It is surprising how quickly it seems to come around, but the school summer holiday is upon us once again.
Parents and carers might be scratching their heads as to how to fill the long days over the coming weeks until the new term begins. It will be a blessing, therefore, to learn that in and around the Hull and East Yorkshire area, there is lots of family fun on offer.
Providing a stand-out day of pleasurable pursuits can prove costly, especially for a larger family, but there are plenty of activities being provided in the locality that can be enjoyed for free this summer. Below you will find just a sample of the many things that are scheduled to take place – check before visiting to avoid disappointment.
1 Sea and shore sights
Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival 2025, taking place over the weekend of July 19 and 20, is a unique maritime attraction showcasing traditional sailing cobles that were once a familiar sight at every port, harbour and coastal village from the Humber to the Tweed. Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society’s festival is now in its eighth year and will include visiting cobles from miles around, shore-based musical entertainment, various stands and stalls in the Harbourside Exhibition Hall.
Bridlington boasts the country’s largest fleet of surviving sailing cobles and this year, visitors will see fine examples, including those of boat builders Hopwood (Flamborough) and Siddall (Bridlington). The last two sailing cobles built side by side at Bridlington in 2014 by John Clarkson and Joe Gelsthorpe will also be taking part in the event – find out more on the Society’s Facebook page.
2 History brought to life in LEGO
Beverley Art Gallery is hosting Brick History, a captivating journey through billions of years of history, creatively brought to life using LEGO bricks. Key moments are represented in vibrant, engaging models that will appeal to visitors of all ages.
East Riding Council’s Beverley Art Gallery, located in the Champney Treasure House, Beverley, is hosting the free exhibition that runs until Saturday, August 30. On Saturday, July 26, an accompanying free activity, Lego Brick Picture Making, will inspire visitors to craft their own LEGO artworks inspired by the gallery’s displayed artworks, from 10am to 3pm.
3 Get active, have fun
Discover a host of things to do in and around the coastal locations of the East Riding, with Active Coast. You can try family paddle boarding, bushcraft and survival skills, beach football and multi-sports and family fossil hunts, among the many sessions on offer.
Active Coast offers everyone the opportunity to get active, feel healthy and enjoy life. Centred around the vibrant coastal towns of Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea, the programme offers something for all ages and abilities – visit the Active Coast website for more details and to book.
4 Den Fest
Adventure play attraction William’s Den, at North Cave, brings back its popular family festival following the sell-out success of its 2024 event. From Friday to Monday, July 18 to 21, William’s Den will host a weekend of music, food and adventure, its Big Camp Out now the newly-named Den Fest.
Designed to be fun and interactive for the whole family, you can book for a day visit or a full weekend. There is a line-up of live music, a traditional fairground, a petting farm and baby goat yoga, a Nerf Blaster Zone, archery, circus shows and inflatable fun, among the many things to do – then William’s Den continues with its Carnival Summer, bringing the joys of the fair to East Yorkshire from Tuesday, July 22 right through to Monday, September 1.
5 Theatre summer schools
Hull Truck Theatre is running a series of interactive theatre-based summer schools over the holidays that will entertain children aged from five to 18. Creative workshops have been designed for specific age groups and each will be designing a themed “play in a week”, to be performed to loved ones at the end of the “school”.
With late pick-up available on selected workshops, the sessions will give the youngest participants their first taster of theatre making, through to teens who can learn key skills in the craft, creating interesting characters and dialogue. For more information, visit the website – the summer schools are priced at £100 for the week but to discuss reduced prices or bursary places, please email engagement@hulltruck.co.uk
6 Sewerby Explorers day
Children can enjoy a full day of fun, adventure and discovery with the “Sewerby Explorers” activity fun day at Sewerby Hall and Gardens, near Bridlington, on Tuesday, July 22. Open to children aged eight to 12, the day, delivered by the Active Communities Team, will be a “brilliant blend of physical activity, hands-on learning, skill building, and creative entertainment”.
Participants will enjoy a range of different team-building games and problem-solving challenges; take aim in an archery session and get active with multi-skills and multi-sports activities. One of the day’s highlights includes preparing colourful fruit kebabs to feed the lemurs and coatis at the zoo. Admission to Sewerby Hall and Gardens is included, along with drinks and snacks, and this is a drop-off event (running 9.30am to 3.30pm) – children will need to bring a packed lunch.
7 Gaming, music, animal experiences and more
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme offers fun activities to East Riding children and young people in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. All HAF sessions are free, last at least four hours and include a meal for each child who goes to school in the East Riding.
A huge programme runs throughout the summer break and includes everything from excursions to sports events, karaoke and disco to animal interactions, and outdoor games and gaming to craft sessions. Some SEND-specific activities are also included in the schedule.
8 Hull play days – and Zebfest
Part of the wider Healthy Holidays Hull programme, which provides children, young people and families across the city with access to free activities (and in most cases, food), across the summer, there are some special play days taking part in the city. At Alderman Kneeshaw playing fields (Wednesday, August 6) and at Pickering Park (Wednesday, August 20), 11am to 3pm on both days, there will be lots of free fun activities for children and families.
There’s one for teens too, Zebfest, taking place on Thursday, July 24, from 2.30pm to 6.30pm, at Zebedee’s Yard in Hull. Aimed at 11 to 16-year-olds, there will be street art, a Tik Tok video set and filming, clothes swap, silent disco, photo booth, smoothie bike and pizza making – no need to book, just turn up.
9 Wrecks and reefs
Be one of the first to experience The Deep’s brand-new habitat, “The Wreck”, opening for summer 2025. From July 19 to September 1, you can join the crew as they take a deeper dive into one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world – tropical coral reefs – and discover the animals who live there.
Get to know all about aquarium’s fascinating new species through unmissable daily presentations at noon and 2pm, uncovering exclusive details on The Wreck and the inspiration behind its unique design. Take part in shark-themed sensory activity stations and complete each one for the chance to win a summer prize bundle.