Families are set for a Bank Holiday weekend packed full of fun, creativity and adventure, with so much on offer at Bolton Food and Drink Festival this August.
A festival highlight for families is sure to be The Wonder Park.
Delivered by Culture Bolton, The Wonder Park will transform Elizabeth Park into a vibrant family-friendly destination offering a wide range of free activities for children and families to enjoy throughout the festival weekend.
Activities will include story time performances from Eye of Newt Theatre Arts, circus skills workshops with Skylight Circus, spectacular bubble performances from E-Bublio, giant doodle walls, creative art sessions, a giant sandpit and more.
The Wonder Park will be open daily from 10am to 5pm.
The Festival Garden
The Festival Garden, based at Howell Croft North, returns with lots of farm themed fun and activities for children each day of the festival from 10am to 6pm.
Youngsters can get into the spirit of farming and get creative with activities led by The Sunnywood Project.
There’s the chance for children to take part in a colouring competition, where they could win a day out at Poppywood Alpacas.
When they’ve worked up an appetite, there’s the opportunity to make some healthy snacks with Classroom Kitchens.
Take a walk on the wild side
Visitors to this year’s festival will have the chance to enjoy a unique town centre experience as a herd of alpacas arrives for guided walks throughout the bank holiday weekend.
Fourteen alpacas from Poppywood Alpacas will be based outside the Octagon Theatre across the festival weekend.
Visitors can take part in short, guided walks through the town centre, giving them the opportunity to get up close to the friendly animals while enjoying the festival atmosphere.
To book an alpaca walk and find out more, visit the Octagon Theatre website:
Guided Alpaca Walk | Octagon Bolton
Teen Vault
Not forgetting young people, the Teen Zone, known as the ‘Teen Vault’ is back this year.
The Teen Zone will be situated next to Elizabeth Park and will be open daily throughout the festival.
On offer will be free crazy golf (supported by Peel Land), classic video games, air hockey, and table football.
They’ll also be a chill-out area and silent disco, along with free Wi-Fi and phone charging.
Chef-led cooking sessions
We’re delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity for young people aged 10 and over to take part in free, professional chef-led cooking sessions
There will be three sessions per day on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, featuring a rotating selection of recipes, including:
- Beef and vegetable pasties
- Tarka dhal with naan breads
- Black Forest muffins
At the end of the session, participants can enjoy the food they’ve made, along with a free drink.
Book direct at https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/haf-cook-dine
Take a break and relax
During the festival, our event partner Market Place will provide visitors with a welcoming space to take a break from the crowds while still enjoying a range of food, entertainment and family activities.
Food, soft play, cinema and mini golf as well as children’s crafts - all under one roof, this is a chance to escape the crowds and take time to relax.
Cllr Debbie Newall, Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, said:
“These events transform spaces in our town centre, creating a vibrant, family-friendly destination.
“They are a real highlight of the festival weekend and are an opportunity for families to come together, have fun and make some lasting memories.”
Taking place from 28 to 31 August, the Bolton Food and Drink Festival is widely regarded as one of the biggest and best events of its kind in the UK, offering a colourful mix of food, drink, entertainment and family-friendly activities.
Keep up to date with festival announcements:
The website: boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com
Facebook: /boltonfoodanddrinkfestival
X: Bolton Food Fest
Instagram: Bolton Food Fest
Peel Land – Headline Sponsor
About Us
Peel Land is a UK regeneration and development business focused on unlocking strategic land and delivering sustainable growth.
Our model is land-led and partnership-driven. We focus on creating the right framework for development: planning, infrastructure, and long-term strategy, working with integrity alongside delivery partners to bring projects to life.
Bringing together expertise across land promotion, and energy and natural resources, we create places that generate long-term economic, social and environmental value.
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For more than 50 years, Peel businesses have been built on an ethos of regeneration and reinvestment.
Legacy, vision and community have shaped some of the UK’s most transformational projects.
Peel Land forms part of the wider Peel Group, a privately owned UK infrastructure and real estate investor with interests spanning ports, retail parks, waterfront regeneration and strategic land.
As a trusted partner, Peel Land, works to address major challenges facing society today, including housing delivery, economic growth, access to employment and healthcare, and the delivery of resilient infrastructure.
While backed by the strength and stability of the Peel Group, Peel Land operates with its own strategy and regeneration focus supported by a dedicated and highly skilled team.