So let’s get you all in the mood with a guide to things to do in the Mansfield, Ashfield and wider Nottinghamshire area this weekend.
A plethora of activities and events is scheduled for the next few days to whet the appetites of youngsters and adults alike.
For the kids, the first Funtopia event of the summer comes to Warsop, while a summer of fun kicks off at Mansfield Museum and Clumber Park and there’s a chance to play along with popular characters Elmer The Patchwork Elephant and Sarah And Duck.
Families can warm up for the holidays at Ladybrook Fair in Mansfield or a fun dog show at Thoresby Park. While film buffs are in their element with open-air screenings of three blockbuster movies at Newstead Abbey.
If it’s music you’re after, then you are spoilt for choice. From the Splendour Festival down the road at Wollaton Park to ‘A Night At The Proms’ up the road at Kelham Hall in Newark, there’s something for all tastes.
Let’s not forget too that, after the success of the first Mansfield Town Film Festival last weekend, Mansfield and Ashfield’s brilliant learning disability festival, OneFest, still has one more day to run.
Please remember to check the websites of the individual venues for opening times and admission prices. Have a great weekend!
1. Funtopia -- the big day out for little kids!
Funtopia is a fun-packed children's event that tours the mid-UK every summer. Labelled the big day out for little kids, it features a host of inflatables, family games, role-play areas, activities and shows, and it is coming to Mansfield throughout the school holidays, starting at The Carrs in Warsop on Sunday (10.30 am to 5.30 pm). Aimed at under-tens, the event also includes attractions such as an obstacle course, water fights and a fun farm, plus special sessions for autistic children. Photo: Submitted
2. Blockbuster open-air movies at Newstead Abbey
What a weekend it promises to be at Newstead Abbey for film buffs. For open-air screenings of three blockbuster movies are being shown within the historic and picturesque grounds, so why not take a blanket and a camping chair to relax in front of a giant screen under the stars? More of Saturday's and Sunday's films later, but the weekend begins on Friday (8.15 pm to 11.45 pm) with 'Top Gun: Maverick', starring Tom Cruise, which has been smashing box-office records across the world. Photo: Submitted
3. Family day out at Ladybrook Fair
Residents of the Ladybook Estate in Mansfield are looking forward to big family day out on Saturday (10 am to 3 pm). For Ladybrook Fair, offering charity stalls and children's activities, takes place in the Ladybrook Place shops area. The event coincides with the opening of a new, upgraded play park (pictured) on the estate, aimed at primary school children, complementing an existing section for toddlers. Photo: Submitted
4. 'Live protest' on last day of OneFest
The last day of Mansfield and Ashfield's learning disability festival, OneFest, is tomorrow (Thursday), so be sure not to miss a 'live protest' by campaigners. It takes the form of a rally on Mansfield Market Place between 10.30 am and 11.30 am when disabled people will aim to make their voices heard, and then an exhibition by disabled arts campaigner Jason Wilsher-Mills at the Four Seasons Shopping Centre between 12.30 pm and 3 pm. Jason takes visitors on a tour of his fibreglass sculptures before giving a talk on his life. Photo: Submitted