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Herefordshire’s Family Festival returns with a Toy Box full of fun

Herefordshire families are invited to join The Courtyard at this year’s Herefordshire’s Family Festival on Wednesday 26 October.

On Wednesday 26 October there will be a host of Toy Box themed performances, workshops and activities for families to get involved in. The free and low-cost drop-in activities include Biscuit Decorating, Bookwormery Storytelling, a Pop-Up Museum of Royal Worcester and Face Painting.

Also on offer are a range of low-cost ticketed events, including Little Play World, Toy Box Boogie workshops, Sensory Music Fun, VIP Dinosaur Meet and Greet and Corner Exotics Animal Encounters sessions where children can get up close and personal with a host of creepy crawlies and furry friends.

The day will also include a performance from The Courtyard’s resident orchestra, Orchestra of the Swan who will be performing a Toy Box Family Concert at 3pm. The concert will feature a selection of toy themed pieces including Tchaikovsky’s The March of the Toy Soldiers from The Nutcracker, You’ve Got A Friend In Me from Toy Story and Booker T. & the M.G’s Soul Limbo. Narrated by the incredible Alasdair Malloy, this performance will be suitable for music lovers of all ages. Tickets for the concert are just £5 for adults and £3 for children.

Throughout the day, there will be a range of performances from The Courtyard Youth Theatre, students from Hereford College of Arts and the cast of Laura Gale Dance and Drama’s production of The Little Mermaid.

Back due to popular demand is the Club Kids’ Family Rave, which will return for two sessions this year at 4.30pm and 6pm. In true family festival style, the Family Rave sensation will be full of bubbles, balloons and big jungle beats galore. The Family Rave is suitable for all ages, but ear defenders are recommended for tiny ones.

Throughout the half-term week, families can also enjoy family friendly performances and films to keep children entertained. Performances include Plundered (Tuesday 25 October, 11am), Thumbelina (Thursday 27 October, 11am) and Three Billy Pigs (Friday 28 October, 11am).

Films showing during the half term week include a 40th anniversary screening of E.T (U) on Saturday 22 October at 11am,  and Tad the Lost Explorer and the Curse of the Mummy (U) on Monday 24 & Saturday 29 October, which follows what happens when Tad accidentally unleashes an ancient spell endangering the lives of his friends: Mummy, Jeff and Belzoni.

Fam Fest timetable scaled

Herefordshire Family Festival is the perfect opportunity to explore all that The Courtyard has to offer and has been described by past attendees as “a great and fun filled day.”

Herefordshire’s Family Festival will be at The Courtyard on Wednesday 26 October from 10am. To book tickets, or for more information contact the Box Office on 01432 340555 or visit www.courtyard.org.uk.