Chesterfield Borough Council is organising free and low-cost activities for families during the October half term, with a Halloween theme running across parks, the town centre and leisure centres.
Councillor Amanda Serjeant, deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said the council wanted to ensure all families in the community could afford to spend time together during the school break. "We know how much families look forward to half term, but we also know it can be an expensive time," she said.
Chesterfield Markets – Saturday 31 October
Chesterfield Markets will host a free day of activities from 10.30am to 2.30pm on Saturday 31 October. Activities include free Halloween face painting, arts and crafts, a pumpkin trail around the market and market hall, and spooky stilt walkers for photographs.
Sparky Ink Studio will run an animation workshop where visitors can make their own spooky mini film using handmade skeletons and pumpkins. The activities will be hosted in gazebos between Boots and McDonalds.
Puffin Billy Train Rides – Queen's Park
Puffin Billy will run in Queen's Park from 24 October to 1 November, except Monday. Train rides cost £2.50, with under threes riding free with a parent or guardian. The train starts at 10.30am with the last ride at 4pm.
On Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, Puffin Billy will have a Halloween makeover. Riders will be given a treat and fancy dress is encouraged. Rides cost the same, but the train will run from 10.30am with the last ride at 5.30pm.
Free Park Activity Days
Two free activity days will be held during half term. Eastwood Park hosts activities on Wednesday 28 October from 11am to 2pm, and Holmebrook Valley Country Park on Thursday 29 October from 11am to 2pm.
Both days feature a Bug Hotel Workshop where participants can create bug hotels to take home, or add them to larger bug hotels called Bugingham Palace and Worminster Palace, which will be created in each park later this year. Participants need to bring a cardboard box or plastic milk bottle; all other materials will be provided.
Each day also includes a Halloween themed orienteering challenge and a craft workshop.
Leisure Centre Activities
Queen's Park Sports Centre will host gymnastics taster sessions on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October from 9am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Sessions are for ages 5 to 14 years old and cost £12.50 per session.
Both Queen's Park Sports Centre and the Healthy Living Centre will host splash sessions with toys, floats and sinkers. Queen's Park Sports Centre offers sessions on Tuesday 27 October from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Both centres run sessions on Thursday 29 October from 1.15pm to 2.30pm and Saturday 31 October from 2.15pm to 3.30pm.
Queen's Park Sports Centre will also start a new weekly playtime session in the small pool for parents and children up to age five. Sessions run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30am to 12 noon, starting during half term and continuing weekly.
Further information about leisure centre activities is available on the council's children's holiday activities page.