Join us on Andover High Street for free family fun on Fridays 7, 14, 21 and 28 August.
This year’s theme is ‘Eco-explorers’ and we will be celebrating the incredible diversity of life on Earth and our role in protecting it.
Friday 28 August - In the River - ‘Freshwater Adventures’
Explore river wildlife, water cycles, and conservation.
Activities:
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Get creative while learning about the wonderful wildlife found in and around our rivers. Children can make their own hanging mobile featuring a variety of river species, including kingfishers, dragonflies, otters, trout, frogs, and water voles. A fun, hands-on craft activity that combines creativity with wildlife discovery and encourages children to explore the natural world around them.
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Join Chapel Arts Studios for a creative drop-in workshop inspired by rivers, wildlife, and the natural world. Using recycled materials, visitors can experiment with printmaking techniques to create unique artworks inspired by flowing water, river textures, and local wildlife. Alongside the workshop, everyone is invited to contribute a line to Poems That Flow, a collaborative writing activity that will bring together a shared river-inspired poem. A wonderful opportunity to explore creativity, sustainability, and storytelling through art.
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Join Junk Litter Lizzy on a journey into the sea. “Sea-TACULAR” follows the story of Wanda Whale, made from a plastic bottle, as she goes on an adventure through the Ocean, only to discover lots of litter damaging the sea. Wanda goes on a journey, meeting lots of recycled under water creatures, Olly Octopus, Pursy Puffer fish and Sharon Shark, drawing attention to how humans can take better care of the sea. Educational, yet fun, bonkers but important, this show will have all the sparkle of Rainbow-LICIOUS and more! Aiming to stimulate children’s imagination, showing them what they can make using recycled materials. This show also Includes, sing songs, rhymes and ends in a short craft activity.
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Sessions at 10.30am, midday and 1.30pm (lasting 35-45 mins)
Come along for a mini-art adventure! Join local artist Elizabeth Hammond, take a short walk from the High Street to the river, and get creative outdoors. Use the river and nature around you as inspiration to draw, sketch and make colourful artwork. Then add your creation to a special pop-up gallery for everyone to enjoy!
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Meet Lyra, water explorer extraordinaire. One night, she camps out under the stars by her favourite willow tree. Daylight turns to moonlight and the tree comes to life, a spectacular giant puppet called Old Mother River. Together they uncover troubling changes in our rivers and how we can help.
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Where the Ash Trees Grow is is a community art project led by artist and storyteller Amanda Kane-Smith, inspired by the meaning of Andover's name, which is thought to mean 'Ash Tree Stream'.
Throughout August, the O2 shop in the Chantry Centre will be transformed into a growing installation of handmade ash trees and a chalk stream. Local people will be invited to drop into the O2 shop to contribute to the installation by helping create the trees and stream and to write their thoughts, hopes and wishes on leaves on the trees, and stones and ‘ripples’ in the river bed. -
Add a splash of colour to your day with Face painting by Sally Rose.
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Help us colour in our paper river as it grows throughout the day!
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Join Andover Library for a delightful day of songs, stories, crafts, and fun! At 11am, enjoy a lively 30-minute rhymetime session with music and singing. Throughout the day, children can also take part in drop-in craft activities, perfect for getting creative. Then, return at 2.30pm for a magical storytime session designed to spark imaginations and bring stories to life.