Ad | Winter in New York: tips for a great holiday

Winter in New York: tips for a great holiday

Going on holiday abroad doesn’t have to just take place in the summer. You can also see a number of delights during the winter months. Doing so could give you a renewed appreciation for an area, as well as allow you to see things you might miss if you only travel during the warm weather. Although this may mean that you need to swap out your sunglasses for a warm hat, you may be able to have a fantastic time away from home.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 24th / 25th July 2021

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 24th / 25th July 2021

The UK added 29,173 cases today and now has reported a total of 5,697,912 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,013,261 tests yesterday.

The counter says 46,563,452 people (88% of UK adults) had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 37,160,659 people (70.3%) had received 2 doses.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 28 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 129,158 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 292,996 (+1,126) cases and 5,026 losses of life.

There have now been a total of 194,665,050 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 4,172,525. Already 176,655,351 people have recovered.

"70 million doses of the #NHSCOVIDVaccine have been given across England — including over 30 million people now fully vaccinated after receiving two doses!
Thanks to #OurNHSPeople, volunteers and everyone involved."
NHS England

Compassionless Politician of the Week:
"Symptoms were mild, thanks to amazing vaccines. Please – if you haven't yet – get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus."
Sajid Javid, UK Health Secretary.

What's On This Easter For Families Staying Home!

Okay, so the UK is under lockdown. Lots of people have spent months preparing to keep you busy this Easter, and they will need to hold on to some of their plans for a while until it's safe for everyone. That doesn't mean they won't still be entertaining you though - loads of artists and others have temporarily moved online, so here are some of the people you can still be entertained by....

Z-Arts might not be open to the public, but the creative teams behind their fantastic arts projects are busy behind the scenes putting together loads of things you can do at home.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre are doing 'Build At Home' Sessions with Masterbuilder James over on Facebook. The first was at 3pm on Friday 27th March and you're invited to give it a go too.
If you have the same bricks as James you can follow his build, or work with whatever you have to create your own awesome version. Each video will be posted on LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester's Facebook page. If you can't make it at 3pm don't worry - it will stay posted for you to access whenever you like!

HOME Manchester have the Manchester Open Exhibition online, and are creating a series of works "Artists In Isolation".

The Science Museum Group have put together an awesome site where you can view lots of the exhibits from National Collections Centre, National Railway Museum, National Science & Media Museum, Science & Industry Museum and the Science Museum.

What's On This Spring For Families in Manchester and the North West

Here's my Spring round up of what is happening in and around Manchester and the North West UK for families of all ages, including students and young people. Theatre, exhibitions, days out, shopping and more...

If you have anything suitable you wish me to add, please send short copy over with a photo to thebrickcastle@gmail.com. The next round up will cover Easter onwards...

Coral Island Blackpool Free Entry Indoor Attraction Review (Guest visit)

We've been to Coral Island in Blackpool more times than I can possibly remember. A very popular spot for us, up between the tower and central pier, and an ideal place to escape the sun, wind or rain for half an hour, or stop in to have lunch. We reviewed 18 months ago, we loved our day out, and they invited us back again this year as guests, to check they haven't changed...

Coral Island is Blackpool's biggest free admission attraction and it's all indoor. I love Blackpool, and it can be hot and sunny at times, but often it's bracing and Northern. An indoor drop-in attraction is a great thing. You can find my 2018 Coral Island Blackpool review here - where we spent £20 per person for the entire day, including meals. Prices were roughly the same then, as they were this year...

October Event Round up for Families in Manchester and NorthWest UK

The half term break is almost upon us and as usual there is plenty going on to entertain families in the Manchester and North West areas. Here is a round up of what's happening over the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Don't forget your local library and museum and local parks, who often run activities for children or families in school holidays. 

Manchester Folk Festival

HOME, Manchester

18-21 October
Manchester Folk Festival takes place including events at HOME which will be of interest to audiences of all ages. Far too much to list and ticket prices vary, so find out more on the Manchester Folk Festival website, but including...

Sat 20 October
Family Song-Writing Workshop hosted by Manchester Sings -  on the theme of Manchester. What does the city mean to you? Whether you were born here or have made Manchester your home, the aim is to come up with a series of songs which pay tribute to our city. No musical or song-writing experience is necessary! This event starts at 3.30pm and is suitable for everyone aged nine upwards. £6.60 Per Person, book on the Home Manchester website.

Ascarium

Sea Life, Trafford Centre, Manchester

20th October – 4th November - we were invited to take a look and you can find my Sea Life Ascarium Review here (ad).

Sea Life will be transformed into an Ascarium, with lots of special activities to help discover the spooky creatures that lurk beneath the waves, plus find the missing magic ingredients around SEA LIFE to help the Sea witch cast her spell and claim your reward!

Meet the Merwitch in her lair
Find the missing ingredients
Help cast the magic spell
Take part in our creepy creature twister game
Watch our spooky pumpkin show
Claim your FREE SEA LIFE reusable cup
Remember your visit with our fang-tastic photo boards

This event is included in the standard admission price and single attraction tickets start at £11.95 per child - combi tickets with LEGOLAND Discovery Centre are better value. Book online to guarantee entry and find out more on the Sea Life Events page.

Brick Or Treat

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Trafford Centre, Manchester

20thOctober – 4thNovember
Get into the Halloween spirit with our Brick or Treat event! Always fun - we've been many times and we have reviewed Brick Or Treat this year too! Best miniland ever.

Featuring some fun spook-tacular activities such as:
Creepy creations – Add your creation to our LEGO® pumpkin patch
‘Scarevenger’ hunt
Spooky stop motion animation
Meet and greet with our new Halloween character mascot!
Scarily themed mini land
Limited Edition pop-badges and factory bricks whilst stocks last
Not only that but all little Vampires go free! - All kids who come down to this event in Halloween costume will gain free entry into the attraction! Please note; 1 free child per paying adult.

This event is included in the standard admission price. Book online to guarantee entry. Find out more on the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Events page. 

Spooky Southport

Saturday 20 October to Sunday 28 October
From spooktacular Halloween events to scarecrow festivals and autumnal welly walks, there’s an array of exciting activities to keep everyone entertained! Way too much to list here, so these are just a couple of the things on offer:

Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 October.
Annual Halloween Festival, Little monsters will be spoiled for choice with all kinds of Halloween happenings including, a Haunted Maze in the Town Hall Gardens, a visit from a Ghostly Pirate Crew on Chapel Street and a ghoulish Fancy Dress Trick or Treat Trail. And for the first time two giant Dragons will swoop and soar through the streets to the sounds of original songs, breathing smoke as they go.
For full event details and timings visit: www.spookysouthport.com

Saturday 20 – Wednesday 31 October
Super Spooky Scarecrow Festival featuring an array of locally created creepy characters that line the street to both frighten and delight the crowds!  You can even take part in a scary scarecrow making workshop on Saturday 20 October.

Thursday 25 October
Crafty’s Halloween Spooktacular at The Atkinson - the golden pumpkin, the biggest Halloween party in town and trick or treating are just some of the ingredients of this brand new family fun show.
Tickets can be booked at: www.theatkinson.co.uk

 For further information and to plan your half term visit: www.VisitSouthport.com

Family Friendly Halloween

Bluecoat, Liverpool

There is loads going on all week to keep any family busy, including:

Children's Corner / Open Daily / Suitable for all ages
Children's Corner provides activities to keep you and your little ones happy with self-guided activities and storybooks.
Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm / Sundays 11am - 6pm

Cafe & Courtyard / Open Daily
Hearty, warming, homemade food in our Espresso Cafe, with plenty of additional seating upstairs in a relaxed environment.
Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm / Sundays 11am - 6pm

Family Weekend / Sat 27 & Sun 28 Oct 1pm - 4pm / Suitable for all ages.
Roll your sleeves up for art activities inspired by our Biennial exhibition, and get moving on Saturday with Liverpool Improvisation Collective.
Free, drop in.

Beauty and the Beast

St Helens Theatre Royal

Saturday 20 – Sunday 28 October
Regal Entertainments are bringing their enchanting panto to audiences in St Helen's, starring Channel 5 Milkshake’s Kiera-Nicole Brennan.
This family friendly pantomime that tells the timeless story of Belle – the beautiful young woman who falls in love with the most unexpected of princes, who has been cursed to look like a hideous beast. Will the beast learn to love and be loved? Will the spell be broken in time for all to live happily ever after?

Times: Daily 1pm / Fri – Sun 1pm & 5pm, Tickets From £12*
*All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat booking fee. On-line bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat on-line processing fee.

For more information, please visit: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Z-access

Z-Arts, Hulme, Manchester

Sunday 21 October, 10am-2pm.
Z-Access Free Family Fun Day
Specially designed for children and families with disabilities or additional requirements. Accessible creative activities including arts and crafts, music, drama and dance. Resources available to families on the day include a BSL interpreter, a sensory space, a quiet space, and a visual menu in Z-café.

Z-access is a free event, but booking is required to ensure Z-arts can make the day enjoyable for everyone. All those who book in advance will be sent a pre-event email which will include a map and social story of the day ahead.

Complementing the day will be a relaxed 11am performance of children's theatre show A Square World, which is all about changing the world so it is accessible for everyone to enjoy! Presented by Daryl Beeton and non-verbal. (Tickets are £6 - £9)

A Square World (Sunday 21 October) When the daily routine of three friends’ lives suddenly changes, they discover with a little fun and some mayhem how to adapt their world so they can keep playing together. Set to an original commissioned soundtrack, Daryl Beeton’s A Square World is an honest, touching and quirky story for ages 3 – 6 years looking at the unfairness of being left out in a world designed for everyone else but yourself.

Adrift (Tuesday 23 October) A poignant and important play from acclaimed children’s theatre company Action Transport Theatre and writer Beverley Hancock-Smith, Adrift tells the story of two children adrift at sea fleeing conflict, a heart-warming and touching celebration of the resilience and imagination of childhood for ages 8+ and their families.

Plink and Boo (Thursday 25 October) Some might be Plink, and others are Boo. Why does it matter, what’s the to-do? The topsy turvy world of Plink and Boo welcomes ages 2 – 5 years and their grown-ups. Using acrobatics, live music and mountains of toys, Plink and Boo is an interactive adventure exploring what happens when people don’t fit into boxes (even if it is the neatest place to put them).

For more information or to book tickets for Z-access or A Square World, please pop into Z-

arts in Hulme, go online z-arts.org or call Z-arts Box Office on 0161 232 6089.

Kids eat free during Half Term at Turtle Bay

Various locations including Manchester, Liverpool, Blackburn, Huddersfield, Preston

Monday 22nd  October -  Friday 2nd November 
Turtle Bay’s newly revamped kids’ menu arrives 22nd October and to celebrate they’re inviting kids to eat free throughout half term. We'll be visiting as guests to review on Monday - watch this space!

Bring a bit of Caribbean sunshine into your half term with this bespoke new menu for the “Little Turtles” in your family. The new look Caribbean kids’ collection includes a Tiny Turtles and Bigger Turtles menu.
Tiny Turtles main course, side and drink for just £5.95. Dishes include Grilled Chicken with Lemony Rice, Fresh Avocado Turtle Wraps, Sweetcorn Fritters and Flat Bread pizzas.
Bigger Turtles dishes include Quarter Jerk Chicken and Sunshine Quinoa, Chicken and Cheese Toastie with Caribbean Slaw or Crispy Squid with Fries.
If they've any room left, buy them a special ‘mocktail’ from the collection and puddings include Fresh Tropical Fruit selection,  Salted Caramel Fudge Brownie or there’s the halfway house treat of two good old scoops of vanilla, coconut or vegan chocolate ice cream.
Meanwhile grown-ups can feast on Turtle Bay’s new menu of sharing platters, hearty dishes, small sharer plates, vegan specialities, salads and of course their signature Jerk Chicken.

Offer valid from 22nd October – 2nd November 2018 only
1 free kids menu main & kids soft drink with every paying adult eating from either the main menu or the set lunch menu.
This offer excludes Kid’s mocktails and puddings
Not be used in conjunction with any other offer
Turtle Bay reserves the right to amend or withdraw the offer at any time

Halloween Family Events

intu Trafford Centre

Thursday 25 October 10am- 2 pm and Friday 26 October 10am-2pm
The annual intu Trick or Treat family event in partnership with our stores and restaurants.
Get your fancy dress outfits at the ready and descend upon the centre in hunt for goodies.
Little Trick or Treaters can pick up their free special bucket from the customer services desk and then scour the centre for specially decorated pumpkins in spooky windows... if you're lucky these will be traded for some sweet treats!
Please note, there are a limited amount of Halloween buckets so they will be given out on a first come first served basis and you must be signed up to our family club to take part.

Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 October
To celebrate the return of the hit musical Wicked to Manchester this Christmas at the Palace Theatre, join us on  to experience the magic of the show with exclusive free performances of some of the most spellbinding songs on the main stage in The Orient.
There will be two shows on Saturday 27 October at 4pm & 5pm and three shows on Sunday 28 October 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
And from Sunday 28 October until 17 November, 3 of the iconic costumes will be on display in the Main Dome.
Wicked flies back to Palace Theatre Manchester 4 Dec – 5 Jan.

Find out more on the Trafford Centre Events page

Spooky Screenings

Victoria Baths, Manchester 

Thursday 25, Friday 26 & Saturday 27 October

The Village Screen Pop up Cinema is bringing the ultimate Halloween movie experience to Manchester’s Victoria Baths with screenings of Jaws, The Lost Boys and The Witches.

Screenings are all held in the stunning Gala Pool of this iconic Edwardian Grade II* listed building. Fancy dress is actively encouraged, with autumnal food, drink and live DJs all combining to create a spook-tacular party atmosphere!

Thursday 25 October: Jaws – doors open at 18:30, screening at 20:30. 16+ only.
Friday 26 October: The Lost Boys – doors open at 18:30, screening at 20:30. 16+ only.
Saturday 27 October: The Witches – doors open at 16:30, screening at 18:30. Suitable for all ages.

Bookings can be made at www.thevillagegreenevents.co. Tickets £10-£15per person. Online booking fees apply

Snazaroo Halloween Book Reading Event
Waterstones, Manchester Deansgate

Saturday 27th October
11am – 4pm
Snazaroo will be transforming Waterstones into a Halloween haven where little ones will be able to listen to classic children’s Halloween stories and have their faces painted by Snazaroo’s dedicated team of face painters. The face painters will be able to share hints and tips so you can easily re-create the look on Halloween night too.
There will be regular storytime throughout the day as follows:
11am – Funnybones
12pm – A Werewolf Named Oliver James
1pm – Winnie the Witch
2pm – Bedtime for Monsters
3pm – Spider Sandwiches
4pm – Hortense and Shadow

The event is FREE and first come, first served. Tickets can be booked via Eventbrite, Halloween at Waterstones.

Storyhouse, Chester

The Gruffalo’s Child Live

Tuesday 30 October, and on Wednesday 31 October
No Gruffalo should ever set foot in the deep dark wood…so join The Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in Tall Stories’ magical, musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
This musical adaptation of the popular children’s book guarantees entertainment for all ages. Songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 upwards and their grown-ups, in the hugely popular show that’s toured Britain and the world.

Tuesday 30 October 2018 at 2pm
Wednesday 31 October 2018 at 11am and 2pm

Tickets: £14 (each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee)             

Suitable for youngsters aged 3 upwards
Duration approximately 55 minutes (no interval)

Book tickets Online at www.storyhouse.com, By Phone 01244 409 113 or in person

Further Afield (Over the border)

Sea Creatures Tour

Harrogate Convention Centre

30th October 2018 – 28th November 2018

The groundbreaking Sea Creatures exhibition which, in a UK first, allows visitors to explore life beneath the ocean, by viewing incredible cross-sections of REAL animals including ethically-sourced whales, penguins and Great White Sharks plus show-stopping centrepiece, 3 tonne Hai Hai the Minke whale - the first ocean mammal to undergo the complex plastination process developed by Gunther von Hagens in 1997, with the process taking 23 months and costing over one million pounds to complete. Sea Creatures is an interactive and immersive exhibition that takes you on a deep dive into the anatomy of some of the ocean’s most iconic marine species.

The exhibition also features unique digital experiences, including an interactive touch table, augmented reality installations, a mini cinema and even a giant ball pit with interactive games that allow children to learn about marine conservation while they play

Tickets £13.52-£19.99 per person. Find out more on the Sea Creatures website.

We didn't receive anything in return for the entries in this post - although we have visited some of the places featured for review. If you have anything you wish me to include, please contact me by email! 

Summer Holiday Stuff for Families in the Manchester and North West Area!

Below is a list with loads of fabulous workshops, performances, plays, craft activities, museums, fundays and all of that other stuff which creates Summer holiday memories your children can take with them forever. I'm based in Manchester and so are most of the listings below, but the whole NorthWest UK is covered. Events are suitable for families with children - some for younger audiences and some which even your teenagers won't mind joining in with...

If you have anything suitable you wish me to add, send an email with a short write up including a photo, plus date, time, location, cost and a little about it to thebrickcastle@gmail.com

In as close to date order as is sensible:

Ad | Timber!!!!!!! Festival - Derbyshire Family Festival Review

Timber is a new festival that instantly sounded right up our street, and excitingly we were invited to review by Wild Rumpus. Set in Derbyshire (in gorgeous woodland in the National Forest) and aiming to be a carbon neutral big sibling to Just So Festival, with plenty to entertain the adults as well as the school aged children. It was brilliant. Everything that we hoped for and more, plus sunshine for once!!!

This is a photo-heavy post because there really was so much to experience at Timber Festival - it was great before we even left the camping field (aside from losing our van keys for 4 hours, but that's another story). Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Our festival began with sunshine, wildlife, cherries, lovely neighbours and a gift of roast chicken... and a space in accessible camping because neither I nor my partner are capable of transporting our tent and belongings. We are working on the boys and they did a superb job of helping to get the tent up and down! Modern tents are really easy to use and can be excellent prices, try somewhere like Globo Surf for advice if you are new to camping.

BubbleBum Travel Booster Seat Review And Giveaway

BubbleBum have been around for a good few years now. Their inflatable children's booster seats are perfect for taxis, if you need to fit 3 car seats or booster seats in one row, great extra car seats when you have an extra child with you, and ideal for any child who regularly changes vehicles or is going abroad on holiday. I'd never seen one in person before, so I was really intrigued to find out exactly how they work...

The BubbleBum is designed for children aged 4 to 11, who weigh between 15-36kg (height restrictions apply, see the ROSPA site for more information). Much more than simply a comfy cushion to sit on, the design holds your child in the correct, safe position for travel. In the event of a crash it is important your child isn't slumped forward, and belts are guided into the correct position over the lap and shoulder, so that injury to internal organs and the chances of your child 'slipping out' of their harness are minimised.

BubbleBum is crash test approved and meets and exceeds the EU ECE R44.04 and the US FMVSS 213 safety regulations for both Groups 2 and 3 and is a totally safe option for your family. These tests cover both crash testing and materials testing. The components used to make BubbleBum are similar to those in life rafts and air bags.

12000mAh Slim Power Bank Review for Varta

The Varta Slim Power bank promises up to 5 full phone charges or 2 tablet charges before it needs to be recharged itself. Smaller than a paperback book, and safely encased with a metal cover, it is ideal to take away with you and likely to be invaluable to us this Summer.

Everyone has a cupboard somewhere full of very exciting electrical gadgets. Sometimes this is a drawer, sometimes it is called a garage or a shed. Your gadgets (including your vehicle) will all need power and this is where Varta come in. They have been making batteries for over 100 years and more recently have increased the range, now making chargers, torches and other consumer products.

Timber!!!!!! A brand new family festival in the woods 6th-8th July 2018

Wild Rumpus are brilliant at bringing a bit of magic to our lives and this year they are launching a brand new festival for families in the heart of the country. Feanedock in the National Forest, just south of Burton-On-Trent (and very close to where I grew up) will play host to Timber: The International Forest Festival. Running from 6-8th July 2018 it promises adventure for everyone...

We've been invited to review and I couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity. My young boys, just like their siblings, can create a day's worth of amazing pure fun given only a bit of woodland and some freedom to explore and imagine. It should be a weekend off for everyone...

Unlike other festivals, Timber is about music and art, but also philosophy and sustainability. It will be carbon neutral and powered by 100% renewable energy. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about their environment as well as play in it, joining discussions and workshops with thinkers and scientists.

Coral Island Blackpool Family Attraction And Restaurant Review

We might love books and theatre and kitchen science, but we also love a good traditional day off. Last Tuesday we had an awesome stress-free fun day off in Blackpool courtesy of Coral Island. Right by the pier, the tower and the best parking spots behind SeaLife, Coral Island is Blackpool's largest indoor free-admission family-friendly attraction.

I had no idea just how much Coral Island had to offer until this week, but the claw prize machines are just the start. They have a huge selection of arcade machines from brand new through to those which bring back memories from my SEGA days, 3 rides and 4 restaurants with freshly cooked food and staff who really care about their guests. We spent almost 6 hours there - by sheer fluke getting back to the van 3 minutes before the parking ran out!

Canvas Holidays - Luxury Camping In Berny Riviere Northern France

At BlogOn Conference in 2016 I was ridiculously lucky and won a break with Canvas Holidays. Because we had a teenager in hospital we didn't feel able to take it until last Summer - but it was really worth the wait!

Canvas Holidays have accommodation at over 200 campsites all over Europe, and we chose to stay fairly close to home in Northern France at Camping La Croix Du Vieux Pont at Berny Riviere near Paris. Canvas have got a variety of different lodges and pre-erected tents on site. We decided to go for a longer break and our £1000 budget covered us for an 8 night stay in a 2 bedroom Maxi Tent including return ferry from Dover to Calais.

We are used to tents, and our Maxi Tent was luxury. It was really cleverly designed so that you can have a gate across the kitchen section and the two bedrooms are on opposite sides of the tent, and both very big. The boys slept on 2 single metal camp beds and we had a double, and it was almost as comfortable as our beds at home.

3 Wise Family Travel Tips During Christmas Season

This post is written by Joyce Perona.

It is almost Christmas and every family out there is planning something for their holiday vacation. Going on a trip this season can be stressful yet exciting. A lot of people are preoccupied with organizing their trips and busy traveling anywhere at this time.

Christmas season is one of the best times to travel with your whole family. It is when you create happy memories together and make your bond stronger. Be sure to maximize your time and make the most out of it, for it is not all the time you get to experience such a break and a time to be with your loved ones.

The Siege Of Christmas at Contact, Manchester Interactive Theatre Review

If you are looking for family Christmas theatre that is completely different then The Siege Of Christmas at Contact in Manchester might just be the thing. You have to be quick though - it's only on until 20th December!

We've not been to Contact before and we walked past at first and had to turn round - ridiculous when you see that giant castle shaped building with amazing windows. We'd been invited to review The Siege Of Christmas, an interactive performance that takes you around the building, rather than a traditional 'sit-down' play.

Winter Wonderland 2017, Event City, Manchester Review

Winter Wonderland is back in Manchester until 1st January and it's gorgeous. We were invited over to review on Monday. The Wintery weather had us all in the mood already and when we went through the entrance there was snow indoors! And it was substantially warmer...and so Christmassy!!

There are shows and a circus, so it's worth checking out the times at the start of your 4 hour visit, otherwise you could miss your favourites. We caught Rainbow on the Main Stage. Winter Wonderland has a few seating areas, mainly towards the centre of the hall. You can always get a chair, even if you just want to rest your legs.

December Events And Activities For Families In The Northwest UK

Here is my round up of loads of family-friendly activities in the Northwest UK this December and Christmas period. There is absolutely masses happening, so I'll keep adding to this post as I receive more - if you know of anything you think I should add, please send me the details and I'll add it in if appropriate!

I'm trying a different format this time and adding everything in start date order. I don't know whether this works better, apologies if not! The areas covered include:

Manchester / Bolton / Liverpool / Halifax / St Helens / Chester / Blackpool / Lancashire

A Christmas Carol

Bolton Octagon

Until 13th January.
Suitable for children aged 5+, but not too scary.  Find out more and book tickets (£12-£26) on The Octagon Theatre Bolton website or by calling in or ringing the Box Office 01204 520661.
We have already seen this and you can find my Bolton Octagon A Christmas Carol review here... 

Night Lights Festive Show and Meet Santa

Eureka, Halifax

25th November - 23rd December.
Father Christmas and a few of his Elven friends are coming to Eureka! The National Children’s Museum to get into the festive spirit by chatting to children and giving out a few early gifts in the snuggliest grotto in town - named one of the UK’s best by popular parenting site NetMums.com in 2016. Grotto days will include autism friendly sessions. Visitors to the children’s museum will be able to watch ‘Night Lights’, an original festive show. Visits to the grotto cost £3 plus standard admission, entry to Night Lights is free – book both on arrival. Standard admission £12.95, upgrade to Annual Membership during your visit for free. Visit the Eureka website to find out more.

Ad | Madame Tussauds - Blackpool Has It All Review 2017

Just before the Summer holidays we took a trip to Blackpool as part of the Blackpool Has It All campaign with Visit Blackpool, Merlin Entertainments and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We rode on the trams and reviewed 3 of the seafront attractions. Although we really enjoyed both Sandcastle Waterpark and Sealife Blackpool, the highlight of our day was probably Madame Tussauds.

We've been to Madame Tussauds before, so we thought we knew what to expect, but it was so different from our visit 4 years ago that it really was a completely different day out and we saw so much that was new - and got nostalgic about old favourites too..

Just So Festival Review 2017: An Amazing Technology Free Weekend

Having been home from France a mere 76 hours, just about enough time to wash everything, we set off again for the Just So Festival. This is our 3rd year as visitors and it was probably my favourite of them all. We were already pretty relaxed and settled into the pace as soon as we collected our wristbands and went in through the Just So archway...

Just So Festival takes everything that we remember from childhood and gives it back to us, usually large scale and over-the-top. Fairies in the woods and pirates on the high seas are real here, as are pillow fights, woodland dens and midnight feasts. Sit at a campfire and sing your heart out, or dance the night away to live music or disco. Make a building from jelly beans, picnic anytime and roll down a great big hill. You can even run away to train with the circus...

The staff and volunteers are what really make Just So Festival special. Everyone has a smile and can't do enough to help you. It's no wonder that they recently received another award for accessibility. The entire time you are there, you feel like a valued guest amongst new friends.

One of the first areas you reach when you enter is the huge green, this year half dedicated to the Peekaboo area, for children aged 0-4. This area is sponsored by one of my favourite companies, Weleda, and includes massage, baby baths, yoga, musical and messy play - as well as samples and advice. Our camping neighbours included the gorgeous StyleBySquidge instagrammer - he especially enjoyed the painting.

The site is spread over several areas, but they're all close by each other and each has plenty to do when you get there, so you can have a sit down and are never worn out from walking.

The woods are very special at Just So, and you are never quite sure what or who you'll bump into. The 'Barefoot Walk' was not something my boys wanted to take part in - despite me spending half the weekend asking them to put something on their feet! We had a lot of fun with the solar-powered instruments by the High Seas though.

And we discovered what the cast of Tales Of Animalia do when it rains between shows! It's amazing how many people you can fit under one gazebo. It actually barely rained and we had some gorgeous weather on Sunday to make up for it.

The Actual Reality Arcade was a huge highlight and we could have spent hours in there. Giant versions of arcade games with humans in every role. We laughed until we cried - and so did several bystanders...

There was awesome food! The vendors are chosen for quality and everything we ate was utterly delicious. It was pricey though on average. Single person pizzas at £8-£10 each is out of our league, although they would give you a free pizza if you had a cheesy joke they hadn't heard. I scored a real bargain on Sunday with the gorgeous Amrutha vegetable pakoras - they didn't have any small trays left so gave me a huge portion for £4 - cheers guys!

If you had the stomach for it, you could of course tempt your palate with the Insect Eating in the Social Barn. Once again, thankful I'm vegetarian...

There was no coffee down by the Silver Screen and High Seas areas this year - boo! There was however a bar at the campfire and it did work exceedingly well for a nice evening tipple before stories, singsong and bed. Lovely beers, cider or lager for under a fiver a pint. Better than in Manchester.

You can't mention the campfire and stories without mentioning long-standing North West Storyteller Ian Douglas, who married his wife Jo on the Friday. The woodland was decked out and it was especially beautiful. We were lucky enough to witness his proposal at Just So Festival last year, so we wouldn't have ever missed it. I've never seen so many people around the campfire as there were that evening and the atmosphere was awesome. Congratulations to them both.

The campfire was only beaten for us by one activity, and that was the Pillow Fight. You'd never believe it if you didn't witness it. This is the first time it's been dry weather and everyone was out to celebrate - it was epic.

Even those who didn't want to fight with the pack got plenty of opportunity to join in... Thanks to Jane Hodgepodgedays for the beautiful photos of my 7 year old...

A highlight for everyone is the results of the Tribal Tournament. This goes on all weekend and as you take part in activities, smile at strangers or 'walk to the car the most times', you can collect golden pebbles for your chosen team. It was very exciting watching the Baghdaddies do sound check for their set and knowing the entire field would be full of around 2000 people in 10 minutes time as the parades of teams arrived...

We've always been a bit disorganised regarding teams and this year was no different, with two of us supporting Stags, me Bees and my youngest Foxes. We all collected pebbles and did very well. Foxes won, Bees were second overall and Stags retained a regal air of dignity throughout.

The Just So Festival is awesome. We spent 2 1/2 days there and it was like having a whole extra holiday. There is no better way of letting kids be kids and adults be kids too...

Special thanks to all of the staff - including the lovely and incredibly helpful lady who directed us in, and the security who found and returned Lancashire Lass and our missing 7 year olds within 5 minutes (they didn't know they were lost).

For even more of what's on offer, because it's far too much for one person to see, let alone write about (I didn't even mention the UNSA show, the jelly fight, the Woodland Theatre, Wild Food Foraging etc). you can read my previous posts about Just So Festival 2015, Just So 2016 and the Mystery Machine On Tour.

Early bird tickets for Just So Festival 2018 (17 – 19 August, Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire) are on sale NOW at at special early bird prices. Under 3s free. Find out more on the Just So Festival website.  

We attended Just So Festival as guests in order to review and for this I couldn't feel more lucky.