Lambs, calves, fireworks, pirates and big cats fill Great Yarmouth Easter treat list
Newborn lambs, swashbuckling pirates, fireworks and a new tiger completing a big cat love story are all on the list of Easter family fun in and around Great Yarmouth.
From the spectacle of banger racing and caravan crushing to tranquil boating on the Venetian Waterways’ lake, parties and shows to seafront rides and attractions and favourite egg and treasure hunts, Great Yarmouth is back in full spring swing for Easter.
Petting lambs is always a favourite, and Hirsty’s Family Fun Park delivers with its Easter Baananza at Hemsby starting this Saturday (28 March) until 12 April, where children can meet lambs and newborn calves in Farmer Hirst’s all-round farm experience with a tractor and trailer ride down to the ewe and calf birthing areas, with a chance to see animals being born. Easter egg hunts, bouncing on inflatables, haybale mountains, meandering through the wooden maze, racing go-karts and craft activities are part of the farm fun.
Back at Great Yarmouth’s Hippodrome Circus this Friday is Pirates Live, an on-and-off the water show of slapstick, trapeze and circus stunts with light displays and synchronised swimming, which brings back Stefan Pejic after his debut in its Christmas show, this time with his new pirate character based on the inimitable Captain Jack.
Producer Jack Jay – who will be back with Johnny Mac as the unstoppable comedy duo of Captain Jack Hawkseye and Pirate Johnny – said of Stefan: “It’s uncanny! Every single person stopped what they were doing when he came out in character. For the rest of the day there was a rumour Johnny Depp has visited the circus.”
Fresh from CBB as Raven and in CBeebies’ Molly and Mack, James Mackenzie brings to life the formidable Captain Blackbeard in the production, back in Great Yarmouth after his Hippodrome debut in the Halloween Spooktacular. The show runs until 19th April.
At Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, the sky over the beach will be lit in glorious technicolour in an Easter fireworks display at 8pm on Saturday April 4. The display will be lit on the beach side of the park, which will be open throughout the holidays.
Director Jamie Jones said the Pleasure Beach had invested in a complete overhaul of its photography system over the winter, adding photography to the Haunted Hotel and upgrading photography on the Snails and the historic rollercoaster, which, running since 1932, is the oldest wooden scenic rollercoaster and the only one of its kind to be controlled manually by a seated operator using a lever.
“We have installed a whole new photography system on the rides with QR code scanning, and added digital prints you can get on phones as well as printed copies.”
Children can enjoy Easter egg hunts across the park from 1-5 April, searching for a hidden word with Easter goodie bag prizes for finding the correct word. Children’s entertainers Go Awesome will put on shows at the park on Wednesday April 8th.
Love is in the air at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens where an exciting new attraction has arrived from Berlin Zoo.
Lotte, a three-year-old Sumatran tiger, has just joined Raja, the young male tiger, as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
Lotte is considered one of the more genetically valuable tigers within the programme, making her an important addition to the conservation breeding efforts for the critically endangered species.
Watch her settle into her new home exploring her new surroundings.
Visitors can browse the site’s collection of animals, including tigers, pandas, leopards, meerkats, gibbons, otters and birds.
At Joyland on Great Yarmouth seafront, the famous snails are back carrying riders and the Tyrolean Tub Twist – operating on site for as long as the snails since 1949 – is now the last operating ride of its type in the world.
New for this year at Joyland as part of its work to evolve the rear arcade into something more in keeping with the spirit of Joyland, it’s introduced a new addition, a Convoy Truck Ride, a gentle ride designed for its youngest visitors.
Pirates are a popular Easter theme in Great Yarmouth. Join Captain Careless at the Sea Life centre to find his missing treasure on an interactive Pirate Treasure Hunt around the aquarium. Children can meet him and help him track down the lost booty hidden around the aquarium, filling in the pirate map as they go, joining in pirate themed games, crafts and activities with prize, learning all about its treasures of the ocean.
At the Time and Tide Museum, set sail on an adventure through pirate history, film and literature in Pirates” #Fact and Fiction, a touring exhibition packed with drama, history and adventure for all ages. discover fascinating facts about pirate ships, daring tactics and short and dangerous lives of those who lived outside the lw. The exhibition features spectacular costumes from Black Sails, peter pan and Spartacus, with weapons, models and treasure Pirates! Fac and Fictin
If watching crushing, crashing and racing old bangers are more your family style, Great Yarmouth Stadium delivers a new attraction, the Caravan Destruction Derby, with Bangers Back to Basics’ and Junior Bangers on April 2 and April 9.
Re-opening after a £5million upgrade is Vauxhall Holiday Park, where Parkdean Resorts have added a raft of new facilities and activities, including Hat-Tricks new sports bar with interactive sports such as shuffleboard and new attractions including Fairground Golf, immersive Bear Grylls escape rooms, an off-road ranger driving track and revamped high and low ropes.
At Merivale Model Village, alongside its favourite mini attractions, retro arcade and amusements, is a new café revamped over the winter. A new Venetian café has also opened at the Great Yarmouth waterways
On Easter Sunday, the Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth will throw a family Easter party with music, games, and non-stop entertainment.
At Gorleston Pavilion, there is the promise of the journey of a lifetime on March 30 with The Dinosaur Timewarp, a fully interactive Jurassic Panto style adventure, with dinosaur-themed music, fun and laughter
Join palaeontologist friends on an exciting adventure through the jungle to meet Babsy the Mad Scientist and use her new time machine to take them back in time to meet their favourite dinosaurs in person. The show is aimed at three to eight-year-olds but is suitable for all ages.
Ultra Violet Puppets’ energetic dance show is on 7th April.
At St George’s Theatre, young people present Disney’s Frozen JR from 10 to 12 Join Anna, Elsa and all the favourite characters on an epic ice filled journey of self-discovery, camaraderie and true love in a stage version of this popular animated film adapted for young performers, including the favourite Frozen songs.
Asa Morrison, CEO of Visit Great Yarmouth, said: “This is the time our attractions and businesses have spent months preparing for behind the scenes, refreshing, planning and organising to deliver the best service and variety to the crowds that wasn’t to enjoy all that Great Yarmouth has to offer during the Easter holidays and through the summer.
“The next few weeks are an exciting time for everyone.”
and the Ultra-violet puppets on 7th April with their energetic dance show (tickets £6pp).
