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Family Events in Ripon Spa Gardens
June 11, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
FreeA whole day of family entertainment in the attractive surroundings of the Spa Gardens.
With open-air theatre for all ages, puppet shows, interactive games and even a chance to practice your circus skills, this will be a boredom-free zone.
The professional programme will be complimented by music, drama and dance performances from local groups inside and outside the bandstand.
Bring a blanket and a picnic, buy an ice-cream from the café and plan to stay all day!
All events are free. The running order is:
Lawns | Bandstand area | |
10.30am-11am | Seastorm in a Teacup | Trinity Singers |
11am-11.30am | Seeing Red | Ripon Walled Garden Performers |
11.30am-12noon | Wonderland of Games | Cricket on the Hearth Dancers |
12noon-12.30pm | Wonderland of Games | Noah’s Ark |
12.30pm-1pm | Seeing Red / Circus Skills | Ripon Goes to Bollywood |
1pm-1.30pm | Circus Skills | A La Puppet Carte |
1.30pm-2:00pm | Circus Skills | A La Puppet Carte |
2pm-2.30pm | Seeing Red / Circus Skills | Ripon U3A Ukulele Band |
2.30pm-3pm | Wonderland of Games | Trinity Handbells |
3pm-3.30pm | Wonderland of Games | A La Puppet Carte |
3.30pm-4pm | Dream of the Sea | A La Puppet Carte |
4pm-4.30pm | Dream of the Sea |
Seastorm in a Teacup
A mermaid is an amazing gift for a young adventurer. But what do you do when it just won’t stop growing? A chance meeting, an act of kindness and an unusual present lead a lonely young girl on the most unexpected journey.
This new play by Gemma Curry (The Sleep Pirates) will take you on an epic adventure of mystery, magic and mermaids. With storytelling, music, movement and puppetry, little people will love this original tale about finding friendship presented by Hoglets Theatre.
Age guide 3-7
10.30-11am
Seeing Red
A modern retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, full of red-related surprises, a pinch of feminism and a mini mob of original puppet characters; all crammed into one large, furry suitcase!
When Gran and Red contemplate their fate inside the wolf’s stomach, a flash of motivation leads our heroine to ‘see red’ and plan a dramatic escape…
Expert puppeteers Frolicked remind us that it’s okay to be angry and that little girls have just as much courage as anyone else. Including the big bad wolf!
Show lasts 25 minutes.
Age guide 5+
11am, 12.30pm, 2pm
Wonderland of Games
Join Rhubarb Theatre as you shrink into the gardens of the Queen of Hearts to find yourselves amongst her large lawn games. Once there you might get knotted up in the Alice-themed twister, go crackers with the croquet, or become champions of the chequers board. But watch out for her court jokers, bringing mayhem and madness, as well as the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter. An interactive experience from Rhubarb Theatre combining street theatre, family games and weird and wonderful walkabout characters.
11.30am – 12.30pm & 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Noah’s Ark
School assembly favourites Open the Book present a pop-up open-air theatre version of the famous Old Testament story in front of the bandstand. Let’s hope the deluge remains imaginary.
12pm – 12.30pm
Circus Skills with The Fireman Dave
A drop-in session for all ages. Have a go with juggling balls or clubs, plate-spinning, diabolo, hula hooping and more. A great way to spend some time before the next show begins!
12.30pm-2.30pm
A la Puppet Carte
On the menu is not one, not two, but three pop up puppet stages built onto the backs of electric tricycles. Each mobile stage is a show full of surprises, fun and heart-warming stories of friendship and a sense of home. Presented by Thingumajig Theatre.
Suitable for all ages.
1pm-1.45pm & 3pm–3.45pm
Dream of the Sea
From the team that brought us Winne and Warwick (pictured) in 2022. The adventure of a lifetime turns into a disaster for this fisherman! But when a friendly whale shows him the truth of the sea, his life is changed in ways he could never have imagined. The ocean comes to life around him with more beauty than he knew existed and as time passes it changes him for the better.
Filled with energy, light and sound, this show for all ages shows a world usually hidden from view below the waves. With plenty of laughs, special effect, movement, live audio and light effects, it’s guaranteed to leave you in awe at the wonder of the sea.
3.30pm – 4.15pm
Local Performers
Enjoy some super local performers throughout the day, including:
Ripon Goes to Bollywood
Trinity Singers
Ripon U3A Ukele Band
Cricket on the Hearth
Trinity Handbells