Out And About - August

 Fun Dog Show at Tatton Park
Sunday 14 August, from noon
WITH ten novelty classes, from ‘waggiest tail’ to ‘saddest eyes’, ‘best veteran’ to ‘best rescue’, there’s an opportunity for every dog to strut their stuff.  Special rosettes will be  awarded for first to sixth places in each class, so noone will go away empty handed. The show is one of the most popular events of the year and the farm staff’s favourite. A must for families and dog lovers alike.
Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN, www.tattonpark.org.uk.  Park Entry charge of £5 per car applies. Only £1 entry charge per class.   For more information contact reception on 01625 374400 or the farm on 01625 374431

Day Out With Thomas at East Lancashire Railway
Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 August, from 9am
GREAT news for fans of the little blue engine, Thomas and Friends™ are coming to visit the East Lancashire Railway.  Thomas will no doubt try to get up to some mischief while he is here but fortunately for us the Fat Controller, Sir Topham Hatt, will be here to make sure it does not get out of hand.  Go for a ride with Thomas, watch the Troublesome Trucks get into trouble with the engines, go to the circus workshop, have your face painted, watch a Punch and Judy show and much more.  All of the attractions and rides are covered by your admission ticket, so you have no excuse not to get involved. This is a family day out that really should not be missed.
East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street Station, Bury, Greater Manchester BL9 0EY, www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk, 0161 764 7790
Adults £14, Children £7 (3-15 years of age), Family (2 Adults & 3 Children) £35, Under 3′s Free. For full information, please visit website

Earlestown Family Fun Day
Friday 19 August, 11.00am - 3.00pm
VISIT Earlestown's weekly market and enjoy a free family event.  Enjoy fun activities including a Punch and Judy show, facepainting, street performances and much more.
Earlestown Market, Market Street, Newton Le Willows, WA10 1BQ. Free admisiion.  Contact 01744 675492 for more information or visit
www.sthelens.gov.uk


 

 Mr Stink at The Lowry Theatre
Tuesday 2 - Sunday 14 August, 2.30pm and 7pm
DAVID Walliams, star of Little Britain, has written the smelliest book of all time, which now breaks new ground in this scratch ‘n’ sniff production bringing Mr Stink pongingly to life.
Chloe doesn’t like school very much. She isn’t as cool as the other kids; no iPhone, no DS and no friends. Then she meets Mr Stink – the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit but he’s the only person who’s ever been nice to her including her mother who wants to be the local MP and is trying to rid the streets of its homeless. About to lose her only friend, Chloe finds Mr Stink a secret hiding place… but is there more to him than meets the nose?
The Lowry Theatre, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ, www.thelowry.com, 0870 787 5780. Tickets from 16.50.  For more information visit the website. KIDS CONFIDENTIAL OFFER: SAVE £10 ON FAMILY TICKETS. CLICK HERE.

Thomas the Tank Engine at MOSI
Thursday 1 – Sunday 4 September, 10am – 4.30pm
ALL aboard for the best party ever.  Thomas the Tank Engine will be at MOSI for a special “Day Out With Thomas” event.  All Thomas fans are invited to come spend the day with their favourite little blue engine, with Sir Topham Hatt making sure Thomas is a good little engine.  There'll be activities running throughout the day, including facepainting, balloon modeling and MOSI’s very own science buskers.
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester), Liverpool Road, Castlefield, M3 4FP, www.mosi.org.uk, 0161 832 2244. Ticket prices £34 family ticket (two adults, two children), £10 adult, £8 child, £8 concession £6 wheelchair users, available at MOSI box office www.ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 847 2261 (24 hours). Tickets are non-refundable.

 Alien Conquest at Legoland
Monday 22 - Sunday 28 August, open from 10am - last admission 5pm
ALIENS are set to invade Miniland at the Legoland Discovery Centre. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in costume.  Alien soldiers will take over Miniland completely and kids will be challenged with finding the Alien commander to be in with a chance of winning a prize.
Legoland Discovery Centre, Unit D1, Barton Square, Manchester, M17 8AS. www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentre.co.uk.  0871 222 2662. Tickets are available online from £8.10 per person.

Far Far Away at Manchester Art Gallery
Wednesday 10 August, 1-3pm
TURN yourselves into a princess, knight or shepherd and set off on a magical journey.  Meet the characters in the gallery paintings and follow a trail upstairs to an enormous magical land. Enter one of the three giant tents where you’ll find a different activity to help make your stories come alive.  Make a costume and props. Act our your stories and your film will be shown on the gallery walls.
Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, M3 3JL, www.manchestergalleries.org. Suitable for parents or careres from 0-5 and 6-1 years of age. Free.

Colourful Sundays at the Whitworth Gallery
Every Sunday in August,  1.30 - 3.30pm
JOIN friends, family and artists for the popular Sunday drop-in creative workshops. There are new activities every week, from forming your own forest to mask making.
The Whitworth Art Gallery, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk.  Suitable for children of all ages and their families and carers. No need to book. Free.

 Young Correspndents at Imperial War Museum North
Sunday 7 - Sunday 28 August, 1-4pm
FANCY yourself as a journalist? Visit the new exhibition War Correspondent, reporting under fire since 1914 and join one of the Young Correspondents’ craft sessions.  Try your hand at one of the specail tasks. Decorate your own journalist’s jotter for those all important notes and observations (14 and 28) or put pen to paper and compose your own newspaper front page. Get the scoop on one of our animal heroes or an iconic large object in the exhibition (7 and 21).
Imperial War Museum North, The Quays, Trafford Wharf, Trafford Park, M17 1TZ, www.northiwm.org.uk. Suitable for children age 5+. No need to book. Free.

Teddy Bears Picnic at East Lancashire Railway
Monday 29 August, from 10 onwards
BRING all the family and cuddly friends along to the Teddy Bears’ Picnic this Bank Holiday. Enjoy a steam train ride on The East Lancashire Railway to the picturesque town of Ramsbottom before joining the party and picnic at Nuttall Park, just around the corner from the East Lancs Railway station.It’s a great day out with lots of things to see and do including a clown magic show, Majorettes Troupe, rides on the miniature railway, balloon modelling, circus workshop and fun fair rides. Plus don’t miss the Carnival Queen competition and Grand Parade at noon.
East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street Station, Bury, Greater Manchester BL9 0EY, www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk, 0161 764 7790. No pre-booking is required, just turn up on the day. Children travel free if accompanied by a teddy bear (and an adult).  For further event details, train times and how to find East Lancashire Railway visit the website.