Easter holidays 2024: All the big events and things to do in Wales for all the family
EVOLUTION LIGHT SHOW – CARDIFF
A new light show is coming to Cardiff for Easter 2024. Evolution is an epic drone light show which promises to take audiences on a mesmerising journey through time and space and is taking to the skies above the Welsh capital.
Evolution is coming to Cardiff for one night only on Friday, March 29, which is Good Friday. Hundreds of drones will take to the night sky, fusing cutting-edge technology and creativity to spark the imagination. From single-cell organisms and awe-inspiring dinosaurs to the dawning of modern humans, Evolution is billed as a captivating homage to the past, a celebration of the present and a glimpse into the horizons of the future.
See www.yuup.co/evolution
MUMBLES BIG WHEEL
The Big Wheel was built in 2022 and was one of the main attractions at Swansea’s Waterfront Winterland last Christmas and the Christmas before, but now has a new long-term home. Located on Mumbles Pier, you can enjoy great views of Swansea Bay and Bracelet Bay and you could combine your visit with...
BUNNY BURROW – MUMBLES PIER
Meet the Easter bunny and enjoy a Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea Party, where you will indulge in a tasty Easter-themed afternoon tea while the Mad Hatter and Alice take to the stage to entertain with a magical interactive show like no other, at Mumbles Pier this Easter. These events are running from Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31.
See www.mumbles-pier.co.uk/whats-on
MULTI-PERIOD LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND – BODRHYDDAN HALL, RHYL
Bodrhyddan Hall is putting on a family-friendly history weekend on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. This event will feature more than 600 re-enactors, displaying authentic period uniforms, original equipment and weaponry as well as a range of demonstrations and exhibits.
The Easter holidays have arrived, meaning schoolchildren get to enjoy two weeks off – stretching from today through to Sunday, April 7, and you might be thinking of ways to fill them. There is plenty to enjoy in Wales, from light shows to food festivals to outdoor swimming. With the nights drawing out and the weather (hopefully) getting better, there are plenty of activities you can enjoy outside. If the weather is miserable, we’ve got some great indoor options too. Here are some of the best activities you can enjoy in Wales during the 2024 Easter holidays, as Stephanie Colderick reports...
See www.bodrhyddan.co.uk/no-mans-land
SWANSEA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL
One of Swansea’s most popular foodie events, the Swansea Street Food Festival is returning for Easter 2024. The family-friendly festival will be returning to Museum Park on Easter weekend, Friday, March 29 to Monday, April 1, and will feature 30-plus street food traders, several bars serving draught beers, cocktails and soft drinks, a stage with live music and entertainment, and a large seating area which will be bigger than in previous years. Visitors will be able to “explore cuisines from all over the world”, organisers say, with dishes from India, Vietnam, Thailand, Morocco, Mexico, Afghanistan, the Caribbean and Uzbekistan among the tantalising meals, tasty snacks and sweet treats to be served up at stalls across the site.
MUSEUMS – ACROSS WALES
Amgueddfa Cymru is running some great Easter activities across their seven museums in Wales, the National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans Natural History Museum, National Wool Museum, Big Pit National Coal Museum, National Waterfront Museum, National Slate Museum and National Roman Legion Museum. This includes the The Big Museum Easter Trail at all seven museums. At the National Waterfront Museum, you can enjoy an Easter movie, Wonka, and there is the South Wales Makers Market at St Fagans.
See www.museum.wales/easter
LIDO PONTY, PONTYPRIDD
Good news for the swimmers among us – Lido Ponty is opening up its main summer season in time for the Easter holidays. All three pools of the National Lido of Wales, Lido Ponty, will be open every day of the two-week-long holidays.
The water temperature will be turned back up to 28°C and the pools will be open for lane and casual swimming, a splash pool with fountain, inflatable obstacle course, water zorb, and paddle boats.
See www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/resident/ Sportsandleisure/lido/home.aspx
DINO TAKEOVER – MERMAID QUAY, CARDIFF
A Dino Takeover has descended on Mermaid Quay this Easter. From today until Sunday, April 14, there will be plenty of fun for the whole family to enjoy at the quayside.
Visitors will encounter lifelike dinosaurs and have the opportunity to take part in free dinothemed activities, enjoy jam-packed event days, and get involved in the onsite colouring competition and Dino Discovery Trail. On Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3, visitors will have the chance to meet and greet Razor the Velociraptor, Nibbles the baby Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Boulder the baby Ankylosaurus, as they make special appearances throughout the day.
In addition to the meet-and-greet sessions, on Thursday, April 4 and Friday, April 5, from 12pm to 4pm, young aspiring palaeontologists can participate in the Palaeontology School, where they’ll dig for fossils and dino bones in a sand pit. Additionally, children can get creative with
Roarsome Rocks, crafting realistic fossils using air-drying clay and mini dinosaurs.
See www.mermaidquay.co.uk/dino-takeoverat-mermaid-quay
FORAGE FARM, COWBRIDGE, VALE OF GLAMORGAN
A lot is going on at Forage Farm this Easter. With tickets costing £6.50, families can enjoy an egg hunt on a tractor-trailer ride, meet the pony and unicorn with Little Trotters, and celebrate all things cute and fluffy with lambs on the lawn, friendly alpacas and pigmy goats (and their newborn kids!).
Additionally, children and adults will enjoy viewing the tractor display, while for those seeking a thrill, why not tackle the 7.5m climbing wall (age four and over)? Everyone will love seeking out the Easter bunny and Forage’s golden egg for a memorable photo.
There is also the popular Penllyn Estate hog roast on Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1.
See www.foragefarmshop.co.uk/easter-atforage/
CADW – ACROSS WALES
Cadw locations such as Plas Mawr, Kidwelly Castle, and Caerphilly Castle are running some great Easter events. You can solve the Easter puzzle in the sacred confines of St Davids Bishop’s Palace in St Davids, searching through the majestic Great Hall, enchanting courtyard and the hallowed chapel for hidden clues.
This egg-hunting experience doesn’t stop there, with the final task being to unscramble the letters collected along the quest and solve this Easter mystery. The activities are running on Saturday,
March 30, Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1.
A day of laughter awaits at the Conwy Jester’s spectacular Easter event at Plas Mawr. Let him weave his magical charm as he dazzles and delights with his foolish fun. Don’t miss the facepainting station for an added splash of colour to your day and you can join in the annual Easter Egg Hunt, a tradition that promises joy to all involved. This event is running on Monday, April 1.
See www.cadw.gov.wales
DINOMANIA – PLANTASIA, SWANSEA
Plantasia Tropical Zoo transports back to the prehistoric age when dinosaurs ruled the jungle. Along with exploring the zoo, you can meet baby dinosaurs, meet large Dino, and complete the dino trail on Monday, March 25.
Other Easter activities at Plantasia include the Easter bunny trial, growing your own sunflowers, and meeting the Easter bunny.
See www.plantasiaswansea.co.uk
FOLLY FARM, KILGETTY
Popular day out Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire is also running some great Easter activities. There is the Easter card hunt, animal eggs-themed trial, a photo opportunity in the barn, and meet-and-greet sessions with the farmyard animals. These activities are running from today to Sunday, April 7.
During the Easter weekend, from Friday, March 29 to Monday, April 1 there will be arts and crafts sessions and tractor displays.
See www.folly-farm.co.uk/news/egg-stratreats-in-store-at-folly-this-easter
NATIONAL TRUST – ACROSS WALES
There are lots of National Trust properties in Wales also running some great Easter events. At Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan, there is an Easter trail from today to Tuesday, April 2. At Erddig, Wrexham, there is an active trail finishing with a giant garden tea party from Monday, March 25 to Sunday, March 31. And you can discover what it takes to be a knight at Chirk Castle from Monday, March 25 to Sunday, March 31.
See www.nationaltrust.org.uk
GREAT ORME TRAMWAY, LLANDUDNO
Opening today, just in time for Easter, is the Great Orme Tramway. The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno is Britain’s only cable-hauled road tram. A journey on the historic attraction takes you on a picturesque, mile-long trip from the edge of Llandudno to the summit of the Great Orme Country Park & Nature Reserve. On a clear day, views stretch as far as the Isle of Man and the Lake District.
See www.snowdonia360.com/member/ great-orme-tramway
INTO THE WILD – ST DAVID’S SHOPPING CENTRE, CARDIFF
This Easter, let little ones go wild at the free brick model animal trail at St David’s. The impressive trail will feature wild animals built out of over half a million toy bricks and will explore different habitats, including wildlands, snow and ice, ocean and jungle.
The trail is set to be a showstopper, with a giant panda, gorilla, African lion and Bengal tiger, plus a mammoth made from 81,350 toy bricks! The trail is free for all guests.