Sunshine, Stories & Smiles: Family Fun in Blackburn with Darwen

Looking for ways to keep the kids entertained during the summer holidays? Whether they love stories, crafts, games or outdoor adventures, there’s something for every age and interest across Blackburn and Darwen. Check out this jam-packed guide full of free and low-cost activities happening all summer long – from library fun to market magic and beyond!

Libraries

Blackburn Library:

• 22 July 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Storytime and Craft – 3+ yrs
• 23 July 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Lego Club – 3+ yrs
• 24 July 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Story Gardens Craft – 5+ yrs
• 29 July 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Jack & the Beanstalk – 5+ yrs
• 30 July 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Digiplay – 6+ yrs
• 31 July 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Story Catchers Craft – 5+ yrs
• 5 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), ZooLab – 5+ yrs
• 6 August 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Board Games – 5+ yrs
• 7 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Minibeasts Craft – 5+ yrs
• 12 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Storytime and Craft – 3+ yrs
• 13 August 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Digiplay – 6+ yrs
• 14 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Space Themed Craft – 5+ yrs
• 19 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Storytime and Craft – 3+ yrs
• 20 August 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Lego Club – 3+ yrs
• 21 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Mythical Creatures Craft – 5+ yrs
• 26 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Storytime and Craft – 3+ yrs
• 27 August 2025 (2pm to 4pm), Digiplay – 6+ yrs
• 28 August 2025 (2pm to 3pm), Animal Themed Craft – 5+ yrs

Darwen Library:

• 21 July 2025 (10am to 6pm), Lego Building – 3+ yrs
• 23 July 2025 (11am to 12pm), Story Garden Craft – 5+ yrs
• 23 July 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Junior Jigsaws – 3+ yrs
• 24 July 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Summer Scrap Book – 5+ yrs
• 25 July 2025 (10am to 4pm), Board Games, Friv Games & Tiny Tablet – 3+ yrs & 5+ yrs
• 28 July 2025 (10am to 6pm), Meccano – 5+ yrs
• 29 July 2025 (11am to 12pm), Jack & the Beanstalk – 5+ yrs
• 30 July 2025 (11am to 12pm), Story Catchers Craft – 5+ yrs
• 30 July 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Drawing Table – 3+ yrs
• 31 July 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Mosaic Craft – 3+ yrs
• 1 August 2025 (10am to 4pm), K’nex, Friv Games & Tiny Tablet – 5+ yrs
• 4 August 2025 (10am to 6pm), Lego Building – 3+ yrs
• 5 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), ZooLab – 5+ yrs
• 6 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), Minibeast Craft – 5+ yrs
• 6 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Board Games – 3+ yrs
• 7 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Cress Heads Craft – 3+ yrs
• 8 August 2025 (10am to 4pm), Junior Jigsaws, Friv Games & Tiny Tablet – 3+ yrs
• 11 August 2025 (10am to 6pm), Meccano – 5+ yrs
• 13 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), Space Themed Craft – 5+ yrs
• 13 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), K’Nex – 5+ yrs
• 14 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Dressing Up – 5+ yrs
• 15 August 2025 (10am to 4pm), Lego Building – 3+ yrs
• 18 August 2025 (10am to 6pm), Lego Building – 3+ yrs
• 20 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), Mythical Creatures Craft – 5+ yrs
• 21 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Board Games – 3+ yrs
• 21 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Junior Jigsaws – 5+ yrs
• 22 August 2025 (10am to 4pm), String Art – 5+ yrs
• 25 August 2025, Bank Holiday
• 27 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), Animal Themed Craft – 5+ yrs
• 27 August 2025 (11am to 12pm), Junior Jigsaws – 5+ yrs
• 28 August 2025 (1pm to 4pm), Paper Doll Craft – 3+ yrs
• 29 August 2025 (10am to 4pm), Kite Making – 3+ yrs

📖 Story & Rhyme Time
Every Wednesday (2:30pm), Story & Rhyme Time – All ages
Every Friday (10:30am to 11am), Story & Rhyme Time – All ages

Cherry Tree Library:

All sessions (2:30pm to 3:30pm) – 5+ yrs

• 23 July 2025, Story Garden Craft
• 30 July 2025, Story Catchers Craft
• 6 August 2025, Minibeasts Craft
• 13 August 2025, Space Themed Craft
• 20 August 2025, Mythical Creatures Craft
• 27 August 2025, Animals Themed Craft

Mill Hill Library:

All sessions (2:30pm to 3:30pm) – 5+ yrs

• 22 July 2025, Story Garden Craft
• 29 July 2025, Story Catchers Craft
• 5 August 2025, Minibeasts Craft
• 12 August 2025, Space Themed Craft
• 19 August 2025, Mythical Creatures Craft
• 26 August 2025, Animals Themed Craft

Roman Road Library:

All sessions (10:30am to 11:30am) – 5+ yrs

• 24 July 2025, Story Garden Craft
• 31 July 2025, Story Catchers Craft
• 7 August 2025, Minibeasts Craft
• 14 August 2025, Space Themed Craft
• 21 August 2025, Mythical Creatures Craft
• 28 August 2025, Animals Themed Craft

 

Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery:

Weekly Creative Workshops at Blackburn Museum

• 23–25 July 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Artist-led Workshops Inspired by the South Asian Gallery with Saima Hussain
• 29–31 July 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Print, Paint and Pixel – explore different artistic techniques
• 5–7 August 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Joint Workshop in partnership with The Making Rooms
• 12–14 August 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Crepe Paper Flower-Making Workshop with Lisa Howard
• 19–21 August 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Create Egyptian Gilded Bookmarks with Annahieta Oskooi
• 26–28 August 2025 (12pm to 3pm), Collage Workshop led by artist Luke Saxon

Ongoing Drop-in Activities

• Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 4pm, Free arts and crafts sessions. All children must be supervised by an adult.
• Every Saturday, 12pm to 4pm, Get Crafty – No booking required, but children must be supervised.

Special Exhibitions

Come As You Really Are

A new exhibition by artist Hetain Patel celebrating the creativity, dedication, and individuality of hobbyists across the UK.

Visit Blackburn Museum for more details:

 

Markets:

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is once again working in partnership with local company Spot On Lancashire bringing you an array of activities for all the family over the summer break.

Blackburn Market:

• Wednesday 23 July 2025, Ella Otomewo & Chris Brown – Pop Poetry
• Friday 25 July 2025, Enter Edem – Aquanauts Adrift
• Saturday 26 July 2025, Ian Halawi – Blackburn Print Rally
• Saturday 26 July 2025, Maelstrom – Maelstrom About Town
• Wednesday 30 July 2025, Molly Bland – Mini-Zines with Molly Bland
• Friday 1 August 2025, LAStheatre – Caspian’s Storm
• Saturday 2 August 2025, Ella Otomewo & Kim Stuttard – Commemorative Plates and Poems
• Wednesday 6 August 2025, HandMade Theatre – Puppet Birding
• Friday 8 August 2025, Gemma Bond – The Pirate Princess
• Saturday 9 August 2025, Flying Buttresses – Hodman and Sally Walkabout
• Wednesday 13 August 2025, Print, Paint and Pixel – Design a Pocket Adventure!
• Saturday 16 August 2025, The Circus House – Circus Skills Workshop
• Saturday 16 August 2025, Winston Plowes – Tree Pixel Workshop
• Wednesday 20 August 2025, Richard Moss – Ukulele Zero to Ukulele Hero in 10 Minutes!
• Thursday 21 August 2025, Sohan Kailey – Bhangra Tots
• Saturday 23 August 2025, Decibelles – Decibelles About Town
• Wednesday 27 August 2025, Ian Douglas – Summer Stories
• Friday 29 August 2025, Sonia Sabri Company – The Elephant and The Drummer
• Saturday 30 August 2025, Lempen Puppet Theatre – The Fisher and His Wife

Darwen Market:

• Thursday 24 July 2025, Molly Bland – Mini-Zines with Molly Bland
• Saturday 26 July 2025, Enter Edem – Aquanauts Adrift
• Wednesday 30 July 2025, Ella Otomewo & Chris Brown – Pop Poetry
• Thursday 31 July 2025, LAStheatre – Caspian’s Storm
• Friday 8 August 2025, HandMade Theatre – Puppet Birding
• Wednesday 6 August 2025, Print, Paint and Pixel – Design a Pocket Adventure!
• Wednesday 13 August 2025, Gemma Bond – The Pirate Princess
• Friday 15 August 2025, The Circus House – Circus Skills Workshop
• Wednesday 20 August 2025, Sohan Kailey – Bhangra Tots
• Friday 22 August 2025, Richard Moss – Ukulele Zero to Ukulele Hero in 10 Minutes
• Saturday 30 August 2025, Ian Douglas – Summer Stories
• Thursday 28 August 2025, Sonia Sabri Company – The Elephant and The Drummer

For more information and how to book visit: Spot On Lancashire

 

Family Hubs and Children Centres:

Our Family Hubs and Children’s centres are also hosting activities for families to enjoy over the summer break.

Visit Events | Family Hubs for the full rundown

 

Re:fresh:

• Open Year-Round, Xplorer Trails – Corporation Park, Queens Park, Witton Park, Whitehall Park
• Saturday 26 July 2025, Time TBC, Family Fitness Festival – Witton Park, Booking required
• Every Tuesday, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM, Walking Workout – Sunnyhurst Woods, Darwen, No booking required
• Wednesdays, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Biker Tots – Witton Park, No booking required
• Thursdays, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, Biker Tots – Whitehall Park, No booking required
• Wednesdays, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM, Learning Disability Multi Sports Session – Witton Park Arena, No booking required
• Thursdays, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Learning Disability Multi Sports Session – Darwen Leisure Centre, No booking required

 Visit Refresh Blackburn with Darwen for more information

 

The Bureau:

• Every Saturday, 12 July to 6 September 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM & 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, Imaginarium
• Every Saturday, 12 July to 6 September 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, Public Living Room (social drop-in in the cafe)
• Every Saturday, 12 July to 6 September 2025, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Family Art Club: Paper Creations!
• Every Saturday, 12 July to 6 September 2025, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Cafe & Gallery Open
• Ongoing Exhibition, Drawing in Space – Space for Drawing

 

The Making Rooms:

The Making Rooms also have lots going on over the summer, check out The Making Rooms for all the details.

 

To find out all the free things available in Blackburn with Darwen visit: Our top tips for free things to do in Blackburn with Darwen | The Shuttle: Blackburn with Darwen Council News

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