What's On in Norfolk

Surf!

Venue: National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Website: www.nmmc.co.uk

Major exhibition celebrating a century of surfing in Cornwall

Sea Inside

Venue: Sainsbury Centre

Website: www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk

Experimental contemporary artworks creating a unique oceanic experience

Cromer Pier Show 2025

Venue: Cromer Pier

Website: www.cromerpier.co.uk

Celebrated and award-winning variety show

Summer Reading Challenge

Venue: Norfolk Libraries

Website: www.readingagency.org.uk

Return of the annual reading challenge with this year's theme being Story Garden: Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors

Autumn Afternoon Tea

Venue: Assembly House Norwich

Website: www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk

Themed afternoon tea - see website for details

Heritage Open Days: Spectacular Bridges

Venue: St John's Church, Harleston

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Display of artworks created by children from the local school

Heritage Open Days: Sculpture at the Sainsbury Centre

Venue: Sainsbury Centre

Website: www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk

Free tours on the theme of Sculpture, the Sainsbury Centre and the architectural background to the Sculpture Trail

Heritage Open days: Frederic's Painting Collection Museum Trial

Venue: Ancienct House Museum of Thetford Life

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Discover just a few of the paintings Prince Frederic Duleep Sing gave to Anicent House and the people of Thetford. Spot all the painting in the museum to win a small prize - suitable for all ages

Heritage Open Days - Norwich Cathedral Architecture Detectives

Thetford Open Studios

Venue: Maker's Cottage, Thetford

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Meet the makers and artists - free event

Felbrigg Hall Walled Garden Open Day

Venue: Felbrigg Hall

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Delightful garden with double flower borders, vegetable beds, trained fruit tress and an octagonal dovecote

Heritage Open Days: Elizabethan House

Venue: Elizabethan House

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Opportunity to explore Elizabethan House for free

heritage Open days: Museum of Norwich Heritage Open Days

Venue: Museum of Norwich at the Bridwell

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Explore Norwich's industrial past with free entry

Costessey Fete and Fayre

Venue: Norfolk Showground

Website: www.norfolkshowground.co.uk

Food and drink, live bands, local groups, face painting, crafts, fireworks and funfair

Heritage Open Days: A History of Ancient House in 100 Objects

Venue: Ancient House in Thetford

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Community curated exhibition to celebrate the Museum's fascinating and eclectic collection

Heritage Open Days: Design a Treehouse Workhsop

Venue: Norfolk Showground

Website: www.norfolkshowground.co.uk

Food and drink, live bands, local groups, face painting, crafts, fireworks and funfair

Heritage Open days: Frederic's Painting Collection Museum Trial

Venue: Ancient House in Thetford

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Discover just a few of the paintings Prince Frederic Duleep Sing gave to Anicent House and the people of Thetford. Spot all the painting in the museum to win a small prize - suitable for all ages

Heritage Open Days: Great Cressingham Victorian School Open Day

Venue: Old School, Great Cressingham, Thetford

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Open weekend providing an opportunity for the public to visit this iconic school and museum

Heritage Open Days: Making a Museum

Venue: Ancient House in Thetford

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Learn about the museum was created over 100 years ago. Discover the vital behind the scenes work which goes into keeping the museum collections safe - make your own mini museum to take home

Heritage Open Days: Narborough Bone Mill

Venue: Narborough Bone Mill

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

See the 16 foot waterwheel turning, original brick flooes and remains of Victorian mill buildings, model of mill, finds uncovered during excavations in the the visitor centre which is a mini replica of...

Heritage Open Days: Norwich Castle and Art Gallery

Venue: Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Discover 900 years of history with free entry

Heritage Open Days: The Garage with the Creative Wellbeing Project

Venue: The Garage

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Take part in a print making workshop, have a tour of the building and join in for tea and cake

Heritage Open Days: Waterloo Park

Venue: Waterloo Park

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Visit the Grade II listed park and enjoy great views from the pavilion balcony, flowerbeds in bloom, live music and exhibitosn of the history of the park and its bowling club

Meet Peppa Pig at Pettitts

Venue: Pettitts Animal Adventure Park

Website: www.pettittsadventurepark.co.uk

Meet Peppa Pig at intervals throughout the day

Steam Back to the Forties

Venue: North Norfolk railway

Website: www.nnrailway.co.uk

Live music, historic displays, vintage vehicles and full-size replica Spitfire, vintage treasures and intensive steam train service

Wymondham Farmers Market

Venue: Market Place in Wymondham

Website: www.visitwymondham.org.uk/directory/farmers-market

Award-winning artisan food and drink and producers and makers

Heritage Open Days: "Next Train's gone"

Venue: County School, Dereham

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Explore the station, discover the history of the Watts Naval School, and see a miniature railway in action

Heritage Open Days: Downham Market Classic Historic Vehicles Show

Venue: Downham Market

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Museum with 'Around Downham…..Then and Now' photographic display, friendly café and fire engine

Heritage Open Days: Earlham Hall

Venue: earlham Hall

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Short guided tour - see the website for details

Heritage Open Days: Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Heritage Open Day

Venue: Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Discover Norfolk's rural history over 50 acres of glorious countryside, from the traditional working farm to the live sof residents to the Victorian workhouse

Hunstanton Soap Box Derby

Venue: Hunstanton

Website: www.west-norfolk.gov.uk

Return of the much-loved family event

Absolute Britney

Venue: Cromer Pier

Website: www.cromerpier.co.uk

Britney Spears tribute performance

King's Lynn Literature Festival

Venue: Various locations

Website: www.kllitfests.com

See the website for the schedule of events

Autumn Garden and Outdoor Living Fair

Venue: Holkham

Website: www.holkham.co.uk

Range of stallholders bringing plants, crafts and decorative items

Big Machinery Weekend

Venue: Pensthorpe

Website: www.pensthorpe.com

Fun-filled weekend getting up close to massive farm machinery - see the website for details

Model and miniature show

Venue: Strumpshaw Steam Museum

Website: www.strumpshawsteammuseum.co.uk

Model trains, planes, cars, buses, boats, die cast models, working fairground and railway display, hands-on Scaletrix layout, new galloper ride open and other attractions

Norcon

Venue: Norfolk Showground

Website: www.nor-con.co.uk

Event with displays, exhibits, celebrities, talks and loads of traders with clothing and other merchandise. Tickets are not sold on the door

The Paper Dolls

Venue: Norwich Theatre Stage Two

Website: www.norwichtheatre.org

Show based on the original book by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb for ages 3 to 8

Dyke dipping at NWT Thorpe Marshes

Venue: Thorpe Marshes

Website: www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Join in and learn about the wonderful wildlife that can be found in the dykes

I've Lost My Bobble Hat! A New Nick Cope Family Show for 2025

Venue: The Corn hall, Diss

Website: www.thecornhall.co.uk

New family show for 2025 with charming songs and humour

Photography Competition 2025: The exhibition

Venue: Cley Marshes

Website: www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

See the best entries form the 2025 nature photography competition

Beach Clean - Salthouse Beach Road

Venue: Cley marshes

Website: www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Help keep Norfolk's beaches pristine for wildlife

Farmers' market

Venue: Creake abbey

Website: www.creakeabbey.co.uk

Food market

There's No Place Like Home

Venue: Gorleston Pavilion

Website: www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk

Fun and exciting variety show performed by children, filled with dance and music theatre

Cinderella

Venue: Maddermarket Theatre

Website: www.maddermarket.co.uk

Pantomime performance from Crocodile Theatre Company

Free family fun day at Cley Marshes

Venue: Cley Marshes

Website: www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Free, family friendly activities in the Education Centre

Grandparents Day

Venue: Bure Valley Railway

Website: www.bvrw.co.uk

A grandparent goes free with a full fare-paying adult

Miffy's 70th Birthday

Venue: Time and Tide Museum of Great Yarmouth Life

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

Interactive exhibition bringing Miffy to life through creative displays and activities

Wild Paths Festivals

Venue: Various venues

Website: www.wildpaths.co.uk

Multi-venue music festival - see website for line-up

Bluey at Pettitts Animal Adventure Park

Venue: Pettitts Animal Adventure Park

Website: www.pettittsadventurepark.co.uk

Anthony Gormley - Time Horizon

Venue: Houghton Hall

Website: www.houghtonhall.com

Large sclae installations across the grounds and in the house

Antony Gormley's Time Horizon

Venue: Houghton Hall

Website: www.houghtonhall.com

Large scale installations featuring 100 lifesize scultures distributed across 300 acres of the park

Autumnal Fun at Oxburgh Estate

Venue: Oxburgh Estate

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/oxburgh-estate

Activities including a leaf challenge, welly wanging and more

Bare Bones

Venue: Time and Tide Museum

Address: Great Yarmouth,

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/time-tide

Exhibition inviting visitors of all ages to explore the beauty and secrets of animal skeletons

Bare Bones

Venue: Time and Tide Museum

Address: Blackfriars Road, Great Yarmouth

Website: https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/time-tide/whats-on/bare-bones

This fascinating exhibition invites visitors of all ages to explore the beauty, and secrets, of animal skeletons. Skeletons help us understand how animals move, but they can tell us much more; these intricate...

Bayfield Hall Sculpture Trail

Venue: Bayfield Hall

Website: www.bayfieldhallsculpture.com

Sculpture trail featuring works by 45 artists from across the UK set in the private gardens of Bayfield Hall. Under 18s go free - see website for tickets

Circus and Water Spectacular

Venue: Hippodrome Circus,

Address: 43A St George's Road, Great Yarmouth

Website: www.hippodromecircus.com

Circus acts and the world famous water spectacular where the entire ring sinks to reveal a gigantic swimming pool

Cocomelon Song Time

Venue: Sea Life Great Yarmouth

Website: www.visitsealife.com/great-yarmouth

Join JJ and all the little ones from Melon Patch Academy to meet incredible animals and discover how to keep them safe in the oceans and find the missing words to complete the exclusive SEA Life song

Cromer Pier Show

Venue: Cromer Pier

Website: www.cromerpier.co.uk

Variety show with 8 metre wall, traditional scene sets, bespoke costumes, lighting effects and more

Cromer Pier Show 2022

Venue: Cromer Pier

Address: The Promenade, Cromer

Website: www.cromerpier.co.uk

Variety show with new guest stars every week. Visit the website to see the lineup

Dame Magdalene Odundo at Houghton Hall

Venue: Houghton Hall

Website: www.houghtonhall.com

Exhibition showcase existing and new works spanning Odundo's 30 year career

Dame Magdalene Odundo Exhibition

Venue: Houghton Hall

Website: www.houghtonhall.com

Showcase featuring both established pieces and new creations spanning Odundo's illustrious 30 year career

DigiFest

Dinosaurium: Reimagined Creatures

Venue: Time and Tide Museum

Website: www.timeandtidenorfolk.gov.uk

Family friendly exhibition taking a look at the long history of our relationship with dinosaurs with detailed models alongside memorabilia and fossils and specimens from their own collections

Dinosaurium: Reimagined Creatures

Venue: Time and Tide Museum

Website: www.timeandtide.norfolk.gov.uk

Family friendly exhibition looking at the long history of our relationship with dinosaurs

Discover Sharklife

Venue: Sealife Hunstanton

Website: www.visitsealife.com/hunstanton

Fun activitiy trail and challenges throughout the aquarium, enjoy visual games

Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake at WWT

Venue: Welney Wetland Centre

Address: Wisbech

Website: www.wwt.org.uk

Collect an illustrated guide full of Quentin's Blake's drawings and journey around the wetland as part of their summer events

Get Ready with Snap

Website: https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/events/events-search/eventdetails?id=cfdbbee2-a220-ee11-9599-943c708cc496

Make your own finger puppet and explore the museum together, a self-led craft activity and trail for families. Every day at the Museum of Norwich during the summer holidays, Tuesday – Saturday, 10am...

Go Go Discover Trail

Venue: Various locations

Website: www.breakcharity.org.uk/gogodiscover

Family trail with dinosaur sculputres to find in Norwich and Norfolk

Hullaballoo

Venue: BeWILDerwood

Address: Horning Road, Hoveton, Norwich

Website: www.norfolk.bewilderwood.co.uk

Storytelling, craft, face painting and the Puzzling Park Trail

Keeping It Regal

Venue: Norwich

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/norwich-castle

City wide trail exploring what 'being regal' means to us today. Visit the website for a downloadable map

LAMB FEEDING AND LAMBING LIVE

Venue: Church Farm Stow Bardolph

Address: Lynn Road, Stow Bardolph

Website: www.churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk

See the new lambs as well as lots of other baby animals being born during the spring

Lamb Feeding and Lambing Live

Magic of Thailand Festival

Making The Rounds: Stories of Workhouse Nurses Told In Textiles

Venue: Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

Family friendly exhibition taking a look at the long history of our relationship with dinosaurs with detailed models alongside memorabilia and fossils and specimens from their own collections

MATILDA THE MUSICAL (FILM SCREENING)

Nature Spy

Venue: Hoveton Hall Estate

Address: Hoveton

Website: www.hovetonestate.co.uk

Nature trail around the grounds

Norfolk and Norwich Festival

Venue: Various locations

Website: www.nnfestival.org.uk

Arts and cultural festival - see the website for more details

Parasquawks Flight of Very Fancy Colours

Venue: BeWILDerwood

Address: Horning Road, Hoveton, Norwich

Website: www.bewilderwood.co.uk

Spot the Parasquawks and run wild as a family with all the rather curious creatures in this very fanciful adventure

RETRO GAMES: A GAMING JOURNEY FROM ARCADE TO ZX SPECTRUM

Venue: Time and Tide Museum

Address: Time and Tide Museum of Great Yarmouth Life, Blackfriars’ Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3BX.

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/timetide/ whats-on/retro-games

Exhibition charting the rise of computer gaming from 80s to the present day with the chance to play games using vintage and contemporary technology.

Sean Scully at Houghton Hall

Venue: Houghton Hall

Website: www.houghtonhall.com

Exhibition at Houghton Hall

Spring Afternoon Tea

Venue: Assembly House

Website: www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk

Themed afternoon tea experience - see website for details

Spring's Blossoming at Blickling Estate

Venue: Blickling Estate

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/blickling-estate

Celebration of spring flowers, birds and blossom with a family trail and other ways to explore spring in the House

Step Inside Oxburgh Hall

Venue: Oxburgh hall

Address: near Swaffham

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/oxburgh-estate

Eplore Oxburgh's ground floor showrooms, along with the Oxburgh Hangings, North Corridor and North Bedroom upstairs

Strangers' Hall Challenge

Website: https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/events/events-search/eventdetails?id=26bb72ce-af20-ee11-9599-943c708cc496

Sunlight: Roger Ackling

Venue: Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

Exhibition of the artist's work prompting important conversations about the status of the object, the significance of material, the processes of making and the transformative power of display

The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion

Venue: Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery

Address: Castle Hill, Norwich,

Website: www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

Exhibition exploring how the history of Indian textiles is a global story of Empire, conflict and luxury lifestyle which has contemporary relevance connnecting to ethical trade, consumerism and attitudes...

The Wizard of Oz Afternoon Tea at The Assembly House

Venue: Assembly House

Address: Norwich

Website: www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk

Themed afternoon tea experience - see website for details

Traditional or children's afternoon teas

Venue: Dobbies Garden Centre

Website: www.eventsdobbies.com

Afternoon tea options with unlimited tea and coffee refils

Walk Norfolk

Venue: Various locations

Website: www.pathmakers.org.uk

Access friendly walking fstival running throughout the month with a walk for everybody of all abilites. Find out more and sign up via the website

Wild Expeditions: Unearth the Past

Venue: Banham Zoo

Address: Banham

Website: www.zsea.org

Unlock the Mysteries of the Natural World, Extinction Trail, Dinosaur Ranger Experience