Here’s our pick of the best events coming in April across the destinations and attractions we work with. Most events require booking in advance. As ever, please check individual websites for the latest updates.
HULL
Hull Minster Beer Festival
28 and 30 April 2022
Tickets: £5, including a souvenir glass
Take a pew for a pint of local ale at this year’s Hull Minster Beer Festival. Local breweries, local music and local food will be setting the scene for the annual Hull Minster Beer Festival. Unlike previous festivals, which have been held in partnership with CAMRA, organisers of the event have decided that – this year – they will be “going it alone”, with a far greater emphasis on all things local to Hull. There will be five sessions over three days for everyone to sip, savour and sample all that’s on offer.
Good Things Art, Craft & Design Market
Humber Street
3 April 2022
Free to attend
Seasonal art, craft & design market returning to Hull’s Fruit Market. Good Things is now across two cracking venues on Humber Street in Hull’s Fruit Market – Social & The Fruit Brokers on Sunday the 3rd April 10:30am-4:30pm.
New Dutch Views
87 Gallery
From 9 April 2022
Free
https://87gallery.co.uk
Marwan Bassiouni began to produce New Dutch Views while studying at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague in 2018. This ongoing photography series documents the Dutch landscape from the inside of mosques in the Netherlands. For 87 Gallery, Bassiouni presents a combination of the early photographs and his latest work, displayed here as a floor to ceiling projection that moves slowly from setting to setting. This new method of display allows the viewer to become immersed in these spaces.
Old Town Guided Tour
From 16 April
Queen Victoria Statue
£5 per person
www.tourhull.com
Join Hull Tour Guide Paul Schofield for a walking tour around Hull’s Old Town. No need to book – just turn up
Science Spectacular
Museums Quarter
19 – 20 April 2022
Free, but must be booked
Join Hull Museums for a celebration of science this Easter holiday. Crawl down the tunnel into the Dome to discover a world of planets, stars, galaxies, black holes, constellations and stories. Explore the life and death of stars and the possibilities of alien life on other worlds. Discuss the future of transport and human space travel with Explorer Dome’s expert presenters, and quiz them on life, the universe, and everything!
Record Fair
Hull Minster
23 April 2022
Free entry
Dealers from across the country selling vintage, collectable and new vinyl records, CDs and more will be at Hull Minster. One of the country’s best and most popular record fairs.
Unboxed
Hull city centre
30 April – 6 May 2022
Free entry
www.visithull.org/whatson/unboxed/
Hull will host the first event of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, the UK’s “most ambitious celebration of creativity to date”. Hull is one of five places to be staging About Us, a spectacular, never before seen, free open-air event that combines live performances and multimedia installations to celebrate the entire history of the universe from Big Bang to the present day. The 25-minute projection shows will immerse audiences in an exhilarating journey through 13.8 billion years of history since the dawn of the universe in a celebration of the infinite ways in which we connect to the cosmos, natural world, and one another. About Us will transform Queen Victoria Square into a vast canvas combining awe-inspiring live projection-mapped animation with poetry, music, and live choral singing.
EAST YORKSHIRE
William’s Easter Egg-Stravaganza
William’s Den
9 – 24 April 2022
Tickets: from £15.95 child (3-18 years) and £12.95 adults, booked in advance
www.williamsden.co.uk
Egg on the kids and join this popular playground attraction for some Easter frolics at William’s Egg-stravaganza. Spring will be in the air as well as lots of adventurous fun and games for the whole family to enjoy. Along with the usual indoor and outdoor adventure play, plus food including wood-fired pizzas and homemade ice cream, William’s Easter Egg-stravaganza will include William’s Easter Show, Meet the Easter Bunny, Egg and Spoon Races, Chick Handling, Easter Garden Egg Hunt, Arts and Crafts and Face Painting.
Easter Fun
Burton Constable Hall
11 – 24 Apr 2022
Included with Hall and Grounds admission – £13 adult, £6.95 child (5-16 years), under-fives free
www.burtonconstable.com
Bunny rabbits are on the loose for the Easter Trail in the Hall. Collect a trail sheet upon arrival and fill it in as you go, and once you’ve completed the task, on your way out, receive a treat for your efforts! The Outdoor Easter Trail takes visitors on an adventure through the Grounds, Stables & Parkland where you will have to follow the clues to find the Easter egg nests! Fill in the word from each nest you find and make a magical sentence to unlock an Easter treat. Let your creative side fly with the Easter Bonnet Competition (15 – 18 April) with four opportunities to be crowned king or queen of Easter by wowing the judges with excessive, original, and inspirational bonnets, or take part in Easter Crafts(15 – 18 April), including a colouring-in competition!
Easter Raceday
Beverley Racecourse
13 April 2022
Various prices, check website for details
https://beverley-racecourse.co.uk
Racing is back at Beverley Racecourse for 2022. Enjoy an afternoon of racing, children’s entertainment, food & drink and you never know, you might well catch a sighting of the Easter Bunny! There will be an Easter Egg decorating workshop, where the kids can get creative, decorating their own Easter Egg, plus, as seen on The Yorkshire Vet TV programme Ian’s Farm – a mobile petting farm
Tulip Festival
Burnby Hall Gardens, Pocklington
30 April – 14 May 2022
Admission: £7.50 adults, £4.95 child (5-15 years)
www.burnbyhallgardens.com
The Gardens are seven times consecutive winners of the prestigious Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Award, and this year, there is a cascade of colours featuring over 15,000 tulips, with 130 varieties on display, which can be seen formally displayed in tubs throughout the Gardens and in the main flower beds across the site. Wallflowers have also been underplanted to provide extra colour and fragrance.
Cobwebs & Cream Teas
Burton Constable Hall
From 20 April 2022
Prices from £20 for children & £37.50 for adults
Join an exclusive ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of the Hall led by one of the Hall’s expert guides and discover the cellars, attics, rooftops and everything else in between! The cost includes a free flow visit to the Hall before your tour begins, the opportunity to explore the historic Parkland, Grounds & Stables and a delicious Afternoon Tea, freshly prepared and served in the Stables Kitchen.
DERBY
Peace Doves
Derby Cathedral
23 April – 12 June 2022
Admission: Entry is free with a suggested entry donation of £3 per person. Booking is encouraged
https://derbycathedral.org
Peace Doves is a mass participation large-scale art installation, created by renowned sculptor and artist Peter Walker. It features around 8,000 paper doves suspended on ribbon above the nave of the Cathedral, accompanied by a soundscape from composer David Harper. As part of the programme of events for the installation, Mindfulness (26 April) offers sessions encouraging participants to step into the moment and experience the techniques that help take charge of the mind and thought processes (tickets £10 each).
The Great Derbyshire Beer Festival
Bustler Market
1-2 April 2022
Tickets: £11 including booking fee
This new event brings together the best keg and cask from around Derbyshire, all under one roof. With over 150 beers to taste plus street food from Bustler Market, alternative drinks partners and a craft beer, bottle bar from Suds & Soda. Ticket prices include a festival glass.
Trail: The Art That Made Derby
Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill
9-24 April 2022
£1 per trail sheet
www.derbymuseums.org/event/trail-the-art-that-made-derby
As part of the BBC Art That Made Us Festival, this trail puts the spotlight on some of the Museum’s most intriguing pieces of art, telling the story of Derby’s unique character and the spirit of its people. See the city through a different lens and imagine it’s exciting future.
Easter fun
Discover a host of family fun this Easter
www.visitderby.co.uk/whats-on/easter-in-derby/
Easter in Wonderland
Bluebells
9 – 18 April 2022
Pre booking only
https://bluebelldairy.co.uk
The farm’s popular Easter event is returning for 2022 with loads of egg-citing activities, including The White Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt (includes a Chocolate Easter Treat!), The Queen of Hearts Royal Theatre, Royal Croquet and Lambing Live. Plus, new this year is a cow themed outdoor play area. And, of course, Bluebells is famous for its artisan ice cream – choose from 26 different flavours and sundaes and sweet treats galore!
Easter Egg Hunts
Kedleston Hall
15-18 April 2022
Admission applies, plus £3 per child
Make your way along the Easter adventure trail and find nature-inspired activities for the whole family while exploring the beautiful parkland of Kedleston Hall. The price of the trail includes a trail map, pencil and a chocolate egg at the end.
LINCOLNSHIRE
Easter Extravaganza
Rand Farm Park
1-19 April 2022
Admission: £12.95 adults, £15.95 child (2 and over)
https://randfarmpark.com/easter-2022
Rand Farm Park will be hosting Lincolnshire’s first immersive Easter experience: The Hunt for E.B! Meet the cast of Easter: Join Miss Cottontail at Hopper’s School for Bunnies, where you can meet & greet the rabbits in training and handle them. Meet Hopkins in the Potting Shed and help solve a Gardener Rabbit’s biggest Easter conundrum. Sing and dance in the Chocolate Factory with Coco the Chocolatier, while finding out all about creating the perfect chocolate egg. And learn all the tricks of the trade with EB, The Easter Bunny, in Eggquarters where every paying child receives an easter egg
Easter Activity Trail
Belvoir Castle
1-18 April 2022
Check website for prices
www.belvoircastle.com/easter-activity-trail/
Celebrate spring half-term with a family friendly Easter adventure at Belvoir Castle. Journey through Belvoir’s formal gardens, solving Easter activity puzzles along the way – you may even bump into the Easter bunny and his friends as you travel around the colourful trail! Ramble amongst a sensational display of spring blooms, from daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, primrose and camelias as you explore Belvoir’s historic grounds. Once you have completed the outdoor trail, each child can collect an easter egg prize at the end of their visit (dairy-free alternatives will be available).
Meet Lucy at Lincoln Castle
From 2 April 2022
Lucy is free to view as part of entry to the Castle grounds, all other admissions apply
www.lincolncastle.com
Meet Lucy, the latest and the greatest addition to Lincoln Castle! Bursting through the Castle walls is the most awe-inspiring sight, as the magical and fantastical dragon rests on the bank waiting to meet you! Whilst visiting Lucy, take part in the Castle’s dragon themed Easter quest Victorian Dragon Explorers (2 – 18 April). Follow the clues, solve the puzzle, find the dragons and claim your reward (£2 per person)
Easter Nature Trail
Belton House
11-19 April 2022
Cost: £3 per trail
Ready, set, spring! Follow the nature trail through the gardens at Belton to discover what makes this place special in spring. Spring is always a treat for the senses, whether you are listening to bird song, smelling flowers as they bloom or noticing blossom burst into colour. This nature-based trail comprises 10 activities, with an activity sheet and pencil. Located in the gardens at Belton House, this Easter trail will encourage all family members to feel inspired by nature, while exploring the signs of spring.
Boston May Fair
30 April – 7 May 2022
Free entry
Rated as one of the top five street fairs in the country, the May Fair has a Royal Charter and is surrounded by tradition, dating back to 1125. Once again Boston town centre will be filled with rides, food stalls, game stalls, slides and lots more from The Showmen’s Guild. Families of showmen have been coming to Boston for generations, occupying the same pitches with their rides and stalls.
Lincoln City Safari
13-24 April 2022
Discover Lincoln this Easter, with a new, fun-filled trail that hasn’t been seen in the city before. Get ready for an adventure this April, as the city welcomes a range of wild animals! Lincoln City Safari will bring a mixture of wildlife, fun and excitement. Follow the trail around the city and discover a range of different animals – from life-size rhinos to delicate butterflies. Throughout the month, there will also be a variety of safari-themed activities taking place across Lincoln, including face painting, workshops and a competition.
Gaia by Luke Jerram
The Collection Museum, Lincoln
Until 29 May 2022
‘Pay-What-You-Decide’
Take a trip around the world and explore our planet like never before with Gaia by Luke Jerram. The awe-inspiring art installation, called Gaia, is by the same artist who brought the moon to The Collection in 2018, Luke Jerram. Measuring six metres in diameter, the internally-lit sphere has been recreated from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture. In Greek Mythology ‘Gaia’ is the personification of the Earth. A programme of events and talks will also be staged during the exhibition.
BURGHLEY HOUSE
South Gardens Opening – National Garden Scheme
9 – 10 April 2022
Admission: free of charge with a House & Gardens ticket (£20 adults, £9 children) or Gardens Only ticket (£13.50 adults, £8 children)
www.burghley.co.uk
Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the private South Gardens, designed by ‘Capability’ Brown from 1757 and witness wonderful views of the lake, Lion Bridge and the park beyond. Visitors can discover the ‘Capability’ Brown designed summer house overlooking the lake, the oak circle and enjoy swathes of spring snowdrops and nodding daffodils in the gardens.
Spring Fine Food Market
9 – 10 April 2022
Free admission
Shop and enjoy local produce in the stunning surroundings of the Chestnut & Stable Courtyards. A wide range of exhibitors will be here for you to discover including dishes from around the world, handmade cheese, soft and alcoholic beverages, luxury sweet treats and rare breed meats. Open from 10am – 4pm for both days of the event. Free parking and admission to the event.
TVR Car Club Rally
10 April 2022
After a missing out at Burghley last year due to Covid restrictions, The TVR Car Club returns and will be gathering in force at Burghley for their annual season opener. With a cross section of models, club shop, and TVR related trade stands, there will be plenty to see and do PLUS it’s free of charge to come and have a look around for Parkland visitors!
Easter Craft Workshops
4 – 14 April 2022 (excluding Good Friday & Weekends)
Join the talented Education team in the Sculpture Garden Classroom as they carefully teach you how to create your very own Easter Crafts to take home. There is a different theme for each week. Admission to the Easter Craft Workshop is free with a House & Gardens or Gardens Only ticket.
Easter Egg Hunt
17 April 2022
The ever-popular Burghley Easter Egg Hunt returns on Easter Sunday! Bring the family and join in the fun to hunt for clues in The Sculpture Garden then solve the riddle to claim a full-size Easter Egg from the Easter Bunny!
STAFFORDSHIRE
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Churnet Valley Railway
15 – 18 April 2022
Tickets: £19 adults, £13 child (3-15 years), £5.50 child two and under. Must be pre booked
https://trainteaparty.co.uk
Enjoy a tea party on the train. Tumble down the rabbit hole and discover the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at the Churnet Valley Railway this Easter. A whimsical trip to Wonderland awaits as you become a part of the show, immersed in the stories of Wonderland, told by characters including the Mad Hatter and March Hare. Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum will entertain with dancing, comedy and mischief, whilst Alice finds her journey through the train getting ‘curiouser and curiouser’ as the White Rabbit tells her about Wonderland.
Easter Eggs-travaganza
National Forest Adventure Farm
9 – 24 April 2022
Admission: £14.99 adults and children, under 2s free, must be booked online
www.adventurefarm.co.uk
Take the Easter Eggspress Tractor ride to Bunny Woods and follow the path to find the Easter Bunny who is giving out chocolate to every child! Meet some of the Easter Bunny’s entertaining animal friends along the way. Also, brand new for 2022, families can enjoy a fun-filled and interactive live Easter-themed pantomime! Join Jill, Sean and Kathryn as they help Dame Rumpadump find the Easter Bunny’s chocolate stolen by the evil Egg Snaffler. Children can also bottle feed lambs and meet the new arrivals in the Lambing Live Tent.
Staffordshire Moorlands Walking Festival
22 April – 2 May 2022
All walks free
https://staffsmoorlandswalkingfestival.co.uk
An 11-day festival with knowledgeable guides and walk leaders sharing their love of walking and a passion for the history, wildlife and beauty of the Staffordshire Moorlands landscape and its historic market towns. There will be a variety of walks, from easy short routes to some long challenging treks, across the Staffordshire Moorlands, including the Staffordshire part of the Peak District.
Climbing at Your Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
23 April 2022
Tickets: £10 adults, £7.50 child for climbing wall, £5 each for the DigiWall
www.lichfield-cathedral.org/what-s-on/climb
Conquer your fears, explore your sense of adventure and step out of your comfort zone. There will be two very different climbing opportunities: scale an 8m high climbing wall outside the cathedral, giving you a unique view of the great west front, or form a team and challenge them to exciting interactive games on the DigiWall, an interactive climbing wall and game console with touch-sensitive climbing holds, cool lights and sounds.
Vintage Fair Weekend
National Memorial Arboretum
30 April – 02 May 2022
Gather the family and step back in time at the annual Vintage Fair. With toe-tapping music, tasty treats and a vintage market featuring a range of local stallholders, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
STOKE-ON-TRENT
The Knife Angel
Smithfield site, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre
Throughout April
www.visitstoke.co.uk/knifeangel
The Knife Angel will be visiting Stoke-on-Trent as part of its National Anti-Violence Tour. A stunning contemporary 27ft, 3.5-ton, sculpture of an angel made out of 100,000 confiscated knives will be located at the Smithfield site in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre. Originating from The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry and created by sculptor Alfie Bradley, it is on tour of towns and cities around Britain raising awareness of the issues of knife crime and all forms of violence and aggression.
Lambing Live
Trentham Estate
9-24 April 2022
Included with normal garden admission (£12.50 adults, £9 child (5-15 years), under 5s free, £35 Family (2 Adults & 2 Children)}
https://trentham.co.uk/events-at-trentham/
Head to Trentham this Easter when they bring the rare breed sheep into the Gardens under the watchful eye of Trentham’s farmer, to share the joy of lambing season. Across two weeks, the Estate team members and farmer are on hand to take you through the story of the sheep, their care and how they support biodiversity projects across the 725-acre estate.
Trentham Makers Market
Trentham Estate
16 April 2022
As above
The Makers Market will showcase award-winning local food & drink, art, craft producers, and vintage artisans. Organised by the leading artisan market company in the North of England, which already hosts regular Makers Markets across the region, it will showcase original art, quirky modern craft, vintage, and plenty of artisan food and drink. As well as being able to stroll around the market it will also give shoppers the opportunity to meet the makers and – of course – sample some of the delights on offer.
Titanic: Honour and Glory
Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Until 1 May 2022
Tickets: £5, £3 concessions, under 16s free
https://bit.ly/36CU9g0
This poignant and emotive exhibition explores the legacy of the world’s most famous ship and includes genuine artefacts from the Titanic and her sister ships and memorabilia from the 1997 James Cameron movie. Objects include beautiful fine china dinner plates, personal belongings of Titanic’s passengers and crew and a recreation of a Third-Class cabin. The exhibition will also feature the accounts of local Staffordshire personnel connected to the ill-fated liner including Captain Edward John Smith.
HAMPSHIRE
Canoe Easter Egg Hunt
New Forest Activities
8 – 18 April 2022
Tickets: £37 adult, £25 child, must be pre-booked
https://bit.ly/3uheQ9u
Enjoy a fun filled Easter paddle along the Beaulieu River in stable ‘Canadian style’ canoes. Spend time taking in the stunning scenery of the river before disembarking for an Easter egg hunt with a twist! Ensure you look high and low, leaving no leaf unturned as your little ones hunt for those hidden chocolate eggs scattered along the riverside. There’ll be tasty chocolate Easter eggs for everyone taking part (yes, even for Mum and Dad!)
Easter Archery Tournament
New Forest Activities
From April
Tickets: £29 adult, £17 child, pre-booking
www.newforestactivities.co.uk/activities/seasonal/
Want an activity so good you’ll drop your Easter bonnet? Join New Forest Activities for some target shooting with a twist! Learn how to shoot a real bow and arrow as you release your inner archer and compete head-to-head for the biggest Easter egg up for grabs! You’ll enjoy Easter-themed archery games and pick up a new skill along the way. Will you manage to walk away as Easter champion with your chocolate Easter egg trophy?
Bunny Hop Easter Trail
Winchester
Free
9 – 24 April 2022
https://winchesterbid.co.uk/easter-bunny-hop-2022/
Take part in the Winchester Bunny Hop Trail – a free and fun-filled, Easter-themed trail for kids and big kids alike. Download your Bunny Hop Easter Trail sheet (or collect a copy from the Visitor Information Centre, The Arc or Winchester City Museum), and hop around the beautiful historic streets of Winchester in search for Easter-themed words hidden in easter egg signs displayed in the windows of local businesses across the city, then return your completed trail sheet for an Easter-themed treat.
Garden Birds Egg Hunt
Gilbert White’s House & Garden, Selborne
2 – 24 April 2022
Admission: £3 per child (entrance fee applies, from £10 for gardens only)
Many may not have heard the name the Rev. Gilbert White before, but this Hampshire ‘parson-naturalist’ and gardener revolutionised the way people observed nature and inspired naturalists from Charles Darwin to David Attenborough. The restored house and gardens celebrate White’s work and legacy and for Easter, there’s a chance to learn more about the natural world – and claim a chocolate prize. Find ten eggs hidden in Gilbert White’s Garden and spot the odd one out to claim a chocolate egg. Learn about our native birds and their nesting habits along the way as you hunt out the eggs.
Spring Time Easter Activities
Butser Ancient Farm
7-23 April 2022
General admission: £10.50 adults, £6.5909 child (3 – 16 years), £27.50 family
Butser Ancient Farm will be opening their ancient doors seven days a week throughout the holidays for a cracking Easter. Meet the newborn rare-breed baby lambs, go on the hunt for clues to crack the spring-time trail and learn ancient skills with hands-on demonstrations. This Easter Butser will be celebrating the completion of its second Saxon hall -a house based on excavations from the Anglo-Saxon settlement at nearby Chalton Down. Over the Easter weekend come and meet the Saxons from Herigeas Hundas who will be at the Farm from Friday 15th to Monday 18th April with demonstrations, traditional crafts, cooking and combat displays.
BBC Gardeners’ World Fair Spring at Beaulieu
National Motor Museum Beaulieu
29 April – 1 May 2022
Tickets: £23 adult, £12 child (5-16 years)
www.beaulieu.co.uk
A haven for plant lovers and set in the grounds of Beaulieu, this Spring Fair includes Beautiful Borders and The Hillier Experience packed with planting ideas, and stunning floral displays from top nurseries. You will be able to join the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine at their What to Do Now Stage, with daily talks from the editors, plus special guests each day.
The BBC Good Food Market will also be offering a tasty mix of artisan food and drink producers, and there will be foot-tapping live entertainment at the bandstand. A ticket to BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair includes admission to the Beaulieu attraction including the National Motor Museum, the new Bond in Motion – No Time To Die exhibition, Palace House, Little Beaulieu, The World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey plus grounds and gardens.
Spring Steam Gala
The Watercress Line
29 April – 2 May 2022
Tickets: £40 adults, £20 chid, £100 family
https://watercressline.co.uk/spring-steam-gala/
This ‘steam’ packed three-day event at The Watercress Line will feature a Goods Train theme and is a chance to see and ride behind guest engines and home-fleet locomotives. Explore all of our heritage stations along the 10-mile line, get up close to some of locomotives, find out more about restoration projects and enjoy talks and various exhibits. Browse the new museum upstairs in the Old Goods Shed at Alresford station, currently exhibiting artefacts from the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust. Enjoy real ale, wine and soft drinks at the Beer Junction located at Ropley which will be open during the day.
