Things to Do in Cheshire This Summer: Family Days Out and Events 2026

Afterglow returns to Chester Zoo this Summer

Looking for an unforgettable family day out this summer? Chester Zoo is packed with adventures for all ages. Home to more than 30,000 animals, you can discover everything from Asian elephants and giraffes, to tiny frogs and critically endangered species.

Beyond the animals, there’s plenty to explore. Race, climb, and play your way around five adventure playgrounds, enjoy the zoo’s beautiful gardens and plants, and the kids can even take on an exciting off-road adventure. Families can also enjoy face painting, grab a bite to eat at one of the zoo’s dining outlets, or experience wildlife from a different perspective through an immersive VR experience, and so much more.

Why not stay a little longer? From 31 July to 16 August, Afterglow brings colourful summer evenings filled with live entertainment, music and family-friendly activities. Spend the day getting closer to nature, then enjoy the zoo after hours.

Every visit supports Chester Zoo’s conservation work, helping to protect species and habitats in the UK and around the world.

BeWILDerFEST at BeWILDerwood Cheshire, Malpas – Music, Stories and Family Fun

BeWILDerwood Cheshire, is turning up the volume this summer with BeWILDerFEST, a summer of music, live storytelling and family fun woven into every corner of this magical woodland park.

Watch stories come to life at the stage, get hands-on with an interactive Flower Power Trail and meet your favourite BeWILDerwood characters before taking on the zip wires, slides and rope bridges that make this place unlike anywhere else in the county. To celebrate the launch of summer, there's 25% off tickets during the first two weeks of the school holidays with a special discount code.

National Trust: Pokémon Come to Cheshire

Calling Pokémon fans old and new. This summer, Pokémon are heading into the great outdoors at National Trust places across Cheshire, and three of the region's finest estates are right at the heart of it.

Dunham Massey, Altrincham

Dunham Massey is made for family days out. The North Park's Play Hub brings giant deckchairs, tiny tipis and a full programme of daily activities, from circus skills and yoga to fancy dress and crafts. There's something different to try every day of the week.

On top of all that, all-new Pokémon-themed activities give you even more ways to enjoy time together outdoors. Get stuck into the Pokémon Trading Card Game, flex your skills and collect Mega Evolution stickers as you explore the parkland. Don't miss the chance to spot fallow deer roaming freely as you go.

Lyme, Stockport

On the edge of Cheshire's Peak District, Lyme is the kind of place that fills a full day without trying. Pushchair-friendly paths sit alongside more adventurous trails, and the garden, deer park and house will be buzzing with energy and playful activities all summer.

This year, discover all-new Pokémon zones alongside everything else Lyme has to offer. Pack a picnic or call into the café near the play area for children's lunchboxes, tasty treats and ice cream.

Quarry Bank, Wilmslow

Come rain or shine, Quarry Bank delivers. Inside the huge mill, families can explore soft play, fancy dress, puppet shows and giant board games. Outside, find your way through the maze, enjoy garden games, and follow the Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution Trail. Team up to search the gardens for each Mega Evolution Pokémon, discover their powers and complete your own challenges.

Every visit also supports the National Trust's work caring for special places for everyone, for ever.

Most activities begin on 18 July. Normal admission applies; National Trust members, under-5s and carers go free. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/cheshire for more.

Gulliver's World Resort, Warrington

A full day of family adventure awaits at Gulliver's World in Warrington, with rides and attractions spanning all ages, from gentle boat rides and carousels to log flumes and mini coasters. This summer, Summer Soundwaves (18 July – 1 September) brings an unforgettable season of thrilling rides, amazing shows and special character appearances. It's the kind of day out that ends with muddy knees and big smiles.

Then, on 5 September, the season goes out with a bang at the Summer Sparks Spectacular. Enjoy extra ride time with extended opening hours ahead of a fantastic evening fireworks display, a brilliant way to round off the summer holidays.

Find out more at gulliversworldresort.co.uk.

Storyhouse in the Park, Chester

One of Chester's best-loved summer traditions is back. Storyhouse in the Park takes over Grosvenor Park for ten weeks (27th June - 6th September) of al fresco theatre, comedy, outdoor cinema under the stars, music and family fun. Settle in with a frozen cocktail or some delicious street food in one of Chester's most beautiful green spaces.

Moonlight Flicks: Open Air Cinema

From 9 to 31 August, Grosvenor Park becomes an open-air cinema under the stars. Moonlight Flicks brings a brilliant line-up of films to the park, including family favourites Mamma Mia!, Wicked for Good and the cult classic Labyrinth. Bring a blanket, grab some snacks and make a proper evening of it.

Rhymetime in the Park

For the littlest visitors, the Storyhouse Library team head outdoors with Rhymetime in the Park, bringing fun rhymes and songs to Grosvenor Park for younger children and toddlers. It's free, it's joyful and it's the perfect excuse for a morning out in Chester's most beautiful park. The library team also host family-friendly craft sessions in the open air throughout the summer, so keep an eye on the Storyhouse what's on listings for dates and details.

At Storyhouse Itself

The fun doesn't stop outdoors. Inside Storyhouse, the programme this summer is packed with shows made for families.

Peppa Pig's Big Family Show brings Peppa and friends to the stage in a brand-new live show. With a new arrival on the way, the whole family are busy getting ready and little ones in the audience will love every moment.

Tales from Acorn Wood sees Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved stories brought to the stage for the very first time in an enchanting lift-the-flap experience. If your family knows Sharing a Shell or Monkey Puzzle, this one is not to be missed.

Opera North Mini Opera: The Magic Flute is the perfect way to introduce young audiences to the magic of live opera. Little Listeners: Mini Magic Flute is designed for all the family to enjoy together, sharing the charm of Mozart's most magical work in a format that's designed to delight from the very first note.

Summer at Jodrell Bank, Macclesfield

Prepare for lift-off. Jodrell Bank's Curious Universe series transforms the summer holidays into an out-of-this-world adventure for the whole family, running from 18 July to 31 August.

Little scientists can dive into hands-on drop-in sessions covering everything from shadow theatre to bubble experiments as part of Mission: Create!, while Mission: Explore! sends families off around the grounds with a space passport to stamp along the solar system trail.

The brand-new constellation-themed playground is the perfect spot for little imaginations to run wild, and short outdoor sessions at the iconic Lovell Telescope give everyone a chance to get up close with one of the most remarkable structures in the UK.

In the Space Dome, there are daily shows for all ages. New this summer: Niyah and the Multiverse (ages 8+) and Supermassive Black Holes: Uncovering the Invisible (ages 10+) sit alongside family favourites including The Great Solar System Adventure and CAPCOM Go! The Apollo Story.

Tickets are annual passes, meaning unlimited return visits all year round. Book online to save 10%. Visit jodrellbank.net.

Tatton Park, Knutsford: 100 Years of Winnie-the-Pooh

This is a summer to remember at Tatton Park near Knutsford. From 18 July to 6 September 2026, the farm plays host to a very special centenary celebration: a brand-new immersive experience and garden story trail inspired by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard's Winnie-the-Pooh, created in collaboration with HarperCollins Publishers to mark 100 years of Pooh and his friends.

Perfect for young children, grandparents and everyone in between, it sits alongside everything else that makes Tatton one of Cheshire's most-loved days out. The gardens, parkland and farm are all on hand to round out a brilliant family visit.

To make the most of the summer, Tatton's Park and Play Pass gives you daily parkland vehicle entry and car parking across all your visits from 18 July to 6 September for just £20. It's a great-value way to keep coming back. Book tickets online to save 10%.

Deva Fest, Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas

Looking for a full festival weekend the whole family will love? Deva Fest returns to the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle near Malpas from 6 to 9 August 2026, and it's bigger than ever.

The North West's award-winning family camping festival brings Jessie J, Ronan Keating and James Morrison to six stages of live music and comedy, alongside a free-to-ride fairground, wellness activities, pre-bookable experiences including water sports and afternoon tea, hand-picked local street food, and a relaxed, fun atmosphere that keeps families coming back year after year.

Named by National Geographic as one of the best UK summer festivals for families, and back-to-back Visit Cheshire Event of the Year winner for 2025 and 2026, Deva Fest is a Cheshire summer highlight. Camping, glamping and day ticket options available. Visit devafest.co.uk for full line-up, ticket prices and booking.

Meat Up Festival, Ashley Showground, Altrincham

For something a little different, the brand-new Meat Up Festival arrives at Ashley Showground on 1 and 2 August 2026.

Billed as the North's only field-to-flame festival, Meat Up is all about live-fire cooking, butchery, farming and great food in the Cheshire countryside. Watch chefs cook over fire, meet the farmers and butchers behind the produce, enjoy live music and bring the family for a weekend of festival energy with real substance behind it. Camping is available for those wanting to make a full weekend of it.

Norton Priory Museum and Gardens, Runcorn

Set in Runcorn in Halton, Norton Priory is one of Cheshire's most atmospheric and underrated days out, and this summer it's brimming with family-friendly events, outdoor theatre and free craft activities running right through the holidays.

Summer Crafts (included in general admission, free for members)

Every fortnight throughout the summer, Norton Priory's team lay on free craft sessions for families as part of general admission. Each themed session runs on Mondays and Tuesdays, 11am to 3pm, so families can drop in at any point during the day.

Kick things off during the Festival of Archaeology (27 and 28 July) with nature-inspired crafts: make your own masks based on the green man sundial excavated here at the Priory, try Stone Age cave painting, and go digging for chocolate chip rocks in a cookie excavation. Then for Historical Costuming (3 and 4 August), take inspiration from the season's outdoor theatre shows to make your own costume piece: a pirate sword, a Hamlet-style crown, a Romeo and Juliet masquerade mask or a set of character puppets. Honeybees (10 and 11 August) celebrates one of Norton Priory's favourite minibeasts, with a bee life cycle chart to make and a bee bopper headband to take home. Finally, Toys Through Time (17 and 18 August) explores how children have played throughout history, from ancient times to the Victorian era, with a thaumatrope to customise and keep.

Outdoor Theatre in the Woodland Theatre

Norton Priory's Woodland Theatre is a genuinely special setting for live performance, tucked within the museum's beautiful grounds. This summer the programme includes two unmissable family shows.

Romeo and Juliet (Wednesday 22 July, 7pm) from award-winning Immersion Theatre Company brings Shakespeare's story of forbidden love and bitter rivalry to life in a visual spectacle full of comedy, heartbreak and danger. Adults £16, children and young people £14.

The Jungle Book (Monday 17 August, 5:30pm) is a wildly entertaining musical adaptation from Immersion Theatre, filled with original music, audience interaction and larger-than-life characters. Join Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera on a madcap jungle adventure as they outwit snakes, cheeky monkeys and the fierce Shere Khan. Recommended for ages 4 and up. Adults £16, children and young people £14. Part of Culture 26, celebrating Halton's year of culture.

Bring a picnic blanket or camping chairs for both shows, and dress for the weather.

Medieval Weekend (22 and 23 August)

The summer rounds off with a Medieval Weekend at Norton Priory, a chance to step back into the world of the monks who once lived here.

Go Ape, Delamere Forest

If the summer holidays need a serious injection of adventure, Delamere Forest has the answer. Tucked within one of Cheshire's most beloved stretches of woodland, Go Ape Delamere gives families the chance to swap the ground for the treetops and take on high ropes, zip lines and forest trails together.

There are four experiences on offer, catering for a range of ages and appetites for adventure. The Treetop Challenge is the big one: an epic high ropes course with zip lines and Tarzan swings through the forest canopy for ages 10 and up, from £34.95 per person. For younger or less experienced adventurers, Treetop Adventure and Treetop Adventure Plus offer a brilliant introduction to life in the trees at a slightly gentler level, still full of thrills and that satisfying sense of having conquered something.

Back on the forest floor, the Forest Segway is a brilliant add-on for anyone aged seven stone or over. A fully guided one-hour off-road trail through the trees on a heavy-duty all-terrain Segway, with full training included, it's the kind of thing the whole family will be talking about long after the school holidays are over.