What’s On
If you would like to feature a listing in a future issue email
Don’t forget to sign up for our digital magazine for more content at
Places to go
Harpenden harpenden.gov.uk/events-andmarkets
Harpenden Lions Highland Gathering - 13 Jul
A Scottish themed family fun day and fundraiser for charities, in Rothamsted Park.
Harpenden Farmers Market - 27 Jul & 24 Aug, 10am-2pm Artisan and local traders selling home-made or locally sourced goods and produce.
Teddy Bears Picnic - 6 Aug
An exciting event with activities and entertainment held in Rothamsted Park.
Summer Fun Fair - 21-25 Aug
A funfair with rides for all ages held on Harpenden Common.
Highfield Park
St Albans highfieldparktrust.co.uk/event
Forest School - 30 Jul, 6, 13, 20 & 27 Aug, 10am-12noon Hands-on woodland experience. For ages 4 to 11. £10 per child.
School Holiday Activity Programme
Ware waretowncouncil.gov.uk/ whats-on/school-holidayactivities/
All activities are FREE and take place at The Priory, High Street, Ware.
Archery - 28 Jul, 12pm-4pm; Climbing Wall - 31 Jul, 12pm4pm; Doodle Jam - 7 Aug, 12pm-4pm; Junk Percussion Workshop - 12 Aug, 11am-5pm; Animal Encounters - 14 Aug, 12pm-4pm; Water Wars - 25 Aug, 12pm-4pm; Bushcraft - 26 Aug, 10.30am-4pm. For ages 6-12; Multi-sports - 28 Aug, 12pm-4pm.
Ware Festival
waretowncouncil.gov.uk/ whats-on/ware-festival/
Packed schedule of events includes: Carnival Day and Town Fair - 5 Jul; Ware Brass Summer Picnic Concert at Ware Priory - 6 July; Riverside Real Ale Festival, Pavement Artists Competition, Raft Race
and Putting Competition - 12
Jul, and Ware Annual Food Festival - 20 Jul – and lots more!
Tweenie Tuesdays at The Marlowes
Hemel Hempstead themarlowes.co.uk
Perfect for keeping your little ones busy, on Tuesdays from 10am-2pm in Centre Court.
Storyboats at Frogmore Paper Mill - 25 & 30 Jul, 6, 13, 20 & 27 Aug
Apsley, Nr Hemel Hempstead frogmorepapermill.org.uk/ family-fun/ Summer-themed stories all aboard a 40-minute boat trip, with wildlife spotting and birdfeeding. Booking essential.
Stay and Play at Get Wild!
Hatfield Galleria Shopping Outlet thegalleria.co.uk
Jungle-themed indoor play area for ages 1 to 12.
Gosling Sport Park
Welwyn Garden City better.org.uk/leisure-centre/ welwyn/gosling-sports-park
Wide range of facilities for all the family including indoor play area, skiing, cycling, tennis, and gym activities for all ages.
Rye House Hoddesdon rye-house.co.uk
Karting, laser combat, nerf wars and Rye-Assic Adventure Park, an indoor and outdoor play area for 0-12 year olds. Soft play, arcades, trampolines and more!
Mr Mulligans Adventure Golf Stevenage mrmulligan.com/stevenage
With two epic adventure golf courses plus a fantastic bar and a restaurant, there’s something for all the family.
Roller Skate Disco
Welwyn Garden City www.campuswest.co.uk
Enjoy two 90-minute holiday skate sessions every weekday throughout the holidays 11am and 1pm, at Campus West. Cost: £10 with your own skates or £13.70 with skate hire. Age 8+
Soft Play City
Welwyn Garden City www.campuswest.co.uk
A colourful wonderland of play for babies and children up to the age of 8.
Hatfield Kids FunZone Hatfield funzonehatfield.co.uk
Large multi-level children’s soft play. 90-minute play sessions Mon to Fri, 9.30am-2.30pm and a shorter 45-minute session 2.45pm-3.30pm. Plus children’s parties, including laser tag.
Woody’s Play Barn
Ware woodysplaybarn.co.uk
Vibrant play area with an array of slides, ball pits, an interactive floor, mini football pitch and cannons! Outdoor area with swings, slides and a musical panel. Plus crazy golf, splash pad, bungee trampolines, a skyrider and electric go karts.
Cloud 9 Leisure Inflatable Park
Hemel Hempstead cloud9leisure.com
Indoor inflatable park with huge selection of gladiator/total wipeout and ninja warrior activities for all ages. Also offers parties and school holiday deals.
Gravity Active Stevenage gravity-global.com/active/ stevenage
Trampoline park suitable for all ages and abilities from 18 months up. Parent and toddler, and SEN sessions.
The XC
Hemel Hempstead thexc.co.uk
Whether you climb, skate, or thrill seek, XC has the perfect adventure for adrenaline junkies of all ages. Rock climbing wall, skate park, cave and high ropes.
Planet Ice Hemel Hempstead planet-ice.co.uk
Fun indoor ice-skating arena with skate hire and push along penguins for little ones. Lessons, shows, discos and children’s parties.
Children’s Summer Trail -19 Jul to 31 Aug
Hertford Town Centre hertford.gov.uk
Follow the trail map and discover the knitted characters hiding in shops and shop windows across town.
Summer at Hertford Castle Hertford Castle hertford.gov.uk
Teddy Bears Picnic - 20 Jul, 12pm-4pm
Pack your picnic basket and bring along your favourite teddy for a day of adventure. Free.
Rock at the Castle - 3 Aug, 12pm7pm
Free family-friendly music festival featuring local musicians. Hertford Play Day - 6 Aug, 11am4pm
Child-friendly activities and games, many of which are free of charge.
Cammas Hall Farm Nr Bishop’s Stortford cammashall.co.uk
Pick your own fruit and vegetables, tea barn, farm shop, maize maze (Aug-Oct), nature trail and children’s play area.
Garg’s Animal Encounters - 6 & 25 Jul, 2 Aug, 10.30am & 11:45am
Get up close and personal with some incredible animals. For ages 4+.
Jewellery Workshop with Party and Sparkle - 13 Aug, 10am-2pm
Great for ages 3-10, budding jewellery designers can make two items complete with their own personalised box to take home. Pirate and Princess Workshop - 30 Jul & 16 Aug, 10am-2pm
Kids design and create their own Pirate hats/Princess tiaras. Ages 3-10. Drop-in workshop.
My Story: Artist in Residence - 19 Jul, 12-4pm
Welwyn Garden City Library
Celebrate the creativity of local artists. See exhibited artwork, meet and speak to each artist and hear brilliant, local live music. Free event.
TrackPlay - 1 Aug, 9.30am-2pm Fairlands Primary School, Stevenage trackplay.co.uk/events/stevenage Giant train tracks for kids to play with. Pay and play for an hour or book multiple sessions.
London Colney Village Day, 9
Aug
Morris Playing Fields, London Colney
An event showcasing the very best of London Colney and surrounding areas. Live music, dog show, dance performances, food stalls, fairground rides, games and more. Tickets in advance, £2. Email events@londoncolneypc.gov.uk
Graveley Fruit Farm
Hitchin graveleystrawberries.co.uk
Play area, sand pit, cafe and fruit picking. Free entry. Plus, go-karts £1.50; crazy Golf £6 adult, £3 child; jumping pillow £3; titanic £2. Golden ticket includes all activities plus a free round of golf per accompanying adult, £15 per child.
Ardeley Church Farm
Nr Stevenage churchfarmardeley.co.uk
Farm Day Pass – meet theanimals, access the farm trail, woodland play, bear hunt, fairy trail and more. Special events during school holidays.
Aldenham Country Park
Radlett
aldenhamcountrypark.co.uk
Explore 100 Aker Wood, go on a nature trail. Adventure playground is open daily during bank and school holidays. Small animal petting. Standalone Farm Letchworth standalonefarm.com
A delightful, small working farm with animals, adventure
playground, adventure trail and indoor play barn.
Ashridge Estate – National Trust nationaltrust.org.uk/ashridgeestate
Lovely area of woodland with numerous footpaths, family cycle trail, meadows and a natural play area. Perfect for a day’s exploring!
Hatfield Park hatfield-house.co.uk
Folk By The Oak - 20 Jul
Family-friendly summer festival fun for all ages including live music, craft stalls and workshops, dancing, yoga, storytelling, circus skills and more, plus a dedicated family area.
6 Weeks of Summer - 23 Jul to 2 Sep
Each week offers a variety of themed activities.
The Wind in the Willows by Immersion Theatre - 1 Aug, 5.30pm-7.30pm
Join Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad on the adventure of a lifetime. Outdoor theatre for all ages.
The Tempest by Immersion Theatre - 8 Aug, 5.30pm-7.30pm
With heaps of audience participation, this mesmerising show will be brought to life in unforgettable style. Outdoor theatre for ages 8+.
Knebworth House, Park and Gardens knebworthhouse.com
Knebworth House, Gardens, Adventure Playground, and Dinosaur Trail will be open
Carfest - 22-24 Aug carfest.org
One big family-friendly festival in the heart of Hampshire. It’s not all about cars either! There’s so much to see and enjoy from food, music, wellbeing, retro fun, and adventure play. The kidsfest area is vibrant and action-packed – there's non-stop fun and adventure – and it’s the perfect place for young festival goers to play and explore.
Sprinkle in some of the best
throughout the summer, offering a fantastic mix of history, nature, and fun!
The Great British Food Festival - 19 & 20 Jul, 10am-5pm
A fun, foodie, family day out with amazing artisan producers, scrumptious street food, brilliant bars and live entertainment. Classic Motor Show - 24 & 25 Aug Static display, show arena hosting parades. Children’s entertainment, live music, hot food, and shopping stalls.
Hertfordshire Nature Reserves hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/ nature-reserves
Explore Hertfordshire’s many nature reserves and enjoy a family adventure.
Chiltern Open Air Museum www.coam.org.uk
Every Tuesday throughout the summer holidays is a Terrific Tuesday at Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire. These are special themed family craft and activity days. Terrific Tuesday on the 19 Aug will have a Victory in Japan Day theme. There will be live 1940s music, storytelling, poppy making, clay modelling, and the opportunity to meet the Hitchhiking Historian and his friends and step into history
Campo Sancho Festival - 25-27 Jul Walkern www.sanchopanza.org/camposancho/
Fairlands Valley Park
Stevenage
120 acres of parkland, sailing centre, play area, activity centre, lakes and woodland.
South Mill Arts Museum
Bishop’s Stortford southmillarts.co.uk
Kids Crafts - Circus Clowns – 29, 30 & 31 Jul, 10am-2pm
Make a clown hat and tie and pose for a pic or create your own clown jumping jack. For ages 4+. £2 per child. Drop-in.
Kids Crafts - Circus Acrobats – 5, 6 & 7 Aug, 10am-2pm
Make a trapeze artist or spinning acrobat! For ages 4+. £2 per child. Drop-in.
Storytime - 5 Aug
Enjoy a story and some colouring and craft. For ages 2½-5. Free.
Kids Crafts - Circus Jugglers - 12, 13 & 14 Aug, 10am-2pm
Make a wobbly juggler or juggling puzzle. For ages 4+. £2 per child. Drop-in.
Classic Ibiza - 16 Aug
Hatfield
www.classicibiza.co.uk
Classic Ibiza returns to Hatfield House, bringing an extra-special show to mark its 10th birthday. Classic Ibiza will be taking fans on a high-octane ride of the most popular tracks from its 10-year back catalogue. Known for their work alongside dance music greats like Groove Armada and Robert Miles, the awesome 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra will be performing more tracks than ever before. They’ll be joined for the first time by the incredible London Community Gospel Choir, adding a fresh dynamic with their soulful vocals to a selection of house classics. Bring a picnic or sample delicious delights from streetfood vendors.
musicians and artists from the UK and abroad (Rita Ora, Sam Ryder, Tom Walker, The Boomtown Rats, Kim Wilde, Madness and more) and this is one festival not to be missed. Certainly worth travelling out of the county for!
Carfest, created by Chris Evans, has raised millions for the charities it supports, including children’s charities Teenage Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Young Epilepsy.
Be a part of one of Hertfordshire’s best-kept summer secrets, Campo Sancho. A weekend of worldclass music, family-friendly entertainment, and community celebration in the heart of the countryside. Held on Walkern Hall estate, just outside the village of Walkern, Campo Sancho is a celebration of great music, good people, and delicious locally sourced food. There are healing treats, massage, plus talks, demonstrations and comedy. There’s plenty to entertain the young too, from circus skills, crafting, bushcraft and a kids’ disco for the littlest of Campo campers. Visit website for tickets and information.
Mill Green Museum
Hatfield
www.millgreenmuseum.co.uk
Mini Millers Stay & Play. Handson play themed around milling, baking and rivers. Cost: £6 adult / £2 child. Includes Mill tour and refreshments. For age 5 and under. Fridays 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm.
East Herts Miniature Railway Ware ehmr.org.uk
Independent Miniature Railway located within the grounds of Van Hage Garden Centre in Great Amwell (near Ware).
St Albans Museum
stalbansmuseums.org.uk
Lots of free activities during the summer holiday.
Sunday Crafternoon - 6, 13 & 20
Jul, 1.30pm & 2.45pm
Fun, family-friendly session with different craft activities every week. £6.50 per child
Messy Monday Mornings, 10.15am-11.45am
Messy play and creative activities for under 5s. £6.50 per child.
Museum Minis - 11 Jul & 8 Aug, 10am & 11am Story, craft activity and museum treasure hunt for ages 2-4. £6.50 per child.
Miniature Fruit and Flowers - 27 Aug, 10.15am & 11.30am Make your own creations from colourful polymer clay. Aged 5+. £8.50 per person.
Verulamium Museum St Albans stalbansmuseums.org.uk
Tots Tales - 25 Jul & 22 Aug, 10am & 11am
Story, craft activity and museum treasure hunt for ages 2-4. £6.50 per child.
Archaeology for Families - 29 Jul, 12 & 19 Aug, 10.30am-1pm
A fun family friendly introduction to archaeology. For children aged 7-12 plus adult.
Laurentius Calvus - 7, 16 & 28 Aug, 10.30am-1pm Meet Laurentius Calvus and hear some of the stories from his life in Roman Britain. Bernadus Julius Frontinus - 21 Aug, 11.30am & 31 Aug, 2.30pm Meet Roman soldier Bernardus Julius Frontinus and hear about life in the Roman army.
Secrets and Spies at Royston Museum - 24 Jul - 31 Aug Royston www.roystonmuseum.org.uk
This summer, your mission - should you choose to accept it - is to train as a top-secret agent in an exciting, family-friendly spy school! Over an action-packed summer holiday, kids and grown-ups alike will unlock new spy skills, take on thrilling challenges, and complete top-secret missions together. Each week features a different spy skill - from decoding and disguise to stealth and surveillance. Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm. £3 per child per week or £6 for all 6 weeks. Suitable for all ages.
Play! Discover! Share!, 6-23 Aug Broadway Gallery, Letchworth Garden City www.broadway-gallery.com
Inclusive summer programme designed for children, young people and their families to explore the arts, try something new, and have fun. Ages 5-15. Free to attend.
Natural History Museum
Tring
nhm.ac.uk/visit/tring
Ocean Exploration - 21-24 Jul, 29- 31 Jul, 5-7 Aug, 10.30am–12pm & 2pm-3.30pm
Get up close to fascinating specimens, from corals and seahorses to whales and sharks. Free.
Family Arts at Broadway Gallery - 12 Jul & 9 Aug, 10.30am & 1.30pm
Letchworth Garden City broadway-gallery.com
Fun filled family workshops led by local creatives. For ages 3-10.
Camp Kindling - 15-18 Aug
Sevenoaks, Kent campkindling.co.uk
A touch further afield, this is a summer camp for families with a festival vibe. A choice of over 100 activities by day and over 50 live bands, DJs, comedians and stories by night, all set in a enchanting woodland location. One not to be missed!
Theatre
Beam Hertford beamhertford.co.uk
Taylormania - 16 Jul
Taylor Swift Eras Tribute
Concert featuring all of the pop icon’s much-loved hits.
Rude Science - 30 Jul
High tech, highly explosive show, packed with outrageous science stunts.
The Eric Morecambe Centre Harpenden the-emc.co.uk
A Squash and a Squeeze - 29-31 Jul
An enchanting musical adaptation of the best-selling book. For ages 3-8.
Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage gordon-craig.co.uk
Molly Vickers School of Dance
Summer Showcase - 17 & 18 Jul
With a mixture of dance styles performed by pupils from the age of 2 years through to adults.
Identity Dance: Don’t Stop Me
Now - 19 Jul
Talented dancers performing street dance, classical ballet, gymnastics and musical theatre.
Wyllyotts Theatre
Potters Bar wyllyottstheatre.co.uk
Fun for Little Ones: A Tribute to Ms Rachel - 17 Aug
Bringing ‘Ms Rachels’ character to life in a fun, interactive performance
The Old Town Hall Hemel Hempstead oldtownhall.co.uk
Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage on Wheels - 1 Aug 40-minute interactive, show, celebrating the joy of getting outdoors and being active.
The Radlett Centre Radlett radlettcentre.co.uk
Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show - 8 & 9 Jul
Peppa Pig and friends are back in their brand-new live stage show. For ages 2-6.
The Koala Who Could - 15 Jul
Join Kevin and his friends in an Australian Outback adventure. For ages 3+.
Spot’s Birthday Party - 5 & 6
Aug
Join Spot and his friends for this delightful and heartwarming show. For ages 2+.
Pop Princesses World Tour - 7 Aug
A magical show where beautiful Princesses become Pop Stars. For all ages.
Science Museum - The Live Stage Show - 8 Aug
Brand-new stage production to ignite your curiosity. For ages 5+.
Tom Gates Epic Stage Show28 Aug
Catchy tunes and hilarious performances bring this popular character to life. For ages 5+.
South Mill Arts Bishop’s Stortford southmillarts.co.uk
Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians & Vile Victorians - 11 Jul
Meet a whole host of people from history. This is history brought to life in a fun, engaging way. Lots of laughs, audience participation and a few historical surprises! For ages 5+.
CoComelon, 15 Jul to 7 Sep
St Martin’s Theatre, London W1
CoComelon: Sing-A-Long LIVE is coming to the West End this summer. Join Ms. Appleberry, JJ, Cody, Nina, and Cece on a fun-filled musical adventure through the Melon Patch. This interactive show brings CoComelon’s colourful world to life, inviting families to sing, dance, and play together. With beloved characters, surprises, and favourite songs like ‘Wheels on the Bus’ and ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It,’ it’s a joyful celebration of childhood and the magic of a first live show! For tickets and more information cocomelonontour.com
Clubs, Classes & Camps
Club Excel Activity Camp www.clubexcel.co.uk
The ultimate local activity camp with a wide range of activities for children aged 3-13 years. All activities are designed to suit age groups and interests, but are also based on developing skills, making new friends, encouraging team skills and individual growth through play.
Venues right across the county. Visit website for details.
JD Ballers Summer Camps
Berkhamsted
Action-packed, fun football and games from 9am-4pm. Activities take place outdoors and indoors, including cinema sessions! Select dates in July and August. Charity Day 22 August for Teenage Cancer Trust. For more information email admin@ jdballers.info
Summer Holiday Art Camps
St Albans and Harpenden www.shedloadsoffun.com/onlinebooking
Fun art camps. Children come for a day or more and learn to draw and then paint a different project each day in either watercolours or acrylics on canvas. At the end of the day they get to take home their very own masterpiece! As well as step-by-step instruction there’s plenty of time for play and making friends too! Weekdays Monday 28th July - Friday 22nd August 2025. Held at St Peter’s School and St Columba’s College in St Albans, and Roundwood School in Harpenden. For ages 6-12. £40 per day with sibling discount.
Jigsaw Performing Arts
Ware, Broxbourne, Harlow
Fun dance, drama and singing classes where children (aged 3-18) can find a place to belong. Every session is a chance for your child to grow in confidence, make friends, and explore their creative spark in a structured, and supportive environment. Run by skilled, experienced and attentive staff. For more details email rachel@jigsaw-arts.co.uk
Tappy Toes
St Albans and Harpenden, Hertford and Ware, Hitchin and Stevenage. Active and energetic dance and movement classes for children aged 6 months to 5 years. tappytoes.com/ franchisees/toddler-classes
Perform weekly drama, dance and singing classes perform.org.uk
Confidence-building drama classes for 4-7s and 7-12s. A unique mix of fun drama games, dance and singing specially designed to boost confidence, communication, concentration and coordination. Venues at Bishops Stortford, Sheering (new), Borehamwood, Broxbourne, Harpenden, Hertford, Hitchin, Knebworth, Letchworth, Radlett, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City. To book a FREE class visit www.perform.org.uk/try
Musicale Music Lessons and camps Harpenden musicale.co.uk
Music lessons for 4 to 7 year olds.
Elevate your child’s summer with a Musicale summer holiday course! A sociable and educational experience where
young musicians enjoy an enriching approach to music.
Summer Musical Theatre Workshops at The Radlett Centre Radlett radlettcentre.co.uk
Week 1: 28 Jul-1 Aug. Week 2: 18-22 Aug. Singing, dancing and acting for ages 8-18.
Southern Maltings
Ware
southernmaltings.co.uk
Children’s Craft Carousel
Summer Workshop – 1 Aug, 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm. Choose from different craft stations set up with a selection of craft activities. For ages 3-7. Stay & Play every Thursday from 9.30am. Fun, free drop-in session for 0-5 years.
Master Builders (Lego for Y2 to Y6) every Thursday 4pm-5pm. DancePro Academy - ballet, jazz and tap lessons. danceproacademy.com
Best School of Musical Theatre – singing, acting and dancing lessons for 5-16 years. besttheatrearts.com
Theatrix Drama Classes
Abbey Theatre, St Albans theatrix.co.uk
Weekly classes in drama, acting,
speech and musical theatre for groups, individual and pairs of young students, aged 5–19, after school and on Saturday mornings.
Baby Massage, Babe Club, Mum and Baby Yoga sadiecentre.org
Offers range of sessions for parents and babies.
Code Ninjas - Inspiring Young Techies
Hemel Hempstead codeninjas.co.uk
Master the secrets of Redstone – Minecraft’s engineering marvel, or perfect your Roblox Development skills at the Code Ninjas Dojo in Hemel. All hardware and software included.
Monkey Music
Music classes for babies and toddlers. Harpenden, St Albans - harpenden.stalbans@ monkeymusic.co.uk ; Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Ware & Bishop’s Stortford - hertford@ monkeymusic.co.uk ; Hitchin, Knebworth, Shefford, Baldock & surrounds - baldock.hitchin@ monkeymusic.co.uk .
KMDT Self Defence Hatfield kmdt.co.uk
KMDT is an all-inclusive, friendly
club. Learn and train in the skills to keep you safe.
Sapphire Gymnastics
Hemel Hempstead sapphiregymnastics.co.uk
Gym classes for toddlers to 15 years, holiday camps, workshops and more.
Imagination Dance
Stevenage, Hitchin, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford imaginationarts.co.uk
A range of sensory and creative dance classes specifically aimed at those with suspected or diagnosed additional needs.
Market your business with Families Herts!
• We reach over 45,000 engaged readers each issue
• Distribute from schools, tuition centres, libraries, leisure attractions and more
• We have a high repeat booking rate, so advertising with us works trusted, influential, visible 07958284983
Herts