The first chapter of St Helens’ year as the Liverpool City Region’s Borough of Culture for 2023 will begin with a wonderful collection of shows which will certainly keep the family entertained this February Half Term.
Local charity Wonder Arts have once again partnered with St Helens Library Service to present St Helens Storyfest – an annual storytelling festival for families which will see seven events take place in nine libraries across the borough from 11-18 February, showcasing some of the country’s best theatre for the biggest Storyfest yet.
On Saturday 11 February ‘Curious Investigators’ is coming to Chester Lane Library at 11am and 2pm. Families are invited to join Scribble and Clipboard who have a job to do, sort the recycling. But Scribble keeps finding new things to investigate. What will she discover on the way? And the investigations don’t stop there! This cracking adventure also comes with a bonus making session, where your little ones get to follow the actors’ lead and make their own scanners to take home with them.
Marcel Lucont is bringing his show, ‘Les Enfants Terribles’ on Monday 13 February, you’ll find this gameshow for awful children at Rainhill Library at 11am and Haydock Library at 2pm.
Join Oliver Sykes on Tuesday 14 February at Moss Bank Library at 11am and then St Helens Library at The World of Glass at 2pm. He’ll be performing ‘Alfie’s First Fight’, the story of shy 12-year-old Alfie as he goes in search of his missing brother.
Go on a treasure hunt for stories on Wednesday 15 February with ‘Pirate Bonnie’ as she sails into Parr Library at 11am and 2pm – then pop along to Thatto Heath Library at 11am and 2pm on Thursday 16 February to join Adam Blake and Alison Duddle for their exciting ‘Adventure Storytelling Walks.’
Meet the strange and loveable Moonlings on Friday 17 February at Newton-le-Willows Library in the gorgeous show ‘Moonsmile’ at 11am and 2pm – and finally come along to Eccleston Library at 11am and 2pm on Saturday 18 February for ‘Little Monster’ an exciting puppetry adventure to find the mysterious monster that’s made everyone else run away.
Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage, said: “Storyfest has proven hugely popular over the years, so we’re delighted to work with Wonder Arts – who have an excellent track record of delivering fantastic family-friendly events in our borough – to bring the biggest and best one yet to a number of our libraries as we kick-off an action-packed calendar of events for our year as Borough of Culture.
“The year will see activities run in communities across the borough, making sure the key to our success is making culture, in all its forms, accessible for all – which Storyfest is a fine example of – and I’d encourage families able to do so, to join us in celebrating the best of our borough.
“We’re putting the finishing touches to our Borough of Culture events programme which we are excited to share with residents over the coming weeks.”
Wonder Arts Chief Executive, Fay Lamb said: “We are absolutely thrilled to once again partner with St Helens Library Service to present St Helens Storyfest in libraries across the borough. Our annual storytelling festival is always a highlight of our programme and with seven shows across nine libraries, this is our biggest one yet! So, we can’t wait to welcome more families to our world of creativity, inspiration, fun and wonder as part of St Helens Borough of Culture 2023.”
Tickets for each of these shows are priced at £3.10 or £9.25 for a group of four which can and be purchased at www.wonderarts.co.uk
