Get ready for a joyful celebration of creativity, music, and crafts at this year’s Festival – designed with families and children in mind!
Our Festival in the week events for families are over but we still have the weekend!
On the Saturday children and families take over the Festival, turning Well Lane into a children’s garden. Little Seedlings will be hosting pre-school play in the Methodist Church, and on Well Lane. You can join in with a jazz workshop or family singalong. And everyone is welcome to strut along with our Festival Parade, led by disco queens Decodance, and introducing Flora, our giant garden spirit puppet created by Chapel Allerton Artists.
Also, for those who need a few moments away from the Festival buzz, we’ll be opening our Quiet Zone on both the Festival Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday Events
The Little Seedlings Hub within Chapel Allerton Methodist Church, will be open on Saturday between 11.00am and 5.00pm to provide natural, sensory, open-ended play for children from birth to 5 years old. There will also be some outdoor play this year on the streets within the Arts Festival!
Little Seedlings play for the Arts Festival will be focused on the community of Chapel Allerton, bringing the local businesses and community to life through messy and non messy play. Joining Little Seedlings on the day, will be Helen Marshall, psychotherapist, and Michele from Hug and Snug Sleep Consulting, to support parents and carers wherever needed with all things parenting and sleep!
Little Seedlings, Helen and Michele will be providing play and support at no charge on the day, but will be asking for a small donation wherever possible to the Methodist Church to help with some future renovations on the building.
The Well Lane Garden. 11.00am – 5.00pm. Well Lane. We’re turning Well Lane into a children’s garden, with craft activities and games. Come and create plants and animals to help our garden grow.
Decodance workshop. 2.45pm, bottom car park, Well Lane. This year the parade will be led by disco queens Decodance (https://www.instagram.com/decodance_). Before the parade begins they’ll be giving a free dance masterclass and teaching some moves to use in our Festival Parade. Open to all, no need to book.
The Parade. Starts at the bottom of Well Lane, 3.15pm. This year our festival parade boogies down with Decodance. Come early and make a flower to wave or something to shimmy. Get into your groove at Decodance’s pre-parade workshop. Then look out for our giant puppet Flora, created by Chapel Allerton Artists, as she shimmys through Well Lane and Regent Street, on the way to the Festival Stage. Anyone can join in. All are welcome, all ages, even if you don’t have dance moves you can wave a flower.
Roadblock Soundsystem. Music for the parade is pedal-powered by the amazing Roadblock Soundsystem, with their PA on a tricyle. See them on Well Lane throughout the day, demonstrating their off-grid bike-powered PA. You might even get to do some pedalling. https://www.instagram.com/roadblocksoundsystem
Family singalong. 1.00pm, Well Lane Performance area. This free session, run by folk singer, harpist and mother Caitlin Mayall, is for grown-ups and their children aged 0-5. Come and sing folk music together in a Circle, and learn songs to bond with your child. Suitable for younger children. Sign up in advance to guarantee a space. https://music-at-heart.co.uk/
Family Jazz Workshop with the Ancient Infinity Orchestra. Seven Arts, Saturday afternoon.
The Well Lane Performance Area also has a full afternoon’s entertainment.
12.00 noon Hilton Recorder Consort. Gentle lunchtime music.
1.00pm Family singalong workshop, with Caitlin from Music at Heart
2.15pm Tiff the Juggler, from Circus Leeds@leedschildrenscircus
3.20pm Balbir Singh Dance @BalbirSinghDanceCompany
4.00pm Tiff the Juggler
4.30pm Sing Meanwood acapella choir. @SingMeanwood