Shropshire Star

New Shrewsbury children's festival on the way thanks to young siblings

Preparations are under way for a four-day children's festival – and it's all thanks to suggestions from a six and seven-year-old.

Published
Last updated
Jack and Lari with their dad Oli, looking forward to Camp Severn later this year.

Emma and Oli Jones from Coalbrookdale are putting on Camp Severn, a four-day event to be held at the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury.

The event, a festival full of children's entertainment with camping throughout, takes place from April 29 to May 2.

The first three days will be for those camping at the festival while the bank holiday Monday will open up to general walk-up admission.

Emma, 42, explained that the idea for the event had come from her children, Jack, seven, and Lari, six.

She said: "Jack had said to us while we were doing another event, he had come along to have a look with me, and he took my husband to one side quite seriously and said 'do you know how you could get more people in here?', and he pointed and said 'if you put a bouncy castle here, because where there are children there are parents", and we thought 'the boy is a genius'.

After a few more suggestions from Lari, Emma and Oli set about the serious task of setting up a brand new event.

Emma said: "We wanted to do an affordable festival for everyone, something a bit different.

"We will have monster trucks, a team doing death defying stunts, a stage show, all sorts of activities."

The line up includes the Vander Space Wheel, the Panic Family Circus, an Alice in Wonderland stage show, a Mad Hatters Tea Party, Teddy Bears Picnic, fancy dress on imagination day, an inflatable zone, fun fair, donkey rides, and more.

The evenings will feature a kids disco, while there will also be a specially created beach and a maze to keep people occupied.

Emma said they had been delighted with the reaction to the event so far, and are looking forward to opening on April 29.

She said: "It has been brilliant. We have had such a fantastic response, such positivity."

For more information or to book tickets visit campsevernkidsfestival.co.uk.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.