Blackbird Pie Autumn 2021

FREE

Autumn 2021 30,000 copies across Cornwall

BlackbirdPie Blackbird Pie Cornwall’s what’s-on for families Calendar for autumn 2021 What’s on this autumn Outdoor Adventures Arty Activities Museums & Attractions Indoor Fun Theatre Shows Blackbird reads: Transport

Vouchers & offers: Penlee House, page 5 Tate St Ives, page 7 Wheal Play, Heartlands, page 10 Paradise Park, page 11 Camel Creek £2 off per person, see back cover

"Cinderella"

see page 12

Page: 4&5 5&6 7 8&9 10 & 11 12 & 13 14 15 15 & 16

Content: What’s on – Arty stuff and the glorious outdoors What’s on – marvellous museums, galleries and attractions Family fun & £5 annual Locals’ Pass at Tate St Ives Calendar for autumn 2021 Light parties, discos & indoor fun Theatre shows Blackbird Reads transport themed books What’s on at The Box, Plymouth Camel Creek Halloweek and £2 off per person

Dear Readers, From Penzance to Plymouth there are wonderful things to do this autumn, from family art workshops & challenges, fabulous autumnal trails, Light parties, and Hallowe’en fun to children’s discos. Family theatre shows abound both outside - like St Day’s atmospheric open-air church and the Minack - and inside where we can’t wait for the reopening of the new-look Hall for Cornwall. There is even a show at Heartlands in a heated Big Top! This autumn you can also Reimagine Reality with Discovery 42’s wonderful interactive science experience and enjoy History close up with WW2 reenactors at Bodmin Keep and Horrible Histories at the Minack.

In these still uncertain times, please check event / attractions’ details on websites and social media before visiting; we believe all is correct as we go to print but things can change.

Have a wonderful autumn and half-term, Vanessa, Simon and the Blackbird

We believe that all details are correct at the time of going to print but cannot accept any responsibility for mistakes or omissions. We try to ensure all events featured will be enjoyed by younger children but in some instances we cannot test this and have to rely on the opinions of the organisers. When you have finished with this magazine please pass it on to a friend or recycle it.

Please mention us to advertisers 2

Contact us at: “Blackbird Pie”, Flying Pig Publishing, 3 Basset Place, Falmouth, Cornwall. TR11 2SS  post@blackbirdpie.co.uk  01326 314242 www.blackbirdpie.co.uk

3

What’s on this autumn

For Light Parties, Discos & Indoor Play see pages 10 & 11, and Theatre Shows on pages 12 & 13.

Outdoors 17 Oct Apple Fayre, Chyan Cultural Centre, Halvasso, nr Penryn.

Family event, £5 adult | £3 child, storytelling, crafts, workshops, apple pressing, cakes, music, vegan food café and bar; 12noon to 6pm. office@swampcircus.co.uk 29 to 31 Oct Truro Mini-PLAYFEST, Cathedral Square, Truro, 11am to 7pm, circus, bands, fair, food, fun, see Truro Playfest Facebook, £5 per person or free to people on benefits, book on www.circokernow.co.uk. The Swamp Circus and Chyan partnership deliver performance arts and nature-based learning workshops and BTEC courses, including Children’s Circus: Tuesdays 4 to 5.30pm, at Chyan, juggling, acrobatics, aerial, trapeze, movement, tight wire, block booking or £8 per session.

Book tickets at www.circokernow.co.uk or ring 01326 377008 Join The Wildlife Trusts’ Big Wild Walk this half term! 25 to 31 Oct: we challenge you to a Big Wild Walk whilst raising money for Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Get your wellies on, don the waterproofs and get stomping to help our incredible Cornish Wildlife. You could walk 30km in the week, 3km a day or create Walk 30km or choose your own challenge, details on https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/bigwildwalk Autumn Seed Search With a pressing need for more trees Cornwall Wildlife Trust are asking teachers and children to help.

Head to www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/seedsearch to find out more and see how engaging it is to take your class out in search of seeds before potting them and watching them grow.

Trebah Garden is rich with vibrant autumn colours and crunchy leaves to kick and there are great play areas too. 23 to 31 Oct: find and scan hidden QR codes and uncover mysteries in the glorious garden with Teresa’s fact-filled digital trail.

Heartlands, Pool. 5 Nov: Bonfire & Fireworks Spectacular, FREE entry. Fairground & food from 4pm, lighting of the bonfire 6.30pm, Oggymen 7pm, fireworks 8pm, music 8.30pm. 4 & 5 Dec: Christmas Market and Santa’s Grotto, 10am to 4pm, entertainment, unique gifts, and seasonal tasty treats. Free market entry, Santa’s Grotto £7 per child includes a gift Pilgrim Explorers FREE Cornish trails along coast paths and in and around towns. Follow a colourful map, learn about local history, geography, conservation, saints and legends, and get creative with natural materials and beach scavenger hunts.

Website: trurodiocese.org.uk/pilgrim-explorers/ Via Ferrata Cornwall, near Penryn is open till 31 October for an epic adventure challenge through quarries, scaling cliff faces, wobbling across the High Wire Bridge and soaring on the zip wire!

Age 8+. www.viaferratacornwall.co.uk

Arty stuff Tate St Ives see page 7. The Box, Plymouth see page 15.

4

PK Porthcurno, FREE POP-UP PK: this half term have fun Slimy Sea Creature Lino Printing! 26, 28 & 30 Oct, 1 to 3pm, discover and print the untold stories of the slimy sea creatures of Porthcurno, Clore Learning Space.

PK Porthcurno cont. 16 Oct & 20 Nov: Free STEAM Explorers drop-in sessions for 7- to 12-year-olds, hands-on making activities exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. Museum entry not required. 10.30am to 12noon.

Check out pkporthcurno.com for details.

Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance. FREE family activities - Arty Afternoons Saturdays 2.30 to 3.30pm; Free Baby & Parent sessions, Mondays fortnightly (18 Oct, 1, 15 & 29 Nov) 10 to 11.30am. Preschooler sessions, Tuesdays, fortnightly (12 & 26 Oct, 9 & 23 Nov) 1 to 2.30pm. penleehouse.org.uk 01736 363625 Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange run term-time art classes for toddlers & babies and an after-school Wednesday Art Club for KS1&2. Book on newlynlittleartists@yahoo.com or call Annie 07891 862670. Sessions £5 each.

Marvellous museums & attractions

Camel Creek Adventure Park see page 15.

National Maritime Museum Cornwall Every Monday at 11am during term time drop in for Minnows Tales, a lively half hour of stories, songs and rhymes. Perfect for under 5s.

Silhouettes & Shadows…The nights are drawing in and the shadows are taking over the Museum.

This half term (23 to 31 Oct) there will be spooky shadow puppet making and a truly teeth-chattering museum trail.

31 Oct: Hallowe’en torch-lit trail 6 to 8pm – come dressed as ghosts and ghouls for tricks and treats… head out on the torch-lit trail to find the spooky sea spirits hidden in the Museum’s deepest darkest corners; for annual pass holders adults are free, children £5.

Discovering42 - Reimagining Reality 15 October to 23 December 2021 Reimagining Reality is an innovative exhibition for Cornwall that will turn your world upside down! Explore the weird and wonderful quirks of science. Experience an immersive journey along surreal passageways leading to interactive artworks. This exhibition is intended to be equally engaging for children and adults.

Reimagining Reality is a pilot and a step towards setting up a permanent centre for science, art and sustainability in Cornwall.

To be completely inclusive, the entrance fee is pay-as-you-can.

Book online at discovering42.co.uk/reimagining-reality Narisa Hall, Priory Park, Bodmin.

Parking at Priory Car Park, PL31 2DE. Closest station is Bodmin General Station, 7min walk.

Camel Trail, 7min cycle. www.discovering42.co.uk FB: @discovering42 Insta: @discovering_42 Warning: powerful magnets, loud sounds and flashing lights.

5

What's on - continued on page 6 >>>>

>>>> What's on - continued from page 5

Head to Pendennis Castle for a fantastical Halloween half-term (23 to 31 Oct). Explore the grounds on a brand-new family trail inspired by Cressida Cowell’s bestselling Wizards of Once series.

Will you find the ingredients for the Spell to get rid of Witches and uncover the Cup of Second Chances? Come in frightful fancy dress & enter a social media competition. Get up close to real-life ‘beasts’ with Zoolab! Meet amazing snakes and spiders and learn about creepy crawly creatures.

Search ‘Events at Pendennis Castle’ and book your visit.

Set in lush sub-tropical gardens, Newquay Zoo is home to some of the world’s most rare and endangered species including Javan green magpies, Philippine spotted deer and black and white ruffed lemurs.

Indoors are beautiful free-flying Southeast Asian songbirds and Wildlife at Night - grey slender loris and the endangered Owston’s civet. There are well-designed outdoor play areas with climbing frames, swings and slides. We suggest booking tickets and time slots in advance at www.newquayzoo.org.uk (Sat 23 to Sun 31 Oct).

Bodmin Keep has lots of Second World War-themed family activities this half term; with war-time children’s games and pastimes, weaponry talks, Make do and Mend and Living History. Enjoy a family friendly demonstration on what people on the Home Front did to

Make-Do-and-Mend and discover how to make a lavender bag (and take away fabric scraps to make your own bag at home). Learn about weapons used by the British Army and the Home Guard. On 30 October meet friendly Second World War re-enactors, see fascinating objects and uniform, and find out about life in the US and British Infantry. Activities (10am to 4.30pm) are included; see www.bodminkeep.org for what’s on each day. £7 per adult, £3 per child, under 5s are free, and dogs welcome.

Eden Project 23 to 31 Oct: Hallow’eden a spooky adventure full of tricks and treats. Watch the award-winning Bakehouse Factory’s bespoke show based around their fabulous 3m tall owl, meet beautiful owls from the Screech Owl Sanctuary, and solve creepy clues in a special Eureka Escape puzzle trail. 31 Oct at 8.30am: Relaxed Sessions. Book in advance for potion-making workshops and for skating on the spooky ice rink. Most activities included in admission (additional cost applies for the workshop and skating). bookings for tickets and timed entry slots see https://www.edenproject.com/visit/book-tickets.

Paradise Park, Hayle. Look out for Frank the new European Eagle Owl and other wonderful owl species this half term. Curator David Woolcock explains ‘We are very lucky to have been gifted this beautiful young European Eagle Owl. Keepers are planning to include him in future ‘Eagles of Paradise’ displays next summer.’ On the Hallowe’en Pumpkin Trail learn eerie fascinating facts about scorpion-eating birds and deadly nocturnal hunters and claim your reward! https://paradisepark. org.uk/plan-your-visit/what-can-i-expectfrom-my-visit/ 01736 751020

Heligan Hallowe’en Tricks & Treats!

This half term (23 to 31 October) learn new tricks and earn Heligan treats.

There will be have-a-go workshops with the spellbinding Pokya circus troupe in the East Lawn Play Tent. Pokya’s spooky Hallowe’en instructors will show you new tricks including poi, diabolo, hula-hoop, tight wire, juggling, unicycle, and stilts.

Twit-twoo!! Elsewhere in The Gardens, come face to face with an array of stunning owls from the Owl Sanctuary and discover the tricks these creatures use to navigate and survive in the wild, to explore and hunt in the night, and which species make The Lost Gardens of Heligan their home.

Gather round the glowing firepits, to warm yourself and toast some marshmallows or yummy apples.

The East Lawn play space will be open to practice your tricks and provide outdoor adventure and jollification all day.

6

On Hallows’ Eve enter the Heligan cucurbit carving competition… get busy at home designing and carving your best Heligan-inspired design on your cucurbit (Editors: we had to look that one up!

Pumpkin, winter squash, courgette, marrow etc) and bring along your entry to the competition stage for Heligan’s gardeners to choose their winner.

All activities are free with garden admission.

This Hallowe’en Heligan will be a treat of a day for all the family.

Family Fun at Tate St Ives this Autumn….

photo © Rikard Österlund

Get your £5 Locals Pass!!

Cornwall resident?

Don’t forget the £5 annual Locals Pass gets you unlimited year-round entry to both Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives/tate-st-ives-locals-pass

Holiday Art Challenge October half term: 23 to 31 October Come to Tate St Ives this holiday and pick up a challenge card, get exploring the galleries and have some fun!

Will you become a Performance Poet, Map Maker, Shape Shifter or create a Window Wonder? Have fun with the new Sketchbook or Tate Shapes activities and peek at paintings with the buggy walk.

Still Looking Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 October

A Zine designed and produced by the Tate Collective Producers at Tate St Ives.

‘Still Looking’ includes interactive activities, artworks and poetry for audiences to enjoy as they explore the Galleries at Tate St Ives.

The zine explores the benefits of stillness, creativity and slow looking to our wellbeing and mental health and encourages engagement with art and cultural spaces after lockdown.

The Tate Collective Producers Team are Tate St Ives’ young people’s group, aged 15 to 25. The team meet regularly to work alongside artists, create art, devise workshops, social events and exhibitions at the gallery as part of Tate Collective.

FREE with admission. 18s and under get free entry!

7

Details on page 11 Mondays

Tuesdays Wednesdays Saturdays

photo - Khalilie Siddiqui

Specialist baby swimming lessons throughout Cornwall

see web-site for details

..to 31 Oct until 31 Oct 15…23 Oct 15 to 17 Oct 15 Oct to 23 Dec 16 Oct 16 to 31 Oct 17 Oct

22 to 31 Oct 23 to 31 Oct

Mini Playfest Truro 29 - 31 Oct 11am - 7pm

Cathedral Green - £5 Free for benefits Book on www.circokernow.co.uk 01326 377008 Circus - Bands - Fair - Food - Fun

23 Oct to 9 Jan 23 Oct until Feb 2022 24 Oct 24 to 28 Oct

Minnows Tales, NMMC, Falmouth, term time, drop-in 11 to 11.30am, stories, songs and rhymes for under 5s, free, adults free with annual pass Free Baby & Parent sessions, Penlee House, Penzance, see page 5, fortnightly (18 Oct, 1, 15 & 29 Nov) 10 to 11.30am, penleehouse.org.uk 01736 363625 Free Pre-schooler sessions, Penlee House, above, fortnightly (12 & 26 Oct, 9 & 23 Nov) 1 to 2.30pm Nature Bugs, Potager Gardens, Constantine, messy play and nature-based activities for toddlers.

01326 341258 Free Arty Afternoons, Penlee House, Penzance, 2.30 to 3.30pm, see page 5 Autumn family art trail, NT Cotehele near Saltash, arty challenges to complete all around the estate, entry price+ £2 per trail including colouring pencils, mention BBP, 01579 351346 Epic adventure! Via Ferrata Cornwall, near Penryn, a challenge across quarries, cliff faces, a high wire bridge & a zip wire! Age 8+. www.viaferratacornwall.co.uk Quest for the Ice Dragon, Stiltskin’s Soapbox Children’s Theatre, Devonport, a daytime show for young children & parents, 15 & 22 Oct 1.30pm £12 & 23 Oct 11am £14, stiltskin.org.uk Festival for One and All, United Downs Raceway, Redruth, kids’ space, music, circus school, workshops, fashion, sideshows, food & drink, £5, 4 to 11pm Friday, 12noon to 11pm Sat & Sun, bangersandmashup.org Discovering42: Reimagining Reality, Narisa Hall, Bodmin, explore the weird and wonderful quirks of science along surreal passageways leading to interactive exhibits, see page 5 Free STEAM Explorers, PK Porthcurno, for 7- to 12-year-olds, hands-on making activities exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. Museum entry not required, drop-in 10.30am to 12noon. Also, on 20 Nov. pkporthcurno.com Autumn wild art, NT Trerice, Newquay, get creative with leaves, sticks, & pinecones, drop-in 10.30am to 4.30pm, free with entry, mention BBP, 01637 875404, trerice@nationaltrust.org.uk Apple Fayre, Chyan Cultural Centre, Halvasso, nr Penryn. Family event, adult £5/ child £3, storytelling, crafts, workshops, apple pressing, cakes, music, vegan food café and bar; 12noon to 6pm, office@swampcircus.co.uk Coppice Theatre’s Science Adventures: The Power Pickle, The Old Library, Bodmin, 4pm, fantastical show exploring science via a fun adventure story, age 5+ www.intobodmin.co.uk/box-office Otherworld - The Dead of Night Dance, Rogue Theatre, outdoors in Tehidy Woods, Nr. Portreath, (not 25th), wild and wonderful Halloween celebration with theatre, laughter, music, stories, thrills, frights, delights & dancing 07814 558871 Silhouettes & Shadows, National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth, spooky shadow puppet making and a truly teeth-chattering museum trail, see page 3 Halloweek, Camel Creek Adventure Park, spooktacular thrills, and a whole week of tricks, treats and scary surprises, see page 15 Holiday Art Challenge & Still Looking, Tate St Ives, see page 7, challenge card, interactive activities, artworks & poetry, FREE with entry, 18s and under free entry, adults £5 annual Locals Pass Heligan Hallowe’en Tricks & Treats! Lost Gardens of Heligan, have-a-go workshops with Pokya circus, real owls, glowing firepits & more, see page 6 Hallowe’en Wizards of Once family trail, Pendennis Castle, inspired by Cressida Cowell’s bestselling series, come in fancy dress, meet Zoolab’s real-life beasts, see page 4 Halloween Pumpkin Trail, Paradise Park, Hayle, learn about scorpion-eating birds and deadly nocturnal hunters and claim your reward!

Scaryland, Dairyland, Newquay, 10am to 5pm, £12 entry includes creepy craft workshop & pick your pumpkin + carved to your design. The full Park and Bull Pen will be open & tractor rides through the witched woods….

Teresa’s Digital trail, Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith, follow Teresa’s fact-filled adventure round the garden, discover Jurassic plants, Cornish mud, creepy crawlies and rollercoaster buzzards! See page 4 Hallow’eden, Eden Project. Tricks & treats, Bakehouse Factory’s bespoke show, meet real owls and Eureka Escape’s puzzle trail, all free with entry. 31 Oct at 8.30am: Relaxed Sessions. Book for potion-making workshops & ice-skating (additional cost). Book all tickets on www.edenproject.com Spooky Half Term, Flambards, spooky pumpkin & Who Dunnit Mystery trails; 27 Oct: Halloween Fireworks Spectacular, 01326 573404 Autumn children’s trail, NT Trelissick, near Truro, activity sheet & trail, free with entry, mention BBP, 01872 862090 Tunnel of Lights - Arctic Adventure, Shipwreck Treasure Museum, Charlestown, underground tunnels transformed into a sparkling polar world with thousands of lights & atmospheric Arctic soundscapes www.shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk 01726 69897 Ice Skating, Eden Project, for all ages & ability. Sunday mornings: family fun skates for parents with young children (12 and under), inc free use of skating aids. www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-on/ ice-skating Autumn Rockpool Ramble, Hannafore beach, 1.30 to 3.30pm, explore the rocky shore with local experts, must book www.looemarineconservation.eventbrite.com Horrible Histories - Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians, Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, 1 & 4pm, the horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in! Hilariously vulgar, brilliantly grisly, from £10, Under 16: half price. 01736 810181 www.minack.com

DANCE FITNESS CLASSES FILLED WITH FUN FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS www.embracedancefitness.co.uk STUDIO: THE TOP FLOOR, THE SAIL LOFT, COMMERCIAL ROAD, PENRYN. TR10 8AG 01326 378730 FACEBOOK: Embrace Dance Fitness, INSTAGRAM: @embracedancefitness, EMAIL: hello@embracedancefitness.co.uk

25 Oct 25 to 31 Oct 26 Oct 26 to 28 Oct 26, 28 & 30 Oct 26 to 30 Oct

28 Oct 28 to 30 Oct 29 Oct 29 to 31 Oct 30 Oct

31 Oct 5 Nov 5&6 Nov 6 Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 19 Nov 20 Nov

1 Dec to 2 Jan 4&5 Dec From 4 Dec 17 Dec 20 to 23, 27 to 30

Truro

Plymouth

Outdoor trail & light party, Treslothan Church TR14 9LP, free, just turn up 3pm, 07903 496869 Cornwall Wildlife Trust Big Wild Walk, walk for wildlife and show you care about the nature and climate crisis. See page 4 Super-heroes Light Party, St. Martin’s Church, Liskeard, 4.30 to 5.30pm, free event, Halloween fun & games, food & search for the best Superhero. Age 7+ grace@smartchurchliskeard.co.uk Autumn half-term, NT Antony, Torpoint, autumn activity leaflet, pumpkins to spot, welly walk with puddles, wild art, tree rubbings, autumnal prize, £3 per activity kit, 12noon to 4.30pm, mention BBP, 01752 812191 FREE POP-UP PK: Slimy Sea Creature Lino Printing! Clore Learning Space, PK Porthcurno, drop-in, 1 to 3pm, discover and print the slimy sea creatures of Porthcurno, free workshop.

World War II activities, Bodmin Keep, family friendly Make Do and Mend demonstrations; learn to make a lavender bag (take scraps to make at home); 26 & 27 Oct: discover WW2 children’s games & pastimes with the team; 28 Oct: learn about British Army & Home Guard weapons; 30 Oct: meet WW2 US & British Infantry re-enactors with fascinating objects and uniform; all from 10am to 4.30pm, www.bodminkeep.org Outdoor trail & light party, Penponds Church TR14 0QE, 3.30pm, £1pp, just 20 places so book on becky@cambornecluster.org.uk or 07903 496869 Cirque Du Bizarre Halloween Spectacular, Pokya at The Big Top, Heartlands, Redruth 5.30 & 8pm, an immersive family show in a heated big top, £8 12s & under, £12 adults, family tickets £35 (2+2) www.tickettailor.com/events/pokyaentertainment Friday night Kids’ Disco, Embrace Dance Fitness, Penryn, £7 per child. 5.15 to 6.15pm for 5 to 7yrs, 6.30 to 7.30pm for 8 to 11yrs, 01326 378730 hello@embracedancefitness.co.uk Mini-Playfest, Cathedral Square, Truro, 11am to 7pm, circus, bands, fair, food, fun, see Truro Playfest Facebook, £5 (free for people on benefits), book on www.circokernow.co.uk 01326 377008 The Kiss that Missed, Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, 1 & 4pm, David Melling’s charming & funny book of Knightly Tales brought to life by storyteller John Brolly, 01736 810181 www.minack.com Hallowe’en Disco Party with DJ Skippy, Jungle Jack’s, Newquay, for little witches and ghosties, 5 to 7pm, fancy dress, games & dancing; child’s ticket £9 inc food & squash; adults £1 See Facebook @junglejacksinnewquay Kids’ Hallowe’en Fancy-Dress Party, Raze the Roof, Penryn, disco & compere, party games & fancy-dress prizes, 6 to 9pm, £10 spooks inc juice & hot-dogs, adults free, to book see page 11 Coppice Theatre’s Spooky Tales, St Day Old Church, (outdoor venue), 3pm, spooky family show with terrible tales, scary stories and gruesome goings-on! £6, enginehousetickets.co.uk/st-day-old-church Bodmin Halloween Parade & Ritual Performance at the Beacon, free event echoing the traditional Cornish pagan Samhain Festival, costumed parade, community fire, spooky festivities, music & warm drinks, intobodmin.co.uk/bodmaxx Hallowe’en torch-lit trail (6 to 8pm), National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth, dress as ghosts and ghouls, find spooky sea spirits in deep, dark corners, children £5, Adults free with annual pass Bonfire & Fireworks Spectacular, Heartlands, Pool, FREE entry, fairground & food from 4pm, lighting of the bonfire 6.30pm, Oggymen 7pm, fireworks 8pm, music 8.30pm Stick Man, Theatre Royal Plymouth, adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s delightful, funny book, theatreroyal.com 01752 267222 Drive-In Firework Spectacular, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, gates open 3pm, fireworks 7.30pm www.fireworkscornwall.com The Girl & The Dragon, Acorn, Penzance, 2pm, The Suitcase Storytelling Company’s heart-warming, fantastical show for all, age 5+, £8 / under 16s £5 www.theacornpenzance.com 01736 363545 The Girl & The Dragon, St Day Old Church, (outdoor venue), 4pm, £6, enginehousetickets.co.uk/st-day-old-church Friday night Kids’ Disco, Embrace Dance Fitness, Penryn, £7 per child, 5.15 to 6.15pm for 5 to 7yrs, 6.30 to 7.30pm for 8 to 11yrs, 01326 378730 hello@embracedancefitness.co.uk STEAM Explorers, PK Porthcurno, for 7- to 12-year-olds, Free hands-on making activities exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. Museum entry not required, drop-in, 10.30am to 12noon, pkporthcurno.com The Cornish Winter Fair, Royal Cornwall Events Centre, Wadebridge, celebrate Cornish food & farming, free event & parking, fun for all the family, animals, food & farming educational discovery zone, try milking a (mock!) cow & grooming a pony, 10am to 5pm, www.royalcornwallshow.org Cinderella, Hall for Cornwall, a spectacular festive treat at the newly transformed Hall for Cornwall, see page 12, 01872 262466 Christmas Market & Santa’s Grotto, Heartlands, Pool, 10am to 4pm, entertainment, unique gifts, and seasonal tasty treats. Free market entry, Santa’s Grotto - £7 per child inc gift Percy the Park Keeper’s National Trust winter wander trails, 4 to 5, 11 to 23 Dec: Trerice, Newquay, free with entry, 01637 875404. 4 Dec to 3 Jan: Trelissick, near Truro. From 4 Dec: Lanhydrock. Both £2 + entry mention BBP Friday night Kids’ Disco, Embrace Dance Fitness, Penryn. £7 per child. 5.15 to 6.15pm for 5 to 7yrs.

6.30 to 7.30pm for 8 to 11yrs. 01326 378730 hello@embracedancefitness.co.uk Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates, KidzRUs, St Ives Theatre, 2 & 6.30pm, kidzrus.net 01736 797007

Shiver me timbers!

www.kidzrus.net St Ives

Light Parties, Discos & Indoor Fun A Light Party is a Halloween party with a positive focus.

26 Oct 4.30 to 5.30pm: Super-heroes Light Party at St. Martin’s Church Liskeard, a jam-packed hour of free Halloween fun and games, food and a search for the best Superhero. Age 7+, contact grace@smartchurchliskeard.co.uk for more information. 25 Oct at 3pm: Free outdoor trail then light party at Treslothan Church TR14 9LP, no need to book; and 28 Oct at 3.30pm at Penponds Church TR14 0QE, £1, just 20 places available so pre-book on becky@cambornecluster.org.uk or 07903 496869 Embrace Dance Fitness, Penryn.

29 Oct, 19 Nov & 17 Dec: Friday night Kids’ Discos, £7 per child. 5.15 to 6.15pm for 5 to 7yrs.

6.30 to 7.30pm for 8 to 11yrs. NEW children’s timetable! A lovely selection including: exploring theatre through play, improvisation and storytelling at drama club for 7 to 11yrs; cheerleading strength exercises & routines, for 5 to 7yrs and 8 to 11yrs - dance, gymnastics, and most importantly pom poms! Princess play time - games, singing & exploring stories through dance, with different princess themes, for ages 4 to 6yrs; Yin-Yang Yoga for 4 to 8yrs; Zumbini for toddlers; Zumba® Kids, Jr rockin’, high-energy dance parties for 4 to 6yrs; Zumba® Kids based on original Zumba® choreography but for 7 to 11yrs.

Website: www. embracedancefitness.co.uk 01326 378730 Email: hello@ embracedancefitness.co.uk

Open 9am-4pm daily with two-hour sessions.

Child £4.95 Adult £1

10% Locals discount using discount code: TRLOCAL Proof of address will be required on entry.

Book online www.heartlandscornwall.com 01209 707308 Wheal Play, Heartlands, Dudnance Lane, Pool, TR15 3QY

10

Wheal Play, Heartlands’ mining-themed indoor soft play centre, Pool, open daily. There are obstacles to climb, beams to dodge, passages to navigate, swoop down the swirly ‘Mine Drop’ slide, toys and games to play with and a dedicated area for babies. Free entry to the diverse gardens and outdoor adventure playground too. Birthday parties include bouncy castles, NERF battles, archery, music, games and crafts. See page 4 for events. heartlandscornwall.com/wheal-play-booking/

Jungle Jack’s, Newquay. 30 Oct: Halloween Disco Party with DJ Skippy, perfect for little witches and ghosties, from 5 to 7pm. Fancy dress, games and dancing; food and spooky squash is included in the child’s ticket £9; adults £1.50. See Facebook @junglejacksinnewquay for details.

Jungle Jack’s have 1,700 square feet of challenging climbs, rope bridge, astra-glide slide, crafty crawl tubes and a baby and toddler area. A perfect place to meet friends - well-stocked café, free Wi-Fi, free play & entry for under 1s, adult entry just £1, 01637 852890 Book your tickets via www.junglejacks.co.uk Raze the Roof soft play, virtual reality & laser tag arena, Penryn. 30 Oct: Kids’ Halloween Fancy-Dress Party with disco and compere, party games and fancy-dress prizes, from 6 to 9pm.

Spooky juice and haunted hot-dogs included, £10 spooks, adults free.

Huge, newly made-over & well-designed indoor play area including a vertical drop slide, four lane astro slide, bash bags, rollers and rope walks, plus loads for toddlers.

Perfect for birthday parties or just for fun days out. 01326 377481 www.razetheroof.co.uk RazeVR is a free roam and solo pod paradise with portals to multi virtual experiences. Great fun for the whole family, with games to suit all ages, and brilliant for parties. VR Children’s 2-hour party includes free roam arena VR games Star Seeker & Ghost Mansion; games in the solo pods; hot food and unlimited cold juice drinks. 01326 377481 Email: hello@razevr.fun https://www.razevr.fun/book/ Paradise Park, Hayle. Walk the rope bridge, climb the nets, fly down the giant slides in the brilliant JungleBarn indoor play centre.

Great value return tickets for regular visitors. 01736 751020 https://paradisepark.org.uk/junglebarn/ Normally you would actively avoid putting an axe in your child’s hand. Celtic Tossers actively encourage it! They provide a safe and controlled environment to have fun tossing axes at targets.

At mobile events, lots of younger children wanted to have a go too, so they designed a lightweight metal axe for 7-year-olds and they love it!

Now there are permanent locations in Truro and Plymouth. Tuition is provided throughout the hour’s session using both metal axes and standard throwing axes. For prices & availability see www.theceltictossers.co.uk

11

Book your tickets via our website:

www.junglejacks.co.uk

Theatre Shows for autumn and winter Cinderella

HALL FOR CORNWALL 1 December to 2 January Come together with the whole family this Christmas for a spectacular festive treat at the newly transformed Hall for Cornwall.

Join this happy-ever-after Cornish adventure as Cinders is whisked from a pantry to a party via a pumpkin!

Packed with all the traditional ingredients of laugh out loud comedy, spectacular dancing, live music and singing - not to mention a large sprinkling of Cornish heart and fairytale magic - this homegrown retelling of the classic Cinderella story promises to be a ball for adults and children alike.

Cinders, aka Ash, is a girl with a heart of gold and the voice of an angel whose life is changed forever when she finds herself swept up as a masked contestant in the local, Rock and Rhythm Championships, sharing centre stage with a charming Prince. Will she find the courage to find her own voice? Will her true identity be unmasked? Is this her chance to escape from the humdrum of everyday life and transform from rags to riches?

Cinderella is written by Simon Harvey and Richard Healey, the talented creative team behind Hall for Cornwall’s hit Christmas shows Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beanstalk. It will be the first Christmas show to take to the stage of Hall for Cornwall’s new, transformed Cornwall Playhouse auditorium.

The clock is ticking... so book your tickets before it strikes midnight!

Book now at hallforcornwall.co.uk Box Office 01872 262466 Hall for Cornwall, Back Quay, Truro, TR1 2LL

More Indoor Theatre

IntoBodmin, The Old Library www.intobodmin.co.uk/box-office 17 Oct 4pm: Coppice Theatre Science Adventures: The Power Pickle.

This fantastical show explores science with fun and accessible adventure stories. Professor McGuffin’s ground-breaking but broken Sub-Nuclear Optical Transmitter (S.N.O.T.) is jeopardising the mission! Join the intrepid scientists as they come to the rescue. For ages 5+.

KidzRUs, St Ives Theatre, kidzrus.net 01736 797007 20 to 23, 27 to 30 Dec, 2 & 6.30pm: Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates, buckle your swash and set sail with Robinson, Captain Seasalt and Nutty Nick into a world of adventure and hilarity.

You’ll meet a host of colourful characters along the way, together with a band of marauding pirates.

Stiltskin’s Soapbox Children’s Theatre Devonport. stiltskin.org.uk 15 & 22 Oct 1.30pm £12 & 23 Oct 11am £14: Quest for the Ice Dragon, a daytime show for younger children and their parents. ... (continued on the next page)

12

Stiltskin’s Soapbox Children’s Theatre continued: Selected dates 8 to 24 Dec: The Christmas Mouse - under 5s’ show.

Selected dates 11 to 24 Dec: The Magic Lantern and The Story Thief - a fantastical family show Theatre Royal Plymouth theatreroyal.com 01752 267222 5 to 6 Nov: Freckle Productions’ delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man. Stickman’s jog becomes a misadventure: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire!

1 Dec to 22 Jan: Stuff & Nonsense’s The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin. An extraordinary explorer learns Penguin but when he arrives at the Antarctic will the penguins’ reception be frosty?!

With playful energy, puppetry, music and song, for all the family, age 3+

A COSMIC TOURING THE

17 Dec to 15 Jan: Aladdin with Joe Pasquale. Packed with laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. Expect flying carpets, a wish-granting genie, an evil sorcerer and a lamp-full of laughs.

Outdoor / Big Top

Rogue Theatre at Tehidy Woods, North Cliffs, Nr. Portreath, https://rogueotherworld.co.uk 07814 558871 customerservice@enginehousetickets.co.uk 22 to 31 Oct (not 25th): Rogue Otherworld - The Dead of Night Dance is a wild and wonderful Halloween celebration with theatre, laughter, music, stories, thrills, frights, delights and dancing.

In the sparkling dark heart of Tehidy Woods a collection of comic, ghoulish and ghostly stories come to life on Mrs Logan’s underworld stage! then… after the final curtain; hit the dancefloor at the Dead of Night Dance!

Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, 01736 810181 www.minack.com 24 to 28 Oct, 1 & 4pm: Horrible Histories - Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians. Does the Duke of Wellington get the boot?

Will you be saved by Florence Nightingale? Find out what a baby farmer did and move to the groove with party Queen Victoria!

The horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in! Hilariously vulgar, brilliantly grisly. Tickets from £10, Under 16: half price.

29 to 31 Oct, 1 & 4pm: The Kiss that Missed. David Melling’s charming picture-book of Knightly Tales is brought to life by actor and storyteller John Brolly with all the humour of the original stories plus some new songs. The Little Prince’s goodnight kiss has gone missing. It’s escaped into the forest, so the brave, fearless knight is sent on a mission to bring it back…

Pokya at The Big Top at Heartlands, Redruth 28, 29 & 30 Oct, 5.30 & 8pm, Cirque Du Bizarre Halloween Spectacular, an immersive show suitable for the whole family, a delightfully dark combination of circus and theatre in a sensational heated big top. £8 12s and under, £12 adults, Family tickets £35 (2+2) www.tickettailor.com/events/pokyaentertainment St Day Old Church is a beautiful historic building in the heart of the town and is now an outdoor community space and arts venue. https://enginehousetickets.co.uk/st-day-old-church-2 30 Oct, 3pm: Coppice Theatre’s Spooky Tales. A spooky show for all the family with terrible tales, scary stories and gruesome goings-on! £6 8 Nov, 4pm: The Girl & The Dragon by The Suitcase Storytelling Company. Heart-warming, fantastical show for young and old.

Join Toral as she swims uncrossable rivers, braves impassable forests and scales unclimbable mountains, all to fight a great and terrible dragon. £6 (For ages 5+) and also at The Acorn, Penzance, on 7 Nov, at 2pm. Adults £8 Under 16s £5 www.theacornpenzance.com 01736 363545

13

COMEDY GREAT OUTDOORS

Blackbird Reads Transports of Delight by Deborah Wright

Beep Beep!

by Max Low published by Otter-Barry There’s a purple walrus driving a bus, and Tremendous Tracy on her tractor which is WHEELY awesome. Jet Pilot Jennifer has a plane full of penguins and ostriches and Super Speedy Susan has a Vroom Vroom sports car. Green and pink and orange and purple pages and the zaniest drivers and passengers – if you’re looking for something fun rather than factual, and with strong feminine characters, then this is a bright, happy book for 2+ Whales on the Bus

by Katrina Charman, illustrated by Nick Sharratt published by Bloomsbury Every toddler learns ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ and this brilliant new version is my 21-month-old grandson’s favourite book. He laughs out loud as bees on skis go zoom, zoom, zoom, sheep in the jeep race through the mud, and llamas in pyjamas go snore, snore, snore. Nick Sharratt’s illustrations are perfect and very funny.

I’m the Fire Engine Driver I’m the Digger Driver illustrated by David Semple published by Oxford A simple idea - the reader becomes the driver, puts on the safety gear, sits in the cab and turns on the engine. I’ve read these two books so many times with my grandson and put out countless fires and dug many holes. It delights him every time. Numbers, colours and shapes are learnt along the way, and we love going, Nee-naw Nee-naw and Whoosh!

Are you in need of a new challenge or a confidence boost?

My Big Book of Transport

by Moira Butterfield, illustrated by Bryony Clarkson, published by Walker Every kind of vehicle is included in this bumper book. I especially like the Trucks of the World page – truckers in Peru paint the backs of their trucks with lions and bears and in Pakistan trucks are often hung with bells and carvings and called jingle trucks. There’s a bouncy rhyme, bright colours, and lots of facts. For 4+

The Locally Led Learning project may hold the answer…

The project is intended to support adults of 19 years and over who are unemployed or on benefits, and build confidence, self-esteem and skills. The courses on offer are wide ranging from arts and crafts, to music, IT skills to animal welfare…

If you’re interested in finding out more, just get in touch!

Here’s what two learners had to say: ‘Adult Education tutor Jane Hill suggested this mental health awareness course. I have gained so much confidence and knowledge about the different types of mental health and also learning about mental wellbeing.

'Doing this course has given me the confidence to do more courses on different things to build up my knowledge in different areas. I am now progressing on to the Level 2 Skills in Professions for Animal Care. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me - also it is great to socialise!’

‘Working with the animals has taken me back to my childhood in Essex. The AMLAG project has enabled me to get out from home.

I have never achieved any form of education, but Jane (my tutor) is helping me achieve this. I feel happy and relaxed when I am working with the animals. I have loved the work with the horses and donkeys.

'I am looking forward to working back on a farm in the future.’

How Trains Work

by Clive Gifford, illustrated by James Gulliver Hancock published by Lonely Planet Kids.

Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about trains. There are flaps and pull-out pages and the illustrations, reminiscent of Where’s Wally, are crammed with detail. Steam trains, trains that go at nearly 400mph, the Channel Tunnel trains, monorails…they’re all there, and how train networks work. It’s written with the Senior Curator of the National Railway Museum. For 6+ The Primrose Railway Children

by Jaqueline Wilson, illustrated by Rachael Dean published by Puffin Inspired by the real Bluebell Line, Jacqueline Wilson has reimagined the famous Railway Children round the steam engines on the Primrose Line. Threads of the original are woven into this exciting retelling, with lots of illustrations.

For 8+. I also recommend Geraldine McCaughrean’s exciting Stop the Train, about the American railroad. 9+

14

What’s On at The Box, Plymouth’s major new museum and gallery 26 to 29 Oct Half Term: Weaving Journeys Drop into The Box on selected dates during October half term, get creative and celebrate the brand-new blockbuster exhibition!

Camel Creek Adventure Park £2 off per person using on-line code BBP21 Spooktacular thrills, frighteningly good fun and a whole week of tricks, treats and scary surprises are in store at Camel Creek Adventure Park this Halloween.

From 23 to 31 October, step back in time on a Haunted Trail and come face-to-face with hair-raising characters, from Jack the Ripper to the Beast of Bodmin and Cornish sea serpent, Morgawr. In the spooky graveyard, there’s bones ready for excavation and only the brave will discover what lurks in the darkness of the grotto…

10.30am to 12.30pm & 1.30 to 3.30pm All sessions are free and there is no need to book in advance, but please be aware that at busy times spaces may be limited. Drop in for as little or as long as you like.

Take your inspiration from the paintings and objects in the ‘Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters’ exhibition, celebrate what’s special about where you live and help make a giant woven artwork.

There will be lots of materials available for you to illustrate your journeys and then weave them into a massive panel that will be displayed at The Box in early 2022.

21 Oct 2021 to 27 Feb 2022 Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters The National Museum of Australia’s award-winning exhibition comes to The Box. Experience ancient stories from the world’s oldest continuing culture, told through more than 300 paintings and objects by over 100 different artists. Take an epic journey that crosses three states, three deserts and some 500,000 square kilometres. With ceramics, paintings, sculpture, installation and film, immerse yourself in an exhibition that uses the power of art and culture to connect us across time zones and international borders.

The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AX theboxplymouth.com

15

Throughout the hair-raising Halloweek, bold adventurers can also visit Camel Creek’s scariest residents at the Reptile House and Crocodile Corner and face their fears in the House of Horrors Scare Zone. Then try out the specially created Trick or Treat games for all ages at the park’s show area – be warned, you might get a surprise with extra yuck factor! In the Pumpkin Patch claim a free pumpkin to take home and create freaky make-and-take refreshments in the Chocolate Factory.

This is all on top of Camel Creek’s usual thrilling rides - from the sky-high Vertigo and Thunder Falls Log-flume to the brand-new Magic Dragon roller coaster - sure to make the whole family scream!

Test your nerve and book online today at www.camelcreek.co.uk Pre-booking essential.

Camel Creek Adventure Park, near Wadebridge, PL27 7RA