A wholesome day full of animal cuddles, tractor rides, food markets, and more is back in Cheshire next month.
While Bruntwood SciTech’s Alderley Park may be known as a unique place where world-leading science, innovation, and stylish living come all come together throughout the rest of the year, the Cheshire destination is getting taken over by a hugely-popular event for all the family for one day only this spring.
The adorable event – which was formerly known as ‘Farm Weekend’, but has been rebranded as ‘Spring Fest’ this year – has proven to be a massive success over the past few years, with families from all across Greater Manchester and the North West making their way to Macclesfield for some wholesome springtime fun.
And now, it’s back once again on Saturday 27 April.
Spring Fest returns next month with lamb cuddles, tractor rides, and more / Credit: Alderley Park
Spring Fest is set to be a chance to celebrate the magic of spring and everything that it means for wildlife, animals, and nature, and festivalgoers will be able to immerse themselves in countryside life and new beginnings right at the heart of Alderley Park’s scenic estate.
You can expect a jam-packed day full of different outdoor family-friendly activities, performances, markets, and lots of local food and drink.
To coincide with Bruntwood SciTech’s 10 year anniversary of acquiring Alderley Park this year, the 2024 event will include live music from Cheshire-based band The Roaming Empire, plus a live DJ to get attendees into the Saturday spirit, while other new activities include a woodland trail treasure hunts for curious kids, exciting off-road adventures with mini Rovers, alongside educational and interactive farming pop-ups.
There’ll be something for everyone to enjoy at the wholesome event / Credit: Supplied
The Alderley Park farm is home to 250 ewes and around 400 lambs, and this year, visitors will be able to admire the flock in the lambing shed, as well as pet other animals from the farm, and take tours of the whole site by tractor.
There’ll also be falconry displays, donkey rides, and spring crafts, while independent street food brands and bars will be popping up for a full festival experience.
Tickets to Spring Fest 2024 have officially gone on sale for £8 each this morning, with children under three going free and a 50p donation from each ticket going to charity.
Tickets are on sale now for £8 each / Credit: Jody Hartley (via Alderley Park)
“We’re delighted to launch Spring Fest this April, and can’t wait to bring our most inspiring programme yet to the community,” commented Daniel Bourne, who is the Director of Asset Management at Bruntwood SciTech, as tickets went on sale today.
“As we celebrate 10 years of the transformation of Alderley Park, we thought it the perfect time to evolve our Farm Weekend event and pack in even more reasons to love spring and all that it embodies, as nature is at the heart of what we do at Alderley Park and we’re delighted to throw open our gates to the community to experience the joy of the park”.
Spring Fest 2024 is happening down at Alderley Park in Cheshire on Saturday 27 April, and you can grab your tickets for £8 each here.
Featured Image – Jody Hartley (via Alderley Park)
What's On
Star of hit CBBC show Operation Ouch! to host live Q&A and meet and greets in Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
Little Mancs can meet the star of one of their favourite TV shows at the Science and Industry Museum this summer.
In case you hadn’t heard, Operation Ouch! is back in Manchester again with a fresh new experience for 2025, and this time around, visitors can journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Thousands of families from across Greater Manchester and beyond have already visited the city centre museum make the most of the new exhibition, and get stuck into the wide range of immersive and interactive activities it has on offer.
But for those who haven’t been able to pay a visit yet, this summer couldn’t be a more ideal opportunity to do so.
That’s because Dr Xand Van Tulleken – who is one of the presenters of the BBC showOperation Ouch! – will be at the museum in a couple of weeks time to meet visitors as part of his myth-busting mission to answer some of the public’s deepest questions about our senses.
The Science and Industry Museum has unveiled its ‘summer of senses’ programme / Credit: Science Museum Group
Dr Xand Van Tulleken will be at the Science and Industry Museum for one day only, and will not only join mini medics on their voyage through the senses, but will also be on-hand to answer brain teasers from the audience during a series of live Q&As.
Whether it’s banging on a super-sized eardrum, venturing into a massive eyeball, or even taking a whiff of a ‘smell library’, this world-premiere exhibition dives into the science behind hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell – and Dr Xand will be there every step of the way.
Dr Xand’s visit comes amid a senses-themed summer programme at the city centre museum, where visitors can enjoy everything from silent discos and science shows, to a ‘bogie lab’, brain-boggling challenges, and loads more during six weeks of activities inspired by its latest exhibition.
Book your tickets to visit Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You on Tuesday 12 August, for any of the time slots between 11:30am – 1pm, and 2:45 – 4:15pm for the opportunity to grab a selfie with Dr Xand from inside the exhibition.
Tickets will cost visitors £10 each, with those under three going free, and a range of family discounts available.
Find out more about the exhibition and get tickets here.
Featured Image – Science Museum Group
What's On
Road to Victory returns for massive Euro 2025 final screening at AO Arena
Danny Jones
England are in another final, and you know what that means: Road to Victory is returning to Manchester for another massive screening at the AO Arena as England’s women’s team prepare to defend their Euros trophy.
Sarina Weigman’s side made it to their second consecutive European final on Tuesday night following more late drama for the Lionesses against Italy.
The squad, which has seen a number of personnel changes since Euro 2022, managed to make it through to the final in the eleventh hour thanks to another stoppage-time equaliser from Michelle Agyemang and even more tense follow-up from a scuffed spot-kick by Chloe Kelly.
Will they ever stop giving us heart palpitations at major tournaments? Probably not, but the big watchalong party inside the AO Arena, which will see thousands turn up to watch the Euro 2025 final, is sure to deliver plenty of excitement either way.
For anyone unfamiliar with the massive fan zone – one of THE biggest in all Europe, in fact – Road to Victory is the unparalleled supporter party by AIX (Amplified Immersive Xperiences) Live, who specialise in the top-end of audio-visual matchday viewing vibes.
Having hosted huge screenings for the previous men’s Euros and the Qatar World Cup, and even inspiring a massive watchalong of last season’s Europa League final at the venue, Road to Victory (RtV) is just about as big and bold as it gets.
Think BOXPARK in London only bigger, more interactive and, dare we say it… better?
Yes, we do dare say it; having attended RtV on multiple occasions since it landed here back in 2022, we can confirm you won’t find an atmosphere quite like it anywhere else. At least not in Greater Manchester, anyway.
Case and point:
With doors to the women’s Euros screening opening at 4pm, there’ll be plenty of time for pre-match build-up before the game gets underway, and there’ll be plenty of entertainment, light displays, food, drinks and more – it’s just up to Manchester fans to be in full voice.
The Women’s European Championships certainly have a more all-ages, family-friendly feel to them, but Road to Victory and the AO Arena are still ensuring they deliver a palpable match-day energy.
Tickets are already live following England’s place in the last two of the Women’s Euros now confirmed, it’s merely a matter of securing yours and finding out who, out of Germany and Spain, will meet them in the final this weekend.
Once again, the 2025 Women’s Euros final kicks off at 5pm on Sunday, 27 July, and you can grab your tickets for the Road to Victory screening at the AO Arena in Manchester right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
1st March 2024 
