explore Fleetwood Market, enjoy a continental market, fresh seafood, cooking...
Young Curator Summer Sessions
18th-28th August 2026
Venue: The Atkinson
Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk
Are you interested in the arts? Would you like to work for a museum in the future? In these free summer sessions, you will work with industry professionals to develop your creative skills and understanding...
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
19th-22nd August 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/
Get ready for a dazzling burst of colour, music and feel-good energy! Presented by the talented team behind last year’s incredible The Wind in the Willows, this spectacular Summer Youth Production brings...
Goldilocks & Friends Teddy Bear Adventure
21st August 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Join Goldilocks and her furry friends on a cute and cuddly trip to the fairytale forest! Goldilocks and her friends will tell tall tales about their adventures. You’ll be introduced to the cute and cuddly...
Meet Peppa Pig
22nd August 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
Meet Peppa Pig at Bury Transport Museum at intervals throughout the day. Just pre-book your general admission ticket and pick a meet and greet slot that suits you. With no additional cost to general admission,...
Wonderland Adventure
23rd August 2026
Venue: East Lancashire Railway
Website: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
A topsy-turvy day where nothing is quite as it seems. Get ready for curious encounters, magical mayhem, giggles, jiggles and song!
Summer Workshop: Storytime & Creative Session (Ages 2 – 5)
24th August 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
An interactive story time and creative workshop to spark imagination and fun. Featuring a different story each week, young people and their adults will work with a professional artist to explore a well-loved...
Brockholes Family Bat Walk
27th August 2026
Venue: Brockholes Nature Reserve
Website: www.lancswt.org.uk/events/
The Bat Walk Night will start with an introduction to these fascinating creatures and the equipment you will be using to detect them before heading out on the reserve to see if the bats are out and about!...
Construction Club
29th August 2026
Venue: The Atkinson
Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk
Unleash your imagination with a massive supply of LEGO® bricks. Takes place on the last Saturday of each month. Admission is free, but spaces are limited, so arrive in good time. Children under 12 must...
Dr Snott's Slime Workshop
29th August 2026
Venue: Showtown
Website: www.showtownblackpool.co.uk/whats-on/family-activities/dr-snotts-slime-workshop
Get silly making your own slime with Doctor Snottt as you learn more about Blackpool’s wonderfully wacky history of quack doctors, mystery cures and gooey seaside potions in this hands-on, fun-filled...
GirlyPop Live
30th August 2026
Venue: Winter Gardens Empress
Website: www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/events/
After sold-out debuts around the UK, for the first time GirlyPop Live is hitting Winter Gardens Empress. Expect show-stopping tribute performances from pop legends you know and love, including Sabrina...
On Screen: Fantastic Mr Fox (PG)
1st September 2026
Venue: Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens
Website: lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/
Mr Fox, a family man, goes back to his ways of stealing, unable to resist his animal instincts. However, he finds himself trapped when three farmers decide to kill him and his kind. Special Summer Offer...
Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show
1st-2nd September 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
Peppa Pig and friends are back in their brand-new live stage show! With a new arrival on the way, the whole family are busy getting ready. Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show is packed full of music, adventure...
Blackpool Illuminations 2026
4th September-3rd January 2027
Venue: The Promenade
Website: www.visitlancashire.com/events/
The world-famous Illuminations need little introduction. With six miles of traditional festoons, tableaux and interactive features along the Promenade, Blackpool’s annual Illuminations display will once...
The Ultimate Bubble Show
6th September 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
Ray Bubbles is on a mission to master the art of bubble-making and create the ultimate square bubble! Prepare to be amazed as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel, a bubble ghost, and even...
The Selfish Giant
15th September 2026
Venue: The Muni Theatre
Website: www.themuni.co.uk/whats-on/
Through storytelling, interactive games, live music, and puppetry, Riding Lights Theatre Company brings you The Selfish Giant – a wonderful play for family audiences (perfect for those 3+) and an inspirational...
James B Partridge: Primary School Bangers
16th September 2026
Venue: King George's Hall
Website: bwdvenues.com/whats-on/
James B Partridge, the singing teacher turned viral star, has taken nostalgic school assembly songs from the classroom to some of the UK’s biggest stages. Expect all the assembly classics you remember!
K-POP Dance Heroes
18th September 2026
Venue: Lancaster Footlights & Grand Theatre CIO
Website: lancastergrand.co.uk/shows/
Featuring songs from the Netflix film ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ alongside classic pop songs and K-Pop chart toppers, this is the perfect show for the young and the young at heart. This is your chance to...
The Great British Beach Clean
18th-27th September 2026
Venue: Nationwide
Website: www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/beach-clean/gbbc/
The Great British Beach Clean is a citizen science event where hundreds of beach cleans take place up and down the UK. Beach cleans drive conservation work and help to campaign for change. The data has...
Dear Zoo
22nd-23rd September 2026
Venue: The Atkinson
Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk
Dear Zoo the timeless children’s classic book returns to the stage! Help your children learn as the book leaps onto the stage and share a magical experience as the story unfolds with child-engaging puppets,...
Surinderella
22nd-26th September 2026
Venue: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Website: Rifcotheatre.com
Back by popular demand, Rifco Theatre presents an evening of laughter, romance, and larger-than-life entertainment! With a dazzling Bollywood Ball, a mystical slipper, and a lot of bakwas, Surinder’s...
Tim Peake - Astronauts: The Quest to Explore Space
27th September 2026
Venue: King George's Hall
Website: bwdvenues.com/whats-on/
In this new show, Tim will share the remarkable stories of some of his fellow astronauts and explore the spectacular evolution of space travel. As he recounts the awe-inspiring endeavours of astronauts...
Of Mice and Men
9th October 2026
Venue: Darwen Library Theatre
Website: bwdvenues.com/whats-on/
Set against the harsh backdrop of the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is the story of George and Lennie, two friends with a simple dream: to own a farm and live off the fat of the land. Starring Nigel...
Sing The Musicals
10th October 2026
Venue: King George's Hall
Website: bwdvenues.com/whats-on/
The national tour of some of the greatest musicals of all time performed by a sensational live band and character singers. A giant screen with sing-along lyrics make this a must-see show of 2026.