The spring terms have been so short this year, leading up to an early Easter, can you believe we’re already on the countdown to the Easter holidays 2024? If you’re wondering how you’ll keep everyone occupied, here’s a roundup up of some of the top Easter events near Cheltenham. Booking links are in italics where this is required.
Easter Egg Hunts near Cheltenham
Saturday 23rd March 2024, 2pm-3:30pm| St Catharine’s Under 5’s, London Road, Gloucester, GL2 0RR| £6 Includes drinks, games and a free Easter themed activity pack to take home. To book your space please email: stcatharinesunder5sbookings@gmail.com
Sunday 31st March and Monday 1st April 2024| Lakeside Cafe, Burley Fields, Leckhampton, Cheltenham| £8 includes egg hunt, a drink and an Easter cookie to decorate. Drop them a message on Facebook for more information!
Saturday 23rd March 2024, 1-4pm| Churchdown Village Infant School| £3.50 in advance, £4 on the day for a map and Easter egg prize. Maps can be purchased before and after school from Churchdown Village Infant School.
Saturday 23rd March – Sunday 7th April 2024| The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, 51 Clarence Street, Cheltenham,GL50 3JT| £5 buys you a trail map for the Arty Egg Hunt, which will take you through the galleries looking for Easter eggs to help you crack the secret code. Successful code breakers will earn a dive in the giant lucky dip nest! Book online or buy a ticket in the cafe on arrival.
Saturday 30th March 2024, 2-4pm| Hatherley Park Easter Egg Hunt| £2 per child (cash preferred), bring your basket and hunt for eggs at the park!
Easter Trails near Cheltenham
Friday 29th March 2024, 1-3pm| Cleeve Common| £3 per child (plus booking fee, booking required) includes access to the 1 mile trail full of clues to solve, plus an edible prize at the end.
Saturday 23rd March – Monday 1st April 2024| Chedworth Roman Villa, Yanworth, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 3LJ| £3 per child includes an Easter trail sheet, pencil, bunny ears and Rainforest Alliance Certified dairy or vegan and Free From chocolate egg (suitable for people with milk, egg, gluten, peanut and tree nut allergies). No booking necessary, but usual entry fees apply (free for National Trust members).
Easter Fairs near Cheltenham 2024
Monday 1st April 2024, 10am-4pm| Elkstone Studios, Elkstone GL53 9PQ| They say ‘brace yourself for an action packed day of activities and games the whole family can enjoy. Whether you are you a crafty crafter, an expert welly wanger or champion rat whacker, or animal lover there’s something for everyone to enjoy. You can expect to see animals such as snakes, spiders, insects, meerkats, rabbits at our petting zoo. A lunch time show at our new Park Stage. Fairground games such as Hook a Duck, Skittles, Whack a Rat, Ring Toss and lawn games incuding tug of war, silly olympics and much more!’ Tickets are available here.
Sunday 24th March 2024, 1-5pm| Walls Club, Hammond Way, Gloucester| James Hopkins Easter Extravaganza including stalls, games, special guest appearances and demonstrations from local groups. More information here.
Saturday 30th March 2024, 12-4pm|Painswick Village Hall| The easter bunny is busy preparing Painswick Playgroup’s annual Egg Hunt, it’s sure to be a great day and one to pop in the diary! More information here.
Monday 25th – Thursday 28th March 2024| Friday Dean Close School, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham| My Stage School invites children of all abilities, aged 4-18 to attend 4 days of fabulous performing arts putting on a large scale production of WONKA! Open to existing and non stage school students. Book here.
Easter Holidays 2024 – Other events near Cheltenham
Saturday 23rd March – Monday 1st April 2024| Over Farm, Over, Gloucester, GL2 8DB| Over Farm are once again putting on their Easter Extravaganza, with magic shows, pillow jumping, quad train rides, mini golf, tennis ball cannons and SO much more! Book tickets here. Their classic Countryside Adventure shenanigans – PLUS hula hoop and magic live shows will be back for the remainder of the holidays, from 1st to the 7th of April.
Tuesday 2nd April, 2pm to 4pm| Cheltenham Animal Shelter will be at School House Cafe (St Pauls Road, Cheltenham)| The animal shelter will be bringing rescued small animals for you to meet and some pet-related children’s crafts to enjoy while you grab some bargains at our tabletop sale selling a range of pet and kids’ goods.
Thursday 28th March 2024, 10am-5pm| Three Counties Showground, WR13 6NW| Get involved in an action packed, hands on event with food, farming and the countryside at its core. Whatever the weather, with plenty of indoor and outdoor activities, Countrytastic is the perfect Easter Holiday family day out! Visit the Three Counties Showground website for more details and to purchase tickets.
Saturday 23rd March 2024, 10am -5pm|Cotswold Country Park & Beach, Spratsgate Lane, Shorncote, Cirencester GL7 6D| Opening day! The 2024 season begins for this fab attraction. Build some sandcastles, paddle in the lagoon or play on the adventure playgrounds. Paddleboards, kayaks and pedals are available to hire. Click to book here.
Until Sunday 14th April 2024| Visit the lambing sheds at Cotswold Farm Park. Their experts will be on hand to give daily lambing talks and there are over 9000 lambs expected to be born, you might even see a live birth! There is loads to do on site, it’s perfect come rain or shine and the food there is absolutely delicious too!
Foodie Easter treats near Cheltenham
Sunday 31st March 2024, 12-3pm| Gloucester Robinswood Hotel, Marleston Close Gloucester GL4 6EA| They say ‘join us for a scrumptious Easter Sunday Lunch! Indulge in a delightful feast, filled with all your favourite Easter treats. Bring your family and friends along for a day of good food, laughter, and joy. Our talented chefs have prepared a mouthwatering menu, featuring a traditional roast dinner and delectable desserts. Don’t forget to bring your Easter spirit and an empty stomach!’ Booking essential.
Give back during the Easter Holidays 2024
Dunelm Cheltenham are collecting Easter eggs to be distributed to local schools and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Simply pop into your local supermarket and buy an extra Easter egg, then take it to Dunelm during opening hours until Friday 15th March 2024.
Free fun at home during the Easter holidays 2024
Hard boiled egg decorating – I haven’t done this since I was a child, but it’s on my list for this year as I loved it so much back then!
To paint hard boiled egg shells, start by ensuring they are clean and dry. Next, gather food-safe paints and small brushes. Begin by applying a base coat of paint to the egg shell, allowing it to dry completely before adding any additional design or colours. When the base coat is dry, carefully paint your desired pattern, design, or colors onto the shell using the small brushes. Be patient and steady handed, allowing each layer to dry before proceeding to the next one.
Once your design is complete and the paint is dry, you can opt to add a layer of clear varnish or shellac to protect the paint and create a glossy finish. Remember to handle the painted eggshells with care to avoid chipping the paint and enjoy your beautifully decorated eggs!
Easter nest making – So classic, it’s almost the law to make these!
To make chocolate cornflake Easter nests, start by melting some chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or over the hob until it is smooth and completely melted. Next, add Cornflakes (Rice Krispies or Shredded Wheat work well too) to the melted chocolate and gently stir until all the cereal is coated evenly.
Spoon the mixture into small cupcake cases or muffin liners, shaping them into nest shapes with a hollow centre. Make a small indent in the centre of each nest to create space for the eggs. Allow the nests to cool and set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once they are firm, remove them from the refrigerator and place a few mini chocolate eggs in the centre of each nest. These delicious homemade chocolate Easter nests are the perfect treat for all ages!
Easter egg hunt – Although there are lots of places offering Easter events near Cheltenham, don’t forget that you can create your own DIY versions at home!
Easter is a time filled with joy and excitement, especially for children eagerly awaiting an egg hunt. Last year, we decided to make it extra special by organising an at home Easter egg hunt using clues. Early in the morning, we hid small chocolate eggs in various nooks and crannies around the house. Each egg was carefully hidden, making sure they were not too easy to find. To add an element of adventure, we used cleverly written clues that would lead the kids from one hiding spot to the next.
The excitement in the air was tangible as the children tore round the house and garden unravelling the riddles and discovering hidden treasures. As they deciphered each clue, their enthusiasm grew, and they raced from one clue to another, giggling and shouting with joy. It was amazing to witness their curiosity and problem solving skills shine through as they worked together to uncover the next hidden egg!
If you don’t fancy writing your own clues, here’s a free download from Emmaand3 that will save you so much time!
Whether you’re looking to explore local attractions, experience outdoor adventures, indulge in delicious seasonal treats or spend time together at home, there is something for everyone in and around Cheltenham. Hopefully you’ve found some inspiration for making your Easter holidays 2024 one to remember!
As always, if you’d like me to include your event in this post, please drop me an email or message using the contact buttons at the top of the page.
If you’re looking for ideas further afield, check out this review of Frozen the Musical and these ideas for Easter in Devon.
Leave a Reply