This summer, Tameside is pulling out all the stops to make the school holidays fun fun fun! And, what’s more, the borough’s programme of activities for kids and grown-ups is mostly free - or available at a very small charge to parents and guardians.

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There’s outdoor nature activities for those who love to get grubby, cultural and creative pursuits for arty and crafty people, theatre shows for everyone to enjoy - and family fun at much-loved monthly events like Stalybridge Street Fest and Ashton’s Saturdays in the Square.

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If you’re at a loose end, or fancy maxing out the summer hols with loads of amazing activities, simply check out this page and InTameside’s what’s on pages to make sure you always have something fun to do throughout August.

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Family Fun

Street Fest - Armentieres Square Stalybridge

Friday 9 August, 5-9pm

August’s Street Fest event will see performances by Blaze Streetdance Academy and huge colourful flamingoes walking around the crowds. The usual array of fantastic street food will be on offer with dishes from all over the world.

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Saturdays on the Square, Fletcher Square, Ashton Under Lyne

Saturday 24 August 24, 11am-3pm

Saturdays on the Square are a series of new events, funded through UK Shared Prosperity Fund, that will see Fletcher Square and Ashton Market animated through roaming performers and musicians, face painting, balloon modelling and static shows for families. Each month, the programming will change based on themes relating to the time of year, key celebrations and high-quality touring work from across the country.

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The August event will see colourful (and very bouncy!) street performers take to the square, plus Artful: Make it Happen will be running some beach themed craft workshops!

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OUTDOORS & NATURE

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Naturemakers: Behold & Bewonder, Victoria Park, Denton

Thursday 8 August 2024, 12 (midday) till 4pm

Marvellous Makers, behold the Bewonderment Machine - a magical bike powered carousel inspired by The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlene. As you twirl around, join us by the fireside for woodland crafts and fantastical tales. Together we will be weaving our way round Victoria Park, Denton taking in the wild flowers along the way and be inspired to make your own.

See you by the band stand

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Mushrooms & Pirates Adventures, King George V Playing Fields, Ashton under Lyne

Monday 12 August 2024,  10am - 3:30pm

Join us for a day of adventure and getting your hands dirty. We will delve into Mycelium networks and leave with your own ‘grow at home mushroom bucket’. Together we will create the terrible King George V Pirates! We'll make our own tiny pirates and send them on adventures, decorate boxes to fill with nature's treasures, and draw maps of treasure hiding places in the park.

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Experimental Marvellous Makers, Werneth Low Country Park, Hyde

Wednesday 21 August 2024, 11am - 3pm

Come along and join in for a day of experimentation with wandering outdoor theatre, wild book making, discovering alternative arts and crafts and magical bubble making. We will create dazzling streams of rainbow colours to float over Tameside. Exploring the park lands with us discovering trails and nature walks and turn your discoveries into your own nature books.

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Take a Walk on the Wild Side with Gilly Balfour, Ashton Town Centre

Saturday 24 August, 12:30pm - 2:45pm

Take a Walk on a Wild Side is an interactive nature and historical themed creative trail adventure in Ashton town Centre! What can you see? What sounds can you hear? What can you physically explore and touch? Part trail, part taking part, part being the part! This is a day to explore and find out, see the beauty of the local area, perhaps see things in a new light or different way AND have some fun! Drop by the Hegginbottom room at Ashton Library to pick up your trail pack.

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Wild Wild Woods. Castle Clough, Stalybridge

Tuesday 27 August 2024, 11am till 3pm

Meander down the trail into the woods and under old oaks and self-seeded sycamores you will find the wild woodland camp. Join us for woodland school, relief printing with foraged nature, explore the invertebrates of the flow waters with our resident ecologist for the last of the Summer Outdoor Family Drop in.

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CULTURE & CREATIVITY

Thomas Byrne: How to make a Mini 'Crankie Theatre' Workshop, Hegginbottom Room, Ashton Library

Monday 5 August

Session 1: 10.30am - 11.30am

Session 2: 12 noon - 1pm

Drop in time- 2pm - 4.30pm

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Artists Thomas Byrne and Aimee Williamson are excited to be hosting a FREE workshop for families in Ashton Library all about the wonderful art of Crankie Theatre! A ‘Crankie’ is a special storytelling device that uses a paper scroll decorated with drawings to tell a terrific tale.

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FREE Breakdancing Workshop, Holy Trinity Community Centre, Dean Street, Ashton-under-Lyne

Saturday, August 3rd 3 - 5:15pm

LB (Anton Phung) has been Breaking for over 20 years and has a highly decorated dance career. This includes bLB (Anton Phung) being a solo national champion in 2016 and many other high level competition wins. LB is known for his signature flow. He, with the support of fellow Break Dancer Dan Heimler, will deliver a two-hour workshop for intermediate dancers at the Holy Trinity Community Centre.

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FREE Breakdancing Performance on Ashton Market Square

Saturday 17 August between 1.30pm-4:10pm

The amazing breakdancing duo LB (Anton Phung) and Dan Heimler are coming to Ashton Town Centre, and they’re bringing friends! They will be performing a series of breakdancing sets all afternoon in the space outside the old Wilkos store, and it is totally free to come and watch.

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Circus Sensible: Circus Skills Workshop, Ashton Town Centre

Saturday 10 August, 11am - 2pm

Circus Sensible have over 30 years’ experience delivering circus skills workshops to people of all ages and skill sets, and they’re coming to Ashton! On August 10^th they will be running a full day of drop-in workshops in Ashton Town Centre, just outside Ashton Library, and they will be open for anyone to drop in!

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MAKE DO & PLAY, Portland Basin Museum, Ashton

Various dates

For just £1.35 per child, Portland Basin Museum is running a series of amazing Make, Do & Play sessions for kids where they can let their crafty and creative sides run wild. If you fancy making a Mini Beast Sketchbook, a Paper Bug Hand Puppet or a Fluttering Butterfly, just drop in at one of the sessions - no need to book!

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Make Do & Play sessions, 11am - 3pm

30 July, 1 August, 6 August, 8 August, 13 August, 15 August, 20 August, 22 August, 27 August, 29 August.

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OUTDOOR THEATRE

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Each year, Tameside Council’s Cultural Services take over local parks and green spaces to stage a glorious series of family friendly outdoor theatre performances throughout August.  Every week we will present a captivating lineup of local theatre companies and shows, ensuring that there will be something for everyone, and helping the Tameside community create unforgettable memories with their families and friends through the magic of theatre.

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The Crew presented by The Fabularium, Hyde Park, Hyde

Wednesday 7 August, showtimes 11am and 2.30pm

The Fabularium is back with a wild and windy tale of wisdom, woe and wonder, set to reignite humans’ relationship with our waters. Come and join 'The Crew' on their voyage into the great unknown!

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Kevin Tickles Dogs presented by Dizzy O’Dare, King George V Playing Fields, Ashton

Monday 12 August 2024

Showtimes 11am and 2.30pm

Flying straight from the success of Falconry Dismay, Kevin Tickle brings you Kevin Tickle’s Dogs!

Kevin walkies you through categories such as Best in Show, Best Bitch and the ever-unpredictable Open Class, to showcase the bombastic breeds and classy canines he has been working with over the years.  Expect theatrics and hi-jinks in the form of games such as sausage bobbing and fastest recall, acrobatic feats and impressive skills from daring dogs. As always, things may not go as planned.

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Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Plus -  Mossley Park Open Air Theatre

Thursday 22 August 2024

Showtimes 11am and 2.30pm

Booster Cushion Theatre creates a magical retelling of the fairytale children will have heard before and invites them to join in with a porridge fest.  If you go down to the woods today, you will be in for a very BIG surprise as everything is in disguise and the story goes into the skies with this comical retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Told through a 6ft tall book with 2ft pop ups!

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Please note if you have mobility issues or have a pushchair/buggy, we recommend you access the MOAT via the Stamford Road entrance to avoid the stone stairs that link the MOAT to the rest of Mossley Park.

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Space Chickens, Hollingworth Primary School Playing Field, Hollingworth

Tue 27 August 2024

Presented by The Puppet Van presented by HalfaString Theatre Company, Earth’s unlikely hero: an adventurous chicken who is blasted into space to solve all of our planet’s problems. Sounds ridiculous?  Not for our heroic hen who will boldly go where no poultry has gone before…With stunning puppetry and live original banjo synth music follow this rocket-fuelled tale all on top of a van.

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Ticketing: tickets for outdoor theatre shows are offered on a PWYC (pay what you can) basis and will be available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/tameside-mbc

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Tameside Arts Ltd: Ashton Arts Day, Ladysmith Shopping Centre, Ashton

Saturday 31 August

Ashton Arts will be an incredible day of creativity and culture, delivered by Tameside Arts Ltd! There will be African drumming sessions, Makaton, Drama, Dance and Arts & Crafts across a range of Ashton Town Centre venues, including the Library, Market and public squares. More details will be released soon, keep an eye on our What’s On page!

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More details about everything above can be found at https://www.intameside.co.uk/whats-on

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