Egg-citing fun this Easter in Shakespeare Country!
Shakespeare Country has something to offer everyone this Easter and is the perfect romantic destination to watch the Royal Wedding.
Enjoy a host of egg-citing activities including Easter trails, egg hunts, performances of Macbeth, haunted pub tours, Mediaeval Battle scenes and seeing newly hatched chicks and baby lambs. Be one of the first to experience the new attraction Merlin: The Dragon Tower at Warwick Castle.
On 30 April & 1 May, Stratford-upon-Avon celebrates the 447th birthday of Shakespeare. The celebrations kick off with a children’s street party on Shakespeare’s official birthday, 23 April and culminate the following weekend with the famed Birthday Procession on 30 April and Cervantes Day on 1 May. From folk to flamenco, ballet to clog dancing, puppets and performers, the streets will be alive with carnival spirit and pageantry!
Watch the excitement of the Royal Wedding on the 29 April at a number of special venues. Warwick Castle is resurrecting some of history’s greatest monarchs and transporting them to the Castle to meet guests and regale them with regal tales and stories. Among the royal guests will be King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. The Heritage Motor Centre will be featuring the wedding on a large screen with special themed children's activities. Sheep Street in Stratford will be hosting its own Street Party with staff at The Falstaff Experience providing some of the entertainment and dressing as historical royal figures or listen to the wedding service in the beautiful setting of Holy Trinity Church.
Easter at Warwick Castle promises to deliver a magical adventure with the launch of a new attraction. ‘Merlin: The Dragon Tower’ will be the first ever experience inspired by the BBC One hit family show and gives visitors the chance to experience the magic of the Arthurian legend first hand. Over the Easter weekend see the grounds transformed into a Mediaeval Battle scene. Re-enactors will spend four days eating, sleeping and living the conditions of a real battle. Tour the site and see how an encamped army would live, how they would cook, amuse themselves with arts and crafts and prepare their weapons for battle.
In April the first productions in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 50th Birthday Season will open in the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres: Cardenio, Shakespeare’s ‘lost play’ re-imagined runs in repertoire in the Swan Theatre between 14 April – 6 October, and Macbeth runs in repertoire in the RST from 16 April – 6 October. April also sees the start of three new exhibitions and events: Folio is an exhibition of prints, created in response to Shakespeare; A History of the RSC in 50 Objects tells the story of the RSC through displays of theatrical memorabilia; and artist Shane Waltener will help people convert a room into a giant birthday cake, as part of an exhibition called Sweet Celebrations. Enjoy a range of activities during the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations on 30 April, including events for children with make and take masks, Yorick skulls and Shakespeare colouring sheets.
Celebrate spring and new life at The Shakespeare Houses from 14 – 27 April. See the Birthplace dining room decorated for a traditional feast after the hardships of Lent. Experience a live archaeological dig at New Place and unearth treasure in the spoils from the waste pits. Learn about Easter customs past and present at Hall’s Croft. Join in with the Easter Egg Hunt and Woodland Trail at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. At Mary Arden’s Farm ‘Spring to Life’ and find out about the traditions of Lent, simnel cake and spiced bun making; join in with games and dancing and see the newly hatched chicks and baby lambs.
The 4th Stratford Literary Festival takes place from 25 April - 2 May featuring BBC broadcaster John Humphreys, crime bestseller Sophie Hannah, Baroness Shirley Williams, Mark Radcliffe, Celia Imrie and Larry lamb. The Festival also includes actress Patricia Routledge, Whitbread Prize Award winner Justin Cartwright and novelists Esther Freud and Barbara Trapido. Meet TV vet Luke Gamble and the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter. Sunday 1 May sees a day full of fun and activities for children at Compton Verney with workshops, book making and entertainment not to mention the hilarious author Philip Ardagh and illustrator Axel Scheffler, creator of the multi-million best-selling Gruffalo.
Celebrate Easter at The Falstaff Experience with a haunted pub tour of Stratford on Friday 22 April and find out all about Shakespeare’s loves and inspiration, through all the inns and taverns he would undoubtedly have frequented. Over the Easter weekend enjoy live music in the ancient courtyard which Shakespeare is known to have strolled upon. Meet Sir John Falstaff and his motley crew; find out about the history of Royal Celebrations, and Shakespeare's terrifying villains! Take part in an Easter Egg Hunt from 22 - 25 April.
Kenilworth Castle celebrates the Elizabethan Garden’s third year of opening. Walk around the re-created Garden and soak up the scents, sounds and sights. Celebrate the launch of HOP, the latest animated film and take part in an egg hunt to win a real golden egg! Crack the clues to complete the ‘egg-citing’ trail from 16 – 23 April. Marvel at the Medieval Knights as they take part in a Tournament on 24 & 25 April. Watch them as they compete in archery and the fantastic Crest Melee. Enjoy a display of poleaxe combat, browse the Living History Encampment, listen to period music and laugh out loud to the medieval Jester!'
Enjoy an ‘All Terrain Easter’ at the Heritage Motor Centre - a mix of Easter activities and a fortnight long celebration of Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles. Throughout the holidays there will be daily All Terrain & Royal Wedding themed family activities, whilst on 14, 21 & 28 April there will be special craft activity days. On Good Friday, Shaun the Sheep’s Land Rover will be visiting whilst on 24 April the Convoy for Heroes will take place and attempt to break the record for the longest Land Rover convoy. The celebrations finish with the annual Heritage Land Rover Show on 1 May, a great family day out!
Hatton Farm Village hosts a choc-o-bloc programme from 9 – 25 April. Hunt for eggs which can be exchanged for chocolate ones. Prizes will be awarded to children who can find the bunny cut-outs. Each day there will be a special treat for the child who discovers where the golden egg has been hidden. Easter also sees the return of rides on Tristan the Runaway Tractor as well as Sheepstakes sheep racing and Daft Duck Trials. The fun continues indoors with the brand new Snorty’s Bouncing Barnyard, a 12,000 sq ft indoor play area with three giant slides, a ball pool splash and an abundance of soft play.
Visit Drayton Manor Theme Park which opens Europe’s first ever Ben 10 themed roller coaster ‘Ben 10 - Ultimate Mission’. The exciting new roller coaster will be part of an amazing Cartoon Network Street, which will include a restaurant and shop. Meanwhile, Thomas Land™ will become better than ever with the addition of a brand new ride!
Visit The Master's Garden at the Lord Leycester Hospital on 12 April when it reopens for the season. The historic garden will be a mass of stunning spring flowers, plants, colours and scents. See the resident Gardener for advice and enjoy morning coffee, homemade lunches and afternoon teas in The Brethren's Kitchen Tea room.
Hop along to Hidcote Manor Gardens and join in the fun with Easter Eggs-travaganza on 24 & 25 April. Hunt the clues, solve the puzzle and win an egg-tastic prize. Or follow the clues to win a chocolate prize with an exciting Easter Egg Trail at Upton House & Gardens from 22 – 25 April. Visit Coughton Court for family fun, with trails, chocolate egg treats, face painting, crafts, take home activities from 23 – 25 April whilst on Easter Sunday, take part in a traditional old fashioned sponsored duck race. Pick up a trail sheet and explore the grounds of Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House from 22 - 25 April. Enjoy Cadbury Easter egg prizes, take home crafts and Easter Sunday and Monday face painting.
Get cracking at Compton Verney with an Easter trial from 13 April – 2 May. Crack the code and search for signs and symbols in the collections with an egg hunt, plus decorate your own eggs on 24 & 25 April. Join Warwickshire Bat Group in search of bats on 28 April and discover the lives of these fascinating creatures whilst watching them fly in the parklands.
Hill Close Gardens, the Victorian gardens in Warwick, are inviting children to wear their Easter bonnets for a Parade on Easter Sunday followed by the presentation of a prize for the best bonnet. Children can make Easter baskets and follow clues around the gardens filling their baskets with eggs on Easter Sunday and Monday. There will be plenty of plants on sale ready for the new gardening season and delicious home-made tea and cakes!
Mr Karting in Leamington Spa is holding its ever popular 3 x 10 special offer. Drivers get 3 x 10 minute sessions on the track for just £20 per person. The offer is only valid on weekdays between 10am - 6pm from 11 – 15 & 18 - 22 April. Take part in a Young Shot Country Sports Day on 14 April at Honesberie Shooting School. Enjoy a morning of clay shooting and competitions and an afternoon of fishing with an educational talk on the different types of fish, fishing and the equipment used.
Celebrate St George’s Day at Sulgrave Manor, home of George Washington’s ancestors on 23 April with free entry to past and present members of the British Emergency Services. Children who come dressed as St George, a dragon or a princess can claim a chocolate egg. Watch a traditional Mummers Play, enjoy a tour of the House, take part in a ‘dragon egg’ roll and follow the dragon challenge! On 25 April enjoy egg rolling on the front lawn with a chocolate egg for all who take part plus an ‘egg’ hunt around the garden. Watch Morris Dancers and meet the Lord of the Manor and his cook to hear the stories of customs past.
Visit the beautiful Holy Trinity Church in Stratford for a number of special events and services. Communion with washing of the feet takes place on Maundy Thursday whilst on Good Friday there is a three hour vigil and family service. Easter Sunday includes a dawn service, communion and choral evensong at 6pm. On 30 April see the flowers laid on Shakespeare's grave during the procession in the morning with music by the Orchestra of the Swan based on Shakespeare's Sonnets in the afternoon.
Enjoy planting up pots and hanging baskets at The National Herb Centre on 16 April. Find eggs during an Easter Egg Hunt from 18 - 25 April. Have a go at pond dipping and see what is lurking in the pond on 17 April. Join the bug expert on a bug hunt and discover what creeps, crawls, flies and slimes beneath on 20 April. Following a talk from the expert, handle some of the mini-beasts, such as a corn snake and ‘bull frog on 26 April.
For accommodation, special offers and more information visit the official website: Shakespeare-Country.co.uk
