The Fun Palace event will be a day full of free activities from 10am – 3pm celebrating communities and culture, from enjoying children’s activities to sharing stories through music and poetry.  

The national Fun Palaces campaign, which takes place during the first weekend of October each year, is a community-focused initiative that supports local people to co-create their own cultural and community events in a public venue, and where everyone’s individual brilliance can be recognised and valued.  

Stratford Library will be hosting the following Fun Palace activities, which are available for people of all ages, and will be free to drop-in and enjoy throughout the day:

• 10am – 1pm, Digital music making. Suitable for anyone aged 14+ years to get involved in and enjoy making digital music.
• 10am – 3pm, Children’s activities. Make a rainbow shaker or musical “lolly-monica” suitable for ages 3+ years between 10am-3pm. Enjoy Lego Club from 10am-12pm suitable for ages 4-11 years or get involved in Chess Club from 1-2pm for ages 7-11 years.
• 10:15am, Shakespeare for All. Sit down and enjoy a community reading of Shakespeare’s comedy play “The Taming of the Shrew”.
• 11am – 1pm, Poetry on Demand. Tell your own story to a poet in the library and have a custom poem written for you on the spot.

This year Stratford Library is becoming a Fun Palace alongside local partners the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Town Trust, and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. All of these Stratford-based venues will be holding exciting community events that involve variations of music, storytelling, family workshops, and craft activities.

To find out more, download the Stratford-upon-Avon Fun Palace 2023 leaflet.