Come along for a sun printing workshop on fabric, to make bunting with a message of peace using plant material, letters and acetates, with artist Angenita Hardy-Teekens. You’ll learn all about the cyanotype method, an early Victorian way of making shadows with objects using the suns UV light. Read more
Everyone is invited to come along and create a community mural that will evole and grow throughout the afternoon on the theme of Pease, Place and Community. Bring yourselves, bring your friends, bring your grandparents – come and draw with us! Read more
From Ants, Bees and Cranes to Whales, Yellow butterflies and Zebras, this storytelling hour involves not only listening to stories, but also making up stories about creatures great and small in our natural world. Led by award-winning shoildren’s author Wendy Constance. Read more
Join us for an afternoon of storytelling and family activities with a theme of journeys, adventures and places around the world, both real and imagined. Taking place at The Transition (near the station) and at Foyles (Bond Street) Read more
For Essex Book Festival, Metal is once again transforming their base at Chalkwell Hall in Southend into a Pop Up Essex Writers House for the whole of March, hosting literary events and activities for all to enjoy. Read more
Join us for a day of water and seaside themed family fun at Jaywick Martello Tower, when artists Close and Remote launch their new exhibition Days Like These: the world’s very first 360o Watercolour Virtual Reality Tour of Jaywick Sands. Read more
Join maritime author and illustrator Claudia Myatt and discover the fascinating world of nautical flags and knots. You'll be using the colourful nautical flag code to create a nameplate for your bedroom door. Suitable for ages 8+ Read more
Love telling tales and making up stories? Ever written a poem, short story or a song? Using games and creative prompts, find exciting new ways to kick start your writing whether you are 8 or 80. Suitable for ages 4+ Read more
Come along for this creative writing workshop inspired by flotsam and jetsam with children’s author and artist Wendy Constance. As part of our nautical theme, Wendy will help you use your imaginations to unearth the secrets of the deep. Suitable for ages 7-11 year olds. Read more
Join one of Britain's most gifted and celebrated award-winning writers, as A L Kennedy tells us the tale of The Little Snake, a magical and deeply moving fable about the journey we all take through life, about love and family, about war and resilience, about how we live in this world. Read more
Calling all on board the LV18 in Harwich Quay for a pirate radio revival, nautical tales, and shanty songs on deck. Below deck, the intimate and magical Live Poetry Jukebox will be waiting for you. Suitable for all ages. Read more
The Festival is thrilled to be launching The Mothership Project at The Redoubt. A partnership project with UK/Chinese charity The Mother's Bridge of Love: Culture for Children, school children in Essex and China will be sending messages of friendship to each other via drawings, postcards and origami boats. Read more
Sephy and Callum are in love. It is forbidden: Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a Nought. Between Noughts and Crosses there are racial and social divides. This gripping Romeo and Juliet story is a captivating drama of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world. Recommended for 11+yrs. Read more
For Essex Book Festival, Epping at the Movies will screen three fantastic adaptations: BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee’s masterful retelling of Ron Stallworth’s memoir; Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, a sublime animation for young audiences adapted from Benjamin Renner’s comic books; and The Big Sleep, the ultimate Raymond Chandler. Community Cinema at its best! Read more
Come and explore the theme of journeys, adventures and places around the world and in our imaginations. Drop-in for our Pop Up Storytelling Armchair, hear traditional tales from Africa with Djembe drumming, try your hand at Chinese calligraphy, and wrap your tongue around different languages with bilingual storytelling. Suitable for ages 4+ Read more
Come along to create a baddy (or two), a detective and a simple crime plot with Rosie Sandler, co-author of the Agatha Oddly detective series. Work as a group, pooling ideas and having fun along the way. Suitable for ages 9-13. Read more
Join local writer and artist Wendy Constance for a fun family drop-in session where you choose words which best describe Paycocke’s House and Garden. Compose a list, a sentence or poem - then write it on fabric which we will all weave together to create a banner to celebrate this special place. Suitable for ages 4+ Read more
Agatha Oddly has been a detective for as long as she can remember – she’s just been waiting for her first big case. And nothing gets bigger than saving the City of London from strange goings-on. With a secret key that gives her access to a whole hidden side of London, Agatha is perfectly poised to solve any mystery. Read more
Join artists Lola Swain and Sally Chinea to make your very own handmade book, which, when unfolded, reveals a secret island with a treasure map. Within the pages create your own imaginary creatures that live on and around the island. Read more
Join resident artist Tom Armstrong and Lee Thomas for a children’s printing and illustration extravaganza as part of our Manifesto For Essex activities and hosted in partnership with Colchester’s Extinction Rebellion. Ages 11-16. Read more
Join children’s author Rachel Jane for a Campervan storytime and craft session. Sing along with Tallulah the Campervan as she counts down the days to her first festival and get into the Festival spirit by decorating your very own festival headband! Read more
Our Pop-Up Storytelling Armchair will be at Firstsite, Colchester on Saturday 14 March as part of our PLACE weekend. A super comfy treat for book lovers young and old to enjoy their favourite stories out loud. Read more
With the Manifesto For Essex now up and running, we urge everyone to come and make their Manifesto 'mark' at our special Tackling Climate Change Makers event at Firstsite. It's free, no booking required. Read more
Join resident artist Tom Armstrong and Lee Thomas for a children’s printing and illustration extravaganza as part of our Manifesto For Essex activities and hosted in partnership with Colchester’s Extinction Rebellion. Ages 5 and up. Read more
Come along and have a go in the interactive Timebubble Machine and get closer to the past… our amazing past. Then use your time-travelling adventures to inspire you to build your own toys using Timebubble Toys sustainable wooden construction kits. Read more
Online Author event for 8 – 12 years and their families. We are so excited to be joined by author Justin Somper for his thoughts on this exhilarating series of books, beloved by everyone who has read them. First published in 2005, the Vampirates were instant international bestsellers, this white-knuckle series is ready for a new generation of young readers. Tickets: £10 including a signed copy of Vampirates: Demon of the Seas or £42 Ticket available to include all 6… Read more
The greatest sporting event of the century is happening at Cressing Temple Barns on 29 August. Join the Animalympics crew to get involved in creating sport/animal-inspired crafts with children’s author Josie Dom while listening to extracts of the story with badminton-playing peacocks, javelin-throwing octopus and hurdling gazelles amongst many others. Come dressed as your favourite animal to win a prize! Tickets : £4 per child Read more
Join in the fun at the Essex Book Camp With a huge range of events for all ages, from author events with the likes of Good Morning Britain’s Dr Hilary Jones through to our fabulous storytelling yurt; woodland crafts and meditation walks; drop-in family yoga sessions and more, Cressing Temple Barns is the place to be this August Bank Holiday Sunday. Free Drop-In Activities for all ages we just need one large image of Shane Ibbs telling stories for this… Read more
Scallywag Press : Author WorkshopsWe are teaming up with multi-award children’s publisher Scallywag Press for four fabulous hands on author and artist workshops for young children. Ages vary. Deborah will help little ones explore the food they eat every day to find out where it comes from and how it ends up on the table in her fun Follow My Food writing workshop. She’ll also read from her new book Milly Cow Gives Milk. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152741866033 Age 4+ ( Adults Free) Children must be… Read more
Shelter building and Magical world in the secret woodland. Join the Essex Book festival adventurers as they create magical worlds and shelters throughout the day in the magic woodland. We will be doing workshops - book in for the first below or come and join us in the secret woodland for more magical adventures. 1.15 - 2.15pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shelter-building-with-explorer-and-adventurer-belinda-kirk-tickets-163606546585 Read more
CCR FM presenter Michelle Durant will be sharing insights into developing your own podcast for broadcast. Take part in an interview with a special guest. Contribute to Essex Book Festival and Chelmsford Community Radio’s special Eco-Cast Project to be launched in September at British Science Festival in Chelmsford. Read more
Crime-writer event, writing workshops, children's workshops, free drop-in activities, story-telling, acorn-planting and so much more... Read more
How do you create a hero who keeps readers on the edge of their seat and a villain everyone will love to hate? Find out in middle grade author Emily Kenny’s jam-packed workshop! Read more
Take part in an empowering workshop with author and girls’ rights activist Sufiya Ahmed and learn how to make change using the democratic process, using the story of British Indian suffragette Princess Sophia Duleep Singh as inspiration. Read more
This event has been cancelled - sorry for any inconvenience caused. Delight in this fun interactive session for children to learn more about honeybees and even design your own bug hotel. Read more
Are you passionate about culture and the environment? Get involved in our 2nd Manifesto for Essex Youth Summit (14-25 yr olds) as part of EASUSTAIN Read more
Are you 14-25 years old, living and/or studying in Essex, passionate about the environment and culture? Come along to our Hear My Voice - Youth Climate Summit at Firstsite, Colchester, part of EA Sustain Festival Read more
A weekend of events to celebrate the launch of St Peter-on-the-Wall: Landscape and Heritage on the Essex Coast edited by Johanna Dale, kindly hosted by the Othona Community at Bradwell on Sea. Read more
Join us for a day of FREE family-friendly activities at Harlow Library including special children's workshops, Baby & Toddler Rhymetime, Family Storytime, Arts & Crafts activities and a special performance by Livewire Theatre Group. Read more
Have fun with Essex-based teacher and writer, Sade Fadipe, as she shares her book A Fun ABC. Told in claps, familiar rhymes and rhythms and with art & craft activities too, this is bound to be fun! Read more
Come along for a creative writing session with a wildlife twist! Together we'll create a story highlighting a creature or creepy crawly of their choice and go on an adventure to help nature through the written word. Read more
Have fun with Essex-based teacher and writer, Sade Fadipe, as she shares her book A Fun ABC. Told in claps, familiar rhymes and rhythms and with art & craft activities too, this is bound to be fun! Read more
Ensonglopedia’s brand new musical comedy. Weird weather! Extraordinary extinctions! Freaky flooding! Water we going to do?! Join Jamie and her Nanna on an exhilarating adventure to rebuild their lives and stop climate change. Read more
Deep down in the ocean blue, there are many surprises waiting for you! Solve some Riddles from the Sea and discover some strange facts about the wonderful creatures in our oceans. Read more
Legendary author and performance poet John Agard who will delight us with a selection of readings including his 2022 children’s book When Creature Met Creature. Sure to be warm, witty, generous, and flamboyant, it is not to be missed! Read more
Once again, CALFE Children & Authors' Literary Fanfare 2023 will be presenting: Readings, Storytelling, Poetry, Music and Creatively engaging activities, from children's Authors of culturally diverse heritage, and from countries across the globe! Read more
Our new Writing and Talking National Saturday Club which will be taking place every Saturday 10am-1pm from March to July. Open to all 13-16 year olds living in and around the Chelmsford area who are passionate about writing and talking. Explore zine-making, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, blogging, spoken word poetry, podcasting and more. Read more
Learn how to make traditional ink out of ink gall gathered from 25 destinations across Essex. Explore the art of calligraphy. Try your hand at a range of traditional printing and basic book-making techniques. Read more
Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy chaos. Don’t miss this stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised! Read more
Part of our Midsummer Madness Family Fun Day. Pack your picnic and make a beeline for what promises to be a magical day at Cressing Temple Barns. Free parking, free entry and lots of free activities. All welcome. Read more
Join Essex children’s and YA author, Sam Scott, for this creative writing workshop and discover your potential as a writer. Explore different writing techniques; how to create a believable character, how to build a plot arc and the importance of using varied vocabulary. Read more
Join nature and folk history writer, Andrew Millham, to uncover the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk music and try your hand at Forest School skills and bug-hunting. Read more
Asha + The Troll is a theatre performance for 5-8 year olds in which storytellers unfold a world of forests, friendship, puppetry, percussion, and… trolls! Follow Asha as she meets an unlikely friend and learns to love their differences. Read more
Join Asha + The Troll's creative team for 45 minutes of storytelling and performance! Participants will enter the Troll's forest to create their own stories and explore elements from the show. Read more
Join nature and folk history writer, Andrew Millham, to uncover the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk music and try your hand at Forest School skills and bug-hunting. Read more
What's the connection between Shakespeare and Numbers? A lot, as it turns out! In this fun, interactive talk Rob Eastaway explores the surprising and entertaining ways that maths and numbers crop up in Shakespeare's plays. Read more