Bristol prepares for the Easter holidays

The Easter Holidays are upon us and parents everywhere will be seeking advice on how to keep the children entertained, whilst distracting them from eating endless chocolate egg supplies before Easter celebrations even get started! If this sounds familiar then you may be pleased to hear that Destination Bristol.

The tourism organisation for Bristol and South Gloucestershire has created a solution to your problems with a dedicated Easter events section on Visitbristol.co.uk. The user friendly site provides both residents and tourists with details of the many Easter treats that Bristol has in store for families.

Michaela Norris, Visitor Services Manager for Destination Bristol said “This Easter Bristol has something to offer parents and children of all ages, the city has an excellent range of events from traditional Easter egg hunts to the more unusual ‘Sequins and Sawdust’ circus in Castle Park”.

A Victorian Easter awaits you at Brunel’s SS Great Britain on April 8th, when you join the Easter bunny for Easter hunts and special prize giveaways for decorated Easter bonnets and top hats or experience the Sensory Easter trail at Bristol Zoo Gardens up until 18th April, with a unique chance to see, touch, hear, smell and experience the world of eggs.

Out and about, you can enjoy thirteen consecutive days of steam and diesel trains at the ‘Easter Eggspress’ at Avon Valley Railway or you can complete the Easter Challenge at Westonbirt Arboretum and have a go at making Easter decorations on April 6th. Berkeley Castle re-opens for its 2007 season this weekend with a special Easter hunt - find the answers to clues laid out around the castle grounds and you could win an Easter egg.

If after all this activity you have chocolate eggs to spare and feel like donating your chocolate winnings to those less fortunate, then The Mall Galleries shopping centre is holding a special Easter Egg Appeal on 7th April and will be giving away free bunny ears for every egg donated to charity . Children can also have their faces painted between 10am – 3pm.

Perhaps chocolate eggs and the Easter bunny is not on your agenda and you are looking at alternative suggestions for things to see and do in Bristol. Visit the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum for a lively holiday programme entitled ‘Heroes and Villains’. The event runs between 4th-18thApril, engaging children with historic characters both worthy and wicked.

Get interactive at Explore-At-Bristol’s latest exhibition ‘Alice through the looking Glass’. Baffle your brain with exciting illusions and learn more about the amazing tricks your brain can play on you.

Bristol Old Vic presents Aesops’s Fables, retelling the stories of The Hare and the Tortoise, The Lion and the Mouse and The Fox and the Crow, whilst Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the sensational story of the magical car continues at Bristol Hippodrome until June 9th 2007.

Among the top free holiday ideas is a trip to the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. Visit the Work, Rest & Play exhibition or attend REMIX on 17th April, a youth music project which invites young people to join in workshops such as junkyard orchestra; drumming or singing and have a go at creating their own music.

Outdoor event highlights this Easter include Sequins and Sawdust in Castle Park from 6th-10th April. The performance is a collaboration between local circus company Cirque Bijou, London-based Circus Space and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and brings together some of the UK’s most talented performers alongside a team of professional actors, telling the magical tale of life behind the circus.

The event is sponsored by the Bristol Alliance and is a celebration of the recent announcement of the name of the new shopping development, Cabot Circus, due to open in September 2008.

If you are after thrill and adventure, Funderworld, the only mobile theme park in the UK is back in Bristol for its third year. The mobile entertainment village will be located on The Downs between 6 April – 15th April featuring theme park rides, music and a children’s club.

Michaela Norris added “There is simply no excuse to get bored in Bristol this Easter! Furthermore, if you are travelling to the city by train, First Great Western is running a special Big Kid promotion throughout April which allows adults to travel at children’s prices, an even better reason to visit the city”

For further details on any of these activities and attractions or for further Easter holiday suggestions log on to Visitbristol.co.uk.