Lancaster City Council is encouraging families to get together to celebrate National Family Week.
There are lots of things to do for all the family from 30 May until 5 June at council parks and facilities in Lancaster and Morecambe.
Williamson Park, Lancaster is already running lots of additional sessions as part of the ‘Love your Zoo’ campaign. There are daily ‘Meet the Keeper’ sessions at 11am in the Butterfly House. On Wednesday May 30 at 1pm there is a snake handling session and at 3pm you can get hands on with the furry creatures in the woodland garden.
On Thursday May 31 you can handle some of the creepy crawlies lurking in the mini beast cave at 1pm and 3pm. On Friday June 1 there are more opportunities to meet snakes at 1pm and the creatures in the woodland garden at 3pm.
There is a Junior Zoo Keeper course starting on Saturday June 2 so book now to ensure you are guaranteed a place on this popular 3 week course. Starting at 10am, budding zoologists will learn about lifecycles, habitats and get some hands on experience of running a zoo. It is a great experience for children aged 8-14 years and costs £22 for the full three weeks of hourly sessions.
Also on Saturday June 2, join the zoo keepers for a mini beast handling session at 1pm and 3pm. On Sunday June 3 there is another Junior Zoo Keeper course from 10am. Visit the mini beast house at 1pm to meet our resident snakes or for the less brave, at 3pm our furry friends will be available to handle. There will be additional mini beast handling sessions on Monday June 4 at 1pm and 3pm. Don’t forget you can still ‘Meet the Keeper’ every day at 11am.
Celebrate the additional bank holiday on Tuesday June 5 with our ‘Be A Zoo Keeper’ session at 9.30am. Working alongside our zoo keepers youngsters will learn how to look after animals, feed them and prepare the Butterfly House for opening to the public. Those brave enough will also be offered the chance to handle some of the mini beasts and go behind the scenes in the cave. These sessions last for three hours. The cost is £5 per person and the course is aimed at children aged eight to 14 years.
There is another fun handling session for all the family to enjoy at 1pm with snakes or the small mammals at 3pm. For more information about the range of activities taking place at Williamson park or to book onto the Junior Zoo Keeper course contact 01524 33318 or visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/williamsonpark
For country music fans, the Platform in Morecambe is hosting the Country Kickback Festival. On Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 June there will be free live music and entertainment outside the Platform. So grab your Stetson and pull on your boots for some great country and western music and line dancing. To find out more, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/platform or call 01524 582803.
If the traditional sounds of brass bands are more your cup of tea, come along to Happy Mount Park on Sunday June 3 at 2.30pm. Bring a picnic and enjoy the free entertainment. For more information about Happy Mount park visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/happymountpark or call 01524 582808.
Morecambe’s Festival Market is open throughout the Jubilee bank holiday weekend so call in for a huge range of great products at even better prices from local traders who are promising to get into the Jubilee spirit by dressing in red white and blue.
For more information on the market visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/festivalmarket or call 01524 414251.
For active families, try something at Salt Ayre Sports Centre such as the floats sessions, Swim for £1, Little Ducks sessions or jump aboard the inflatable ghost ship. The water slide will also be open on Saturday 2 and Sunday June 3. The centre will be closed on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 June. For more information and session times visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/saltayre.