Where creativity meets connection
The Royal Pavilion is set to show its true colours
Pavilion Gardens, Brighton BN1 1EE
Sussex’s Regency palace is discovering the colours that made history this spring, with its immersive COLOUR exhibition.
A vibrant new immersive experience, which invites visitors to explore the history, magic and meaning of colour, it is set against the backdrop of the Pavilion’s own position within the story of Britian’s royal family and its reputation as one of the world’s most colourful palaces, this experience reveals how colour is not just seen but felt.
Running until Sun 19 Oct 2025, the exhibition will showcase vivid room installations, art interventions, sensory experiences and a full programme of workshops and activities for all ages. Guests will delve into the bold hues and rich textures of the palace and discover how colour made the Pavilion a sensation in the 1820s.
www.brightonmuseums.org.uk/visit/royal-pavilion-garden
Hop into Easter fun at Hever Castle
Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
Sat 5 – Mon 21 April
Hever Castle in Kent offers a variety of egg-citing family activities to make unforgettable springtime memories this Easter. From a children’s trail in beautiful gardens to thrilling playgrounds and mazes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Take part in an Easter challenge to find out where the naughty rabbits have caused havoc in Mr Miller’s Garden! Armed with a trail map, explore the gardens to solve the puzzle and claim your chocolate reward. There’s a variety of Easter-themed craft activities for children to enjoy from making your own origami to planting cress to take home and grow. Themed face painting is also available for children to enjoy on select dates during the Easter holidays.
Two playgrounds provide adventurous play for children of all ages, with the Tudor Towers playground, suitable for children aged 7 - 14 years, and the natural play area, Acorn Dell, suitable for younger children under 7 years. The 100-year-old Yew Maze and Water Maze allow visitors of all ages to test navigation skills and discover hidden surprises.
Spring is a wonderful time to see the award-winning gardens of Hever Castle from daffodils to tulips to apple and cherry blossoms, and magnificent magnolias. From the formal Italian Garden with its ornate sculptures to the tranquil Church Gill and Sundy Walk and the picturesque Topiary Walk, there is beauty around every corner. The gardens provide a perfect setting to relax, take in the scenery, and enjoy the fresh air.
Choose from delicious seasonal home-cooked food or mouth-watering cakes in the Moat Restaurant or bring a picnic to enjoy stunning views of the Castle and its beautiful grounds. Before heading home, browse the Hever Shop, where you’ll find a wide variety of gifts, plants, and homeware to remember your visit.
Pre-book online to save at www.hevercastle.co.uk/visit
Immersive experiences at Weald & Downland Living Museum
Town Lane, Singleton PO18 0EU
The Weald & Downland Living Museum is thrilled to announce an exciting calendar of engaging and family-friendly events celebrating the history and traditions of Easter. Perfect for visitors of all ages, these events offer a mix of interactive experiences, educational workshops, and crafts. Visitors can take part in the Eco Easter Trail, hunt for decorations made from recycled materials, and make their sustainable crafts at the woodland Eco Making Station.
On Tues 8 – Thurs 10 and Tues 15 – Thurs 17 April, try your hand at spring-themed creations, including making pom-pom South Downs sheep, origami animals, and compostable flowerpots to take home. There are also folklore storytelling sessions, the Herigeas Hundas Living History Group who will be bringing the Museum’s Saxon buildings to life, the Tudor Living History Group showing how a Tudor household would have prepared for Easter and numerous demonstrations of fun-filled traditions. As always there’s also a chance to stroll amongst the Museum’s incredible collection of historic buildings to see how rural communities lived and worked through the centuries.
For more details and exact dates of activities, head to: www.wealddown.co.uk
Towner Family Day
College Road, Eastbourne BN21 4JJ
This Easter, Towner Eastbourne’s Family Day will be taking over the whole building, as well as being extended after the success of last year’s celebrations. On Thurs 17 – Fri 18 April, artists Ruby Campion and Yanaëlle Ritter will take the lead on activities in areas including the foyer, the lift and gallery spaces. Ruby’s creative practice explores the use of storytelling to reshape our relationship with the world around us, particularly the natural environment. Yanaëlle is a contemporary dance artist who often collaborates with musicians and creates dances for specific sites like parks, beaches, or outdoor artworks such as the Dance Diagonal mural at Towner. Together they work on bespoke creative activities for children and adults to get involved with as a team, drawing on the themes of Towner’s exhibitions.
Sessions in February half term included activities like story telling, puppet making, drawing on an enormous map of Sussex and collecting items around the building as the artists led a ‘journey’ from room to room.
Both sessions are free to attend, and you can find out more on the Towner website: www.towner.gallery/for-families
Towner Eastbourne’s Drawing the Unspeakable, which was curated by David Dimbleby and Liza Dimbleby, also continues at the gallery until Sun 27 April. Free for Towner Members, this bold exhibition explores the universal language of drawing – a medium that the renowned broadcaster and his daughter have long recognised as a powerful tool for expressing the inexpressible. For both, drawing transcends the limitations of words, offering a means to convey the most complex ideas and emotions. This exhibition highlights their shared belief in the power of art to communicate experiences that words cannot fully capture.
Featuring 300 works, this is an in-depth exploration of human experience through art. The exhibition brings together a diverse array of pieces that challenge the boundaries of speech, translating the unspeakable into the visual realm. Through these drawings, artists navigate themes of disaster, war, displacement and destruction, mental and physical illness, loss, grief, birth and family, dreams, memories, and imagination. It features works by artists such as David Bomberg, Louise Bourgeois, Edward Burra, Prunella Clough, Elisabeth Frink, Madge Gill, James Gillray, Barbara Hepworth, Roger Hilton, David Hockney, Ken Kiff, Leon Kossoff, L.S. Lowry, Alice Neel, and Paula Rego. These are being shown alongside contemporary voices, including Tracey Emin, Kara Walker, Andrzej Jackowski, Denzil Forrester, Emma Talbot, Ansel Krut, John Davies and Emma Woffenden.
Arundel Castle’s Tulip Festival
High St, Arundel BN18 9AB
The highly anticipated Tulip Festival at Arundel Castle is set to return this spring, offering an unmissable display of floral beauty. Recognised as one of Europe’s premier tulip festivals, this annual celebration transforms the historic castle's gardens into a tapestry of colour. This year, the festival will showcase an astounding 110,000 tulips planted across the castle’s spectacular landscape and gardens, from the vibrant tropical borders to the beautiful soft English Herbaceous Borders.
Curated by Arundel Castle’s award-winning Head Gardener Martin Duncan, this year’s display will spotlight over 120 tulip varieties, blending classic favourites with thrilling newcomers. Among the highlights are tulips like Foxy Foxtrot, Daydream, Ballerina, Monsella, Blue Diamond, Ile de France and Grand Perfection, alongside six spectacular multi-tiered arrangements showcasing more than 6,000 tulips.
Easter Trail at Hanningtons returns for 2025!
Hanningtons Lane, Brighton BN1 1GS
Sat 5 – Mon 21 April
Head down to Hanningtons Lane, Brighton, this Easter and complete the trail to WIN chocolate
Our popular Easter Trail is back. Grab your thinking hats and get down to Hanningtons Lane to uncover the secret phrase and claim your chocolaty prize
HOW TO JOIN THE TREASURE HUNT?
1. Download the competition sheet from HERE.
2. Search for 11 letters dotted in secret shop window locations within Hanningtons
3. Build the hidden phrase and head to 17_grams coffee shop to trade in the secret words for chocolate
See you there and good luck!
Hanningtons is a vibrant retail, culture and foodie hotspot in the heart of Brighton’s The Lanes. Honouring a rich history as one of the most important retail destinations in the city, it’s home to a wide range of exciting independent and high street brands. Beautifully designed and curated, the pedestrian-only Hanningtons Lane is home to makers, designers, food artisans and pioneers. A green wall, iconic art murals and outside seating create an intimate atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and Brighton beach. It boasts restaurants, art shops, coffee houses, artisan ice-cream, gifts, homeware, wellbeing, beauty and fashion, with many of their offerings being unique, ethical and sustainable.
Keep up to date with the event’s Facebook page
Brighton Dome presents Children’s & Family events for Spring
Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UE
There’s a range of vibrant and fun events for families and children of all ages at Brighton Dome this Easter.
Coming to the Studio Theatre on Sun 6 April, toooB is an enchanting sensory adventure about a friendly shape-shifting creature, with an original soundtrack and interactive games for babies and toddlers aged 6-24 months. It’s a perfect introduction to theatre and dance for the very young, encouraging empathy and interaction, and featuring a play session with the performer after the show.
On the same day, celebrate the season with a special Playmakes: Spring Crafting Session, where kids and their grown-ups get creative in Anita’s Room, with ideas inspired by the season of sunshine and fresh starts.
On Fri 11 April, join Andy & The Odd Socks from the smash hit CBBC TV show Andy and the Band for Are You Ready to Rock?! as they bring their brilliant madcap mix of songs, slapstick comedy and silliness to the Brighton Dome Concert Hall.
Family musical Cinderella Ice Cream Seller comes to the Studio Theatre on Sun 13 April. In this delightful retelling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella is a multimillionaire businesswoman with her own ice cream empire. It’s an exciting blend of storytelling, theatre and live music for ages 5+, with a Playmakes craft workshop on offer before the show.
For more details, visit: www.brightondome.org
Easter at Preston Manor, An Edwardian Fete Filled with Family Fun & Easter Magic
Preston Drove, Brighton BN1 6SD
Sat 12 April
Edwardian magic comes to Preston Manor, as this much-loved Brighton treasure marks its reopening with a special community celebration! Festive treats at this free event include an Easter Egg Hunt, live music, historical characters, arts and crafts, a museum children’s trail and Edwardian lawn games.
Pack a picnic or treat yourself to delicious, sweet delights from our new Manor tearoom by Café Rust. The Friends of Preston Park will also be on hand to chat about the incredible community efforts that help protect our beloved green spaces. So, dust off your finest Edwardian-inspired outfit (if you fancy!) and come celebrate with them! They can’t wait to welcome you back to Preston Manor. Furry friends are warmly welcomed in the gardens.
www.brightonmuseums.org.uk/event/easter-at-the-manor
The Twits trail launches at Wakehurst
Selsfield Road, Ardingly RH17 6TN
Fri 4 – Tues 22 April
This Easter, families are being invited to try and outwit characters from Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel. This iconic story is being brought to life with an activity trail through the stunning springtime landscapes.
Stepping into the wonderfully wicked world of The Twits (and featuring the iconic illustrations by Quentin Blake) families will embark on a journey of discovery, with a 2-metre-high book photo opportunity setting the scene, and the magnificent Roly-Poly Bird leading the way through the bold spring colours in the Wakehurst landscape. Families can rummage through Mr Twit’s beard, help worms to escape wormy spaghetti, guide the ‘Giant Skillywiggler’ back home and get their hands dirty making mud pies in the Mud Kitchen. Through each activity, children will discover how to be a force for good, overcoming the Twit’s treacherous tricks.
www.kew.org/wakehurst/the-twits
Mark O'Donnell
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