Family Festival Free Activities
Family Festival 2022
26 - 29 Jul
We are opening our doors to families of all shapes and sizes, for a week filled with family friendly fun! We have a fantastic line-up of workshops and productions taking place across our venues; as well as fun, free activities to keep young and old entertained all day. Have a look at the free activities taking place throughout the week below!
Important information
Running time: Various
Age recommendation: Suitable for the whole family
Story Hour with BookBugs and Dragon Tales
Date: 26 Jul, 10.00 – 11.00am
Location: Prelude
Immerse yourself in the magical world of story hour with Poppy from BookBugs and Dragon Tales!
Suitable for ages 3-6 years.
Fashion Statements
Date: 26 Jul, 12.30 – 2.30pm
Location: Long Bar, Theatre Royal
Grab a T-shirt and get creative with the family- wear your heart on your sleeve, make a fashion statement with a catchy slogan, or create a special family uniform.
This is a free drop-in activity for the whole family. Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
Lunchtime Concerts
Date: 26 Jul, 12.00 – 12.30pm and 29 Jul 12.00 – 12.30pm
Location: Café Royal
Grab a Family Festival Meal Deal and listen to some beautiful music with your loved ones over lunch.
Craft Café
Date: 27 Jul, 10.00am – 3.00pm
Location: Café Royal
Pick up a colouring sheet, grab some materials and create a masterpiece worthy of the Louvre (or the fridge door)!
Costume Catwalk
Date: 27 Jul, 10.00am – 3.00pm
Location: Long Bar, Theatre Royal
Get inspired by our pantomime costumes through the years, then, grab your family, grab a costume and strut the Costume Catwalk!
This is a free drop-in activity for the whole family.
Portrait Papas
Date: 28 Jul, 11.00am – 1.00pm
Location: Long Bar, Theatre Royal
Have a go at digital portraits, no need to wear your painting smock! This is a drop in activity for dads (or any caregivers) and their children.
You never know, your child might be the next David Hockney!
Suitable for ages 4+
Crafting Our City
Date: 29 Jul, 10.00am – 3.00pm
Location: Long Bar, Theatre Royal
Create your house, favourite building, or something completely imaginary out of cardboard, decorate it as you like, and help us turn our bar into the city of our dreams!
Suitable for all the family.
Taking place all week…
Picnic Pitches
Date: 26 – 29 Jul
Location: Theatre Royal
Set up camp in our beautiful building for a bite to eat and some respite from all the fun. There will be spaces around the building to eat your packed lunch (or grab one of our special Family Festival Meal Deals) and regale your loved ones with everything you’ve learnt in our workshops.
Dinner and a show? There will be roaming musicians and magicians to entertain the young (and young at heart)!
Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
Grow Your Own Beanstalk
Date: 26 – 29 Jul
Location: Theatre Royal
We can’t wait to host the BIGGEST party this Christmas with Jack and The Beanstalk gracing our stage from 10 Dec 2022 – 7 Jan 2023.
Have some fe-fi-fo-fun growing your own magical beanstalk with us this summer, who knows… by Christmas you might be joining Jack in the Kingdom of giants!
This is a free drop-in session, no need to book. Plant your bean, add a sprinkle of magic dust, and get to work decorating your jar to take home!
Suitable for all ages. Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
Quiet Zone
Date: 26 – 29 Jul
Location: Meeting Room, Theatre Royal
We’ll be offering a dedicated space for quiet time over the course of the festival. Stop by to hear beautiful music from our favourite shows, and read a story. The perfect place to take a breather after an energetic morning.
The Quiet Zone will be accessible throughout the week, no need to book.
Suitable for all ages. Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
Our County Map
Date: 26 – 29 Jul
Location: Box Office
To celebrate Norfolk Day (27 Jul) we’ll be inviting you to map out your Norfolk on our special map.
Fond memories, touching moments, births, marriages, best beaches and favourite fish and chip shops: think about what you love about Norfolk, grab a tag, and make your mark on our map.
The map will be situated in the Box Office, take a peek at other people’s tags, and puzzle together what makes this county the best in the world!
Suitable for all ages.
Face Painting
Date: 26 – 29 Jul, 12.00pm – 2.00pm
Location: Café Royal
Price: £3 per child
Fancy being a butterfly for the day? Or perhaps a tiger on the prowl? Find our magical face painters in Café Royal where they will be ready to transform you into your favourite animal or character in a matter of minutes!
Suitable for all ages. Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
Fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced produce. Enjoy the best in food and drink at our restaurant Prelude or a quick delicious bite before the show.
Directions to the Theatre Royal. Where to park near the theatre, drop-off & disabled parking plus public transport information.
Up-to-date information on access our building, accessible performances and details on personal assistant tickets.