Things to do with family Archives - Destination Chesterfield

Families enjoy immersive experiences at Chesterfield Children’s Festival

30th July 2024

Thousands of families attended the second Chesterfield Children’s Festival at the weekend, with children of all ages participating in the weekend’s workshops and activities.

The free two-day event at Queen’s Park was organised by local arts charity, Junction Arts and was funded by Arts Council England.

The line-up included an immersive movie experience, virtual reality swings, Bollywood dancing, an interactive catwalk, family life drawing, circus skills and carnival queens!

Junction Arts Project Coordinator, Jemma Burton said: “Thank you to everyone who came to the Chesterfield Children’s Festival at the weekend! We had some fantastic activities and performers, but the visitors bring the energy and positivity that makes it so special. It was great to see local families embracing arts and culture activities: mums and dads dancing along to the Jackson 5, kids improvising with the award-winning Blockbuster Factory and grandparents dressing up as carnival queens!”

“The event aimed to create a welcoming space, where young people and their families could explore art, culture and creativity in an accessible way. We hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as we did and made lots of memories. We’ll see you all again next year!”

A parent in attendance commented: “It has been another fantastic children’s festival, the kids have enjoyed making their sock puppets, we’ve danced, made an imaginary movie, flown like a bird on the virtual reality swings and seen live theatre – right here in Queen’s Park. It’s such a great event for Chesterfield and local families.”

Junction Arts is an award-winning participatory arts charity, that organises a number of festivals and events, including the Tapton Lock Festival and Bolsover Lantern Parade.

For more information about Junction Arts and upcoming events, visit www.junctionarts.org.

Looking for more exciting events and activities across Chesterfield this Summer? Head over to our Summer in Chesterfield page!

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chatsworth opens newly-refurbished woodland playground

24th April 2024

The woodland playground at Chatsworth’s farmyard has officially reopened, following an extensive refurbishment.

Featuring a giant Great Spotted Woodpecker, secret tunnel, climbing wall and even a zip wire, the new playground offers hours of adventures for children and families.

The playground also has climbing frames, swings, a giant sand play area, and an Archimedes screw to fetch water from the stream. The refurbishment forms part of the year-long programme of events and activities coming to Chatsworth under the theme of ‘Celebrating Childhood’, encouraging visitors to experience Chatsworth and its rich history from a new perspective.

Speaking about the ‘Celebrating Childhood’ theme, Jane Marriott, Director of Chatsworth House Trust, said: “Through this season celebrating childhood, we hope that our visitors can experience Chatsworth from a new perspective – one that is playful and inquisitive, that celebrates learning and encourages a deeper connection and enjoyment of Chatsworth’s rich history.

“Childhood is something that unites us all. This year we will continue to commission new and exciting artists, introduce our first Chatsworth Family Festival, and develop our learning programme that is packed with opportunities to develop new skill. We look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages to join us for a new perspective at Chatsworth.”

William Burlington, Chairman of Chatsworth House Trust, said: “We are thrilled that 2024 will be a year of storytelling, discovery and play as we celebrate children and childhood at Chatsworth throughout the year.”

The playground also has a coffee hut and a picnic area, and is accessible for everyone with new pathways and ramp access.

Access to the adventure playground is included with all house, garden or farmyard tickets. To book, visit: www.chatsworth.org/visit-chatsworth/book-tickets

Looking for more family-friendly things to do in Chesterfield? Head over to our places to visit page. and browse the range of upcoming events taking place in our town.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.