Half term family fun hots up in Great Yarmouth
From Angry Birds trails to banger racing, May Play on the farm to Picnic in the Park with top class horse racing and superheroes to favourite seafront attractions, Great Yarmouth’s Whitsun half term offer is bursting with fun, activity and opportunity for all the family.
Back for the 17th year is the spectacle of the weird and way out with the Out There Festival from May 28-31st delivering some of the world’s finest circus and street arts performers across the town, starting with a special Beach event on May 28, evening shows and beach events on May 29 and a packed core festival programme on May 30 – 31.
Expected to attract more than 60,000 people, the festival mixes breath-taking skills with comedy combine in a family-friendly package at different sites.
Superheroes will swoop into town at Great Yarmouth Racecourse for the Comic Con. Stars, characters and props from movies and shows will be at the to be photographed. Wrestling and stunt shows are a feature in the celebration of all things TV, movie and comic related for all ages.
Find them all at the racecourse on Saturday May 31 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday June 1, 10am-4pm.
Along the Golden Mile, thrill-seekers’ paradise the Pleasure Beach is open daily from 11am – 6pm every day with all the favourite rides, and a new children’s ride, Leo’s Jungle Journey.
On Wednesday May 28, the Pleasure Beach will hold special half term fireworks, lighting up the sky at 9:15pm, behind the Great Yarmouth sign in the Pleasure Beach Gardens.
Also on the seafront, children can help protect the oceans with the Sea Life Centre’s new interactive Angry Birds trail. Open daily from 10am-4pm throughout half term, Red is recruiting for his Angry Birds rescue team where children can follow the trail learning to fight ocean pollution, enjoying games and activities along the way.
More than 30 different species of sharks, unicorn fish and others are in a new £1m tank designed on the wreck of a 17th-century ship, based on the HMS Gloucester, the 65-metre ship that sank after striking a sandbank off the Norfolk coast in 1682.
The iconic Joyland snails will be welcoming passengers every day and Merivale Model Village, is looking forward to a busy week and summer.
For the exotic and unusual animals and wildlife, Thrigby Wildlife Park and Gardens will be open daily
If horses are more your thing, a spring race day at the Great Yarmouth Racecourse Picnic in the Park is a perfect family day out with world-class horse racing, sunshine, and a bring-your-own picnic.
Nearby, hot rods and banger racing will entertain at Great Yarmouth Stadium. Ladies’ banger racing and Bone Builders Junior Micra Stock Cars are on Sunday May 25 and Bangers ‘Back to Basics’ and Junior Bangers on Thursday May 29.
Head north to Hemsby, where Hirsty’s Fun Park has a new event for half term, May Play, from May 24 – June 1 from 10am to 4opm daily, with the barrel train, bale mountain, zipwire, go karting, soft play, trampolines and rope pyramid.
It promises action-packed days entertainment for children and big kids with family quizzes and activities to enjoy as a team.
Head south on Sundays for something different. At Gorleston every Sundays the seaview bandstand comes alive with free live music with the Pavilion Theatre with morning and afternoon performances every Sunday, deckchair hire and traditional Punch & Judy shows.
At the theatre, the big summer variety show is back every Tuesday until October with a fresh look with host Olly Day, the Showtime singers and dancers and guest comedians.
As well as taking you back to times, homes and industries past in Great Yarmouth, the Time and Tide’s exhibition Cabaret Mechanical Marvels is an interactive journey into the wild and wonderful world of automata, seamlessly weaving science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics with automata celebrating mechanical artistry for visitors of all ages.
Nathan Race, Chair of Visit Great Yarmouth said: “Every year we are seeing our attractions invest and innovate to come up with something new to keep what Great Yarmouth and the area around it fresh and inviting to visitors.
“What sets our destination apart from others is the variety, the passion from our businesses to deliver choice and value for money, whether it’s for a day trip or a holiday.”
Asa Morrison, Chief Executive of Visit Great Yarmouth, said: “Our businesses are reporting a promising start to our busy time and are going all out again this year to offer unrivalled experiences.
“We have such a mix of activities for everyone in the family, and so close to the most stunning beaches and walks and the best natural settings and backdrop to fun activities. What could be a better way to spend half term?”
