Blackpool Council’s fun-packed Wordpool’s Animal Antics Family Day is back for its eleventh year.



The resort’s ever popular FREE annual event is part of Wordpool’s Festival of Words and takes place this year on Saturday 1 July at Stanley Park from 1-4pm.

The day will feature more than twenty different events, activities and attractions crammed into three hours of creative fun. Rain or shine there will be lots of exciting things to see, make and do for all ages.

Families will need to register at one of the many information points around the park from 12.30pm and will be given ‘what’s on where’ maps so they can plot their afternoon of adventure.

Children will be spoilt for choice with the variety of activities on offer, including the Storytellers’ Stage with Thingymigig Puppet Theatre’s stories and songs of Kit and Caboodle’s remarkable journey.

There will be poetry from award winning children’s poet Terry Caffrey, storytelling from Dan the Storyman and a new performance from Oldham Coliseum Theatre Young Rep.

The nearby Blackpool Libraries Big Tent will be inviting children to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge and will be hosting fun crafting, storytelling for early years and so much more.

The Blackpool Museum Project will have a ‘Donkey Derby’, a reproduction of a fun beach activity from Blackpool’s Archives.

The Poets are taking over the bandstand and Aunty Social CIC will have a pop up Picture Show of children’s short films and animations in the boathouse.

Save Our Stories are asking you to help their SOS RescueShip save stories by joining in with their new show ‘Alien Robots Stole My Ipig’ and visiting the ‘Friendly Space Creatures’ that have been created by children in in Blackpool primary schools throughout June.

If you’ve still some time for more fun you can visit the Duck Mound near the Lake where Rosie the Caravan Obscura is turning the world upside down and Grundy Gallery’s Education officer Taneesha Ahmed will be creating fun disguises with mask making, secret codes and selfies in their Art Pergoda.

Look out for the Puddleducks, a giant hippo who needs help with his teeth, a ‘Bird in the Hand’ on a bike and Aspire Youth Dance Company’s promenade performance of Aesop’s Fables. Young dancers from Blackpool schools have been working with dance artist Sarah Gough after school to choreograph four new contemporary dances to bring these ancient tales to life.

The Animal Antics Family Day and the work in schools has been made possible by a two year Arts Lottery Grant through Arts Council England. This has enabled Blackpool Council to work with more partners to make this fantastic free event even more impressive and exciting than ever before.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, Deputy Leader of the Council, said: “This is an amazing free day of fun and activities for all the family. There will be so much going on in the park for all ages to enjoy together. I take my own children and we always have a great time.

“We are very grateful for the tireless support of the Wordpool volunteers, partners and the Friends of Stanley Park, who will all be helping on Saturday 1 July to make Wordpool’s Animal Antics the best family day ever. “

Blackpool Council work with a wide range of partners to make Wordpool Festival a success, including Grundy Art Gallery, Aspire Youth Dance companies, Save Our Stories, Aunty Social, Family Learning, Friends of Stanley Park, local schools and colleges, the Blackpool Museum Project, Blackpool Heritage Champions, Blackpool Embroiderers Guild, Blackpool Sixth Form College, the Pub Poets.

All children must be accompanied by an adult at the family event on Saturday 1July. The event will take place rain or shine so dress for the weather but in case of severe weather check online for updates.

www.wordpoolfestival.co.uk