Barnsley's Great Family Festival set to bring free family fun to the town centre this August

Join us for a fun-filled day packed with free activities, entertainment and events when Barnsley's Great Family Festival comes to the town centre on Saturday 22 August.

From 10am to 3pm, the festival will take place across several town centre locations, with a programme full of activities for children and young people of all ages. The event is delivered by the council’s Great Childhoods Ambition, working with partners including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, The Glass Works, Barnsley Libraries, Base71, Family Hubs, Barnsley Civic and more.

Get stuck in with a day of family fun

The Glass Works Square will be transformed into a vibrant Summer Carnival Party, full of free activities for families to enjoy. 17 Great Childhood Ambition partners will bring a fantastic programme of hands-on experiences, including willow weaving, carnival headdress making, arts and crafts, giant games and family activities.

Children and young people under 18 can make the most of unlimited free rides and attractions throughout the day, with as many trips as they like on the helter skelter, crazy golf and bungee trampolines. On top of that, we're bringing the party with a host of live performers, featuring stilt walkers, a bubbleologist, flash mobs, and a chance for families to get involved with a circus skills workshop.

Following feedback from families at our celebration event earlier this year, a sensory bus will be available at the square throughout the day, offering a calm, welcoming space for children and young people who may find busy environments overwhelming.

Make sure to head on over to the Base71 for a family fun day, to experience everything the youth zone has to offer. Young people can scale the climbing wall, find their own rhythm in the music room or try their hand at nail art, while parents can find out more about partners such as BPL and Olio. Grassroots Sports Academy will be dropping by to host zorbing on the rooftop pitch, Barnsley FC Community Trust will be here to train the next superstars, and the Kids Invent Stuff team will be inspiring the generation of inventors with a fun-filled STEM session. Base71 members and non-members are welcome on the day. Please note that no adults will be allowed into Base71 without a young person, and young people must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Celebrate storytelling and a love for reading

But that's not all. With this year being the National Year of Reading, families will also be able to explore plenty of other brilliant events and activities across the town centre, funded by SYMCA:

• An animal-themed adventure at The Seam Digital Campus, with colourful characters, street performances, circus skills and an adventure trail inspired by the beloved children's book Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

• Activities at Library @ The Lightbox, including musical fun, story sessions and the chance to meet a giant sloth.

• Interactive sessions at Barnsley Civic, where families can enjoy Magical Fairy Tales brought to life by storytelling, Little City - where children can roleplay to become firefighters, builders, hairdressers, café owners and more, as well as a Creative Writing Workshops for 14 to 18 year olds.

There's so much happening across the town centre for children and young people of all ages. For a full list of what's on, including timings, visit barnsley.gov.uk/GreatFamilyFestival.

Cllr Gary Hall, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said:

“We’re so excited to bring Barnsley’s Great Family Festival to the town centre this August, giving families the chance to enjoy a brilliant day out with so much on offer.

“Events like this are a fantastic way to celebrate Barnsley as a great place for children and young people to grow up, offering a fantastic programme of free activities and events for families. I really encourage families to come along, explore the town centre and enjoy everything the day has to offer.”

The festival forms part of the wider Great Childhoods Ambition summer programme, with over 300 free activities for children and young people taking place throughout the school holidays.