Celebrating 30 Years of Fun for Children’s Festival 2019

Children's Festival 2019

READING’S much loved Children’s Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with three fun packed weeks of events and activities for children all over the borough between 11th May and 2nd June.

The festival gets off to an action packed start with Forbury Fiesta in the Forbury Gardens on Saturday 11th May, where there will be something for everyone - with a host of fabulous entertainment and fun activities including games, music, dancing and a chance to meet and feed two giant pandas! Part of the Forbury will transform into a mini farm where the kids will be able to feed and groom Shetland ponies, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea-pigs. There will be crazy golf from Dinton Adventure Golf, a pop up village marquee offering children’s role play, as well as circus workshops running throughout the day for kids to try their hand at juggling, uni-cycling, stilts, spinning plates and even walking the tight-wire! Waterstones will be presenting storytime in the bandstand featuring author Holly Webb reading from her new book The Perfect Kitten. This year’s Let’s Sing school winners, Calcot School Choir, will be performing on the main stage in the morning and in the afternoon, Theatretrain will be in the main arena perform some highlights from their 2019 show, followed by a dance masterclass that everyone can join in! There will also be musical entertainment throughout the day from popular local bands such as Limpopo Groove, Razzamataz, The Small Strings and Beatroots Bateria. Look out for Reading Museum and their Abbey on Wheels, where you’ll have the opportunity to handle real museum objects from the museum. The Jelly arts crew will be running workshops throughout the day for all ages. Thames Rivercruise will be running some special cruises on the day from Caversham to the Abbey Ruins. Find out times and how to book here: www.thamesrivercruise.co.uk And as if that’s not enough, there will also be a BBQ, children’s funfair rides, free face painting and free balloon modelling all day long! Children's Festival

Reading’s Mayor, Cllr Debs Edwards said:

“Reading Children’s Festival 2019 marks the 30th Anniversary of this much loved event, which provides an amazing range of activities for children of all ages across the borough. “The action packed Forbury Fiesta on Saturday 11th May kicks off three weeks of exciting events for young people and it promises plenty of dancing, singing, playing and partying. I’m especially excited to meet the giant pandas! “I’d encourage parents and youngsters to pick up the Children’s Festival brochure now and start planning their three weeks of fun.” Full details of all the events can be found in the Reading Children’s Festival 2019 brochure which is now available online at: www.reading.gov.uk/childrensfest or copies can be found at libraries, leisure centres and the Civic Offices in Bridge Street. Reading’s Children’s Festival promises to bring plenty of fun, mayhem and madness. From sport and music workshops to fun days with art and craft sessions, families can pick from the many exciting events taking place at venues across Reading. Other highlights include the Waterstones Reading’s Short Story Competition; Milkshake Monkey Musical at The Hexagon; free taster sessions by Theatre Train; Jelly art workshops; Join Jelly’s home and artist studios located within Broad Street Mall for a colourful morning of craft and creative play and there are also a huge range of activities planned at Reading Museum and Reading Libraries, across the borough and at Reading Sport & Leisure venues.

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Notes

Direct link for the festival brochure: https://issuu.com/readingcouncil/docs/final_rbc_childrens_festival_a5_201?fbclid=IwAR1e3RR2nYvDEpxhDaImnIBKg4BLG3eWcngbw4nPMX956AhjNR6_XliNnJA