What’s on this Easter?

Are you looking for things to do in the East Midlands this Easter? Leicester and Leicestershire are packed full of fantastic free family events, trails around the city, plus easter extravaganzas across our main attractions!

Twycross Zoo are unveiling a new home for their Bonobos, the only troop of this type of great ape in the UK, on the 28 March! Get more info here!

The Great Central Railway are holding a Family Easter Egg Hunt from 4-6 April, perfect for little (and big) train enthusiasts. Make a day of it and ride the train across all four of their heritage stations in search of 12 brightly coloured Easter eggs. Book your tickets today!

Across the Easter holidays the Space Centre are inviting you to Mission Space! Talks, hands-on workshops, and science activities! Plan your visit now!

Come to the historic 1620s House for Egg-citing Easter games. This is one of Leicestershire’s hidden gems and well worth a visit! More info here!

Back at the Curve by popular demand and just in time for the Easter holidays, Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli are here in the Olivier award-nominated live stage show, Bluey’s Big Play. Tickets are available here

Celebrate Easter Sunday with a special afternoon tea at Jewry Wall. Set against one of Leicester’s most historic sites, it’s the perfect way to enjoy delicious sweet and savoury treats, relax with loved ones, and make the most of the Easter weekend together. Info and tickets here

They are also giving young visitors the chance to craft like a Roman from Monday 30 March. For just £4, kids can join an Easter Mosaic session running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and at weekends during the school holidays.

We know that the holidays can be an expensive time, so here’s a list of free or lower cost activities that you can do with the kids!

Starting from Monday 30 March explore Leicester with Planet Parade, a free, city-wide trail that transforms Leicester into a walkable solar system. Created by around 250 local children working alongside artists, each planet is represented through bold, imaginative artworks installed at venues across the city centre. More info here, or download the MyLeicester app

On Monday 30 March at Leicester’s Haymarket Shopping Centre, families can enjoy amazing roaming performers including the hilarious Space Cadets on tiny space buggies, the Amazing Astronauts bouncing on jump stilts, and the dazzling stilt-walking Celestials in beautiful Sun and Moon costumes. Get creative with a free cosmic craft workshop from Mission Magpies on the first floor, and from 2–6pm the National Space Centre will be hosting hands-on Solar System activities.

If you’re shopping at Highcross over Easter see if you can find one of 100 colourful plastic eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny. If you do spot an egg, pick it up, and bring it to our friendly team at the Customer Services Desk, scan the QR code and you’ll receive two chocolatey treats!

Leicester Museums will also be bringing their Cabinet of Curiosity to Highcross on Saturday 28 March, offering families the chance to explore everything from dinosaur fossils to retro technology at the city council’s pop-up museum. You can find them next to Boots at Highcross and will be open between 10am and 4pm.

Take a free guided tour of Leicester’s historic Guildhall, running on the 31 March! Book your place here

Leicester Museum & Art Gallery is open 7 days a week, completely free to enter and they have some fantastic exhibitions on right now. Popping to the Shops explores the streets of Evington, You are Here takes you through 200 years of the Museum and the Leicester Society of Artists Annual Exhibition runs until 11 April!.

Join the Walk of Witness, a peaceful public procession through Leicester city centre, bringing together churches and community members to reflect, pray, and bear witness to the Easter message of hope, sacrifice, and unity. On Good Friday 3 April from 9.30am.

The small gauge railway at Abbey Park will be running during the Easter Holidays, and it only costs £1.50 for a ride. Trains will be running on Sunday 29 March, Sunday 5 April and Monday 6 April from 12.30-4pm.

The Farmyard Friends are having their amazing annual egg-citing Easter joke competition. Find all of the animals around the site and judge who’s made the best joke. There is a prize for you to say thank you for your help! Just £3 per sheet, pick one up from the ticket office or shop. Running from Friday 27 March to Sunday 12 April, 10am to 3pm. You can also join a special Super Spring children’s craft session on Thursday 2 April. Decorate a plant pot, build your own windowsill green house, take part in our flower crafts, plus much more! Just £5 per child. Pre-booking here is essential.

Celebrate Easter by exploring a rich variety of Eastern European Easter traditions. On Easter Sunday, visit the themed stalls to discover, learn about, and even try traditional customs from across Eastern Europe. There will also be free Slovak Easter Egg Decorating Workshops! Info and booking here

Young K-pop fans will want to make a beeline the Guildhall on Thursday 2 April, when the venue hosts K-Pop Does Easter! As well as music-themed crafts and the chance to make friendship bracelets, there will be plenty of sing-along fun with everyone’s favourite K-pop tunes. Places can be booked on two sessions – at 11am and 1pm – and tickets cost £4.

Come and enjoy the Easter holiday at Abbey Pumping Station and have a ride on the diesel driven Narrow Gauge Railway! The Railway will be running for just £1 per ride on the day. Pay by cash at the station or by card at reception/café. Entry to the museum and grounds is FREE. More info here

The holiday programme concludes on Saturday 11 April as Cultural Quarter Earlies offers free creative family fun across Leicester’s Cultural Quarter. Kids can make a movie and see the results on the big screen at the LCB Depot, join a workshop with acting, games and stories at Curve, or create a Kamihanga bunny or chick print at the Leicester Print Workshop. You can then jump in a rickshaw – free of charge – and enjoy free craft activities at the Central Library on Bishop Street between 1pm-3pm.