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DTSTART;TZID="Europe/London":20260614T105500
DTEND;TZID="Europe/London":20260614T150000
DTSTAMP:20260726T014159
CREATED:20260326T090052
LAST-MODIFIED:20260612T082224
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SUMMARY:Midsummer Madness Family Fun
DESCRIPTION:Midsummer Madness Family Fun\nSunday 14 June 2026\nThe Minories\n74 High Street\, Colchester\, CO1 1UE\nA day of other worldly storytelling and creative mayhem in the enchanted setting of The Minories\, Colchester’s oldest art gallery and garden. Our Midsummer Madness Family Day is the perfect place to get crafty and messy with our delectable range of free hands-on drop-in workshops\, and more.\n\nFree\, drop-in\, no booking required - so come along and see us\, all ages welcome!\n\n\n\n\n\nTicketed Events\n11.00am - 12.00pm\nThe Enchanted Cinema presents Where the Wild Rumpus Is\n\n\nAn interactive\, enchanted cinema experience for wild things of all ages.\n\nThe wild rumpus begins! Hands\, voices\, and instruments from around the world create a live soundtrack as forests rustle\, monsters roar\, and oceans swell. Featuring live narration of Sendak’s book and led by professional musician Kieron Chissik on electric viola and keyboard\, this screen-free\, immersive experience invites children and grown-ups to become the orchestra for a cinematic book. For ages 5+. All those aged under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.\n\nTickets: £6 per person\nBox Office: eventbrite.co.uk\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n12.30pm - 1.30pm\n❄️  Behind the Scenes of Snowy Joy & The Toysavers ❄️\n\n\n\nA Special Free Family Event.\n\nStep into the magical world of Snowy Joy - a heart-warming tale of migration\, belonging\, and hope\, brought vividly to life as a stage production.\n\nFollowing two sell-out runs at Colchester Arts Centre\, this special event offers a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of Snowy Joy & The Toysavers! and discover how the story journeyed from page to stage.\n\nMeet adult cast member Dee Lana\, alongside the young cast from Colchester\, Chelmsford and London\, as they share what it’s like to be part of this exciting production: from rehearsals to live performances: especially as child actors.\n\nSharing exclusive insight into how this inspiring story was developed and brought to life for the stage is: Sade Fadipe (Author)\, Margaret Omoniyi (Director) and Colchester-based Julia Obasa (Choreographer).\n\n❄️ The Q&A session with the Snowy Joy Cast is a rare chance to step inside the world of Snowy Joy and meet the adults (and children!) who bring its magic to life.\n\nTickets: Free (Donations Welcome). Places limited so booking essential\n\nBook tickets: SnowyJoyToysaversBehindTheScenes.eventbrite.co.uk\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2.00pm - 3.00pm\nKes Gray - From Oi Frog! to Oi Dinosaurs!\n\n\n[caption id="attachment_11543" align="alignnone" width="188"] Photo of Kes Gray © Paul Starr[/caption]\n\n\n\nJoin in this hilarious interactive event with multi-award-winning author Kes Gray as he talks about the evolution of his Oi! picture book  series\, from Oi Frog! to Oi Dinosaurs! Guaranteed to get everyone giggling. For ages 3+. All those aged under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.\n\nTickets: £6\nBox Office: eventbrite.co.uk\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDrop-in Activities\n12.00pm - 3.00pm\nThe Young Ones Eco-Workshops and Storytelling\n\n\n[caption id="attachment_11863" align="alignnone" width="300"] Wise Ram workshop credit Lorna Powell[/caption]\n\nGet crafty and messy with our free\, hands-on\, drop-in workshops taking place in the enchanted garden at The Minories.\n\nUse materials gathered from the Essex coast to create your very own Beached-Up Sea Monster.\n\nWrite a Letter to the Future which will become part of a county-wide children's zine.\n\nThe Vanishing Lake with Wise Ram Theatre - Wise Ram Theatre will be running a free\, family friendly drop-in activity at our Midsummer Madness day at The Minories. All are welcome for fun creative activities\, from drawing characters\, doing crafts and playing games. By taking part you will help create a new fantasy adventure show called 'The Vanishing Lake'.\n\nWise Ram Theatre is a theatre company based in Harwich making theatre with humour\, heart and nerve. In 2025 they delivered a Eco-Theatre workshop for Manifesto4Essex in Colchester and family workshops at Essex Green Weekend. Read more on their website wiseramtheatre.co.uk or follow on social media @wiseramtheatre.\n\nEssex Libraries will be joining us for some super storytelling. Watch out for a strange creature in the garden with terrible tusks\, and terrible claws\, and terrible teeth in terrible jaws; knobbly knees and turned-out toes\, and a poisonous wart at the end of a nose...\n\nAll ages welcome.\n\nTickets: Free\, drop-in\, no booking required\nAll taking place in The Minories Garden\n\n\n\n\n12.00pm\nMarvellous Music\n\n\n\nColchester Chamber Choir is a small vocal ensemble praised for imaginative programming and exceptional music making. Come and hear them sing some surprising songs in the delightful Minories Garden.\n\n\nTickets: Free\, drop-in\, no booking required\nTaking place in The Minories Garden\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:http://ec2-35-176-91-154.eu-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com/event/midsummer-madness-family-fun/
LOCATION:74 High Street\, Colchester\, CO1 1UE
CATEGORIES:FREE,Young Essex
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://ec2-35-176-91-154.eu-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Minories-credit-Nick-Ilott-EBF-25-140.jpg
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