This is our weekly guide to things to do and places to go in and around Mansfield and Ashfield, as well as the wider Nottinghamshire area.
The main focus remains on events and activities for the kids, given that we’re in the middle of the first school holiday of 2023. From animal antics and magical musical journeys to making Lego and building bird-boxes, there’s plenty to do.
But it’s not exactly quiet elsewhere either. Mansfield’s Palace Theatre stages a Dolly Parton musical and a children’s ballet, ‘Ugly Duckling’, while there’s a fascinating artwork exhibition to catch up with at Mansfield Library.
And over in Ashfield, the council is launching its annual Big Spring Clean, which invites locals to get involved in community litter-picks.
Whatever you get up to, please make sure to check the websites of the individual venues for opening times and any admission prices.
Have a great weekend!
5. Enjoy a magical musical journey
Kirkby Library invites you and the little ones to enjoy a magical musical journey next Tuesday from 11 am. The 'Adventures In Music' session uses rhythm, music and movement to develop your child's language skills, spark their imagination and build their confidence. Open to kids aged two to five, there are 45-minute sessions every Tuesday until March 21, each with a different theme. They are free, but places are limited, so booking is required. Photo: Submitted
6. Art exhibition at library
Mansfield Library is staging an exhibition every day until Sunday March 5 featuring beautiful artwork that reflects and celebrates what reading books means to ordinary people. ''I Am A Reader' is free and is the result of artist Carol Adlam working with a group of six adults to form the basis for a series of 22 illustrations. Photo: Submitted
7. 'Ugly Duckling' ballet for children
Mansfield's Palace Theatre is offering the perfect opportunity for young children to enjoy a live show and live music for the first time. For Northern Ballet takes its production of 'Ugly Duckling' to the theatre next Tuesday, retelling the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. The show, lasting 40 minutes, relates the story of a duckling who is fed-up and lonely but eventually discovers that she was beautiful all along. Photo: Submitted
8. How to feed birds in your garden
Birds are the focus of family sessions at Creswell Crags, Welbeck this weekend and next week. On Saturday and Sunday, you can learn how to make a bird box for the birds that visit your garden. All the materials and tools are provided. And then next Monday and Wednesday, you can learn how to make a range of bird feeders to hang in your garden. Get messy with fat balls and get creative with pine cones. Photo: Submitted