Thirteen fantastic festive events at Stroud’s Museum in the Park
Published: Thursday, 21 November, 2019
A full calendar of seasonal events at Stroud’s Museum in the Park has been lined up and many of them are free-of-charge.
Events include a `meet the makers’ craft fair, a family craft making weekend, and community carol singing – all designed to get you in the Christmas mood before the museum closes on 23 December for its usual deep clean.
1. Talk with Cherry Hubbard: A Tudor Christmas Thursday 28 November, 2pm
Christmas was a joyous time for the Tudors, one of the biggest holiday periods for ordinary folk where friends and families got together for the celebrations. Come and hear more with historian Cherry Hubbard. £5. Booking necessary – call 01453 763394.
2. A Celebration of Craft Fair (free entry) Saturday 30 November & Sunday 1 December, 11am – 4pm
Get Christmas shopping sorted at this festive fair featuring guest makers selling delightful and original handcrafted gifts. Admire a diverse range of work from jewellery and textiles to paint and print. Meet the makers themselves, discuss their techniques, and find unique gifts away from the hustle and bustle of town. You can also browse our shop which will be stocked with tempting treats. On Sunday 1 December we are also taking part in `Museum Shop Sunday’ offering 10% discount in the shop if you spend over £20 ... there are lots of lovely gift ideas to tempt shoppers!
3. Pop Up Cafe in the Garden Pavilion Saturday 30 November & Sunday 1 December, 11am – 4pm
Miss Daisy will be at the Museum during the Christmas craft fair. Come and eat some hearty soup with local bread and cheese, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, fruity Christmas brownies, home-made chocolates and more. Delicious vegan, gluten free Christmas pudding will be available to buy and take away as will Christmas cake (gluten free available), chocolates and beeswax wraps.
4. Winter Robin ‘I Spy’ Trail (free) Saturday 30 November – Sunday 22 December
Children of all ages are invited to hunt for winter robins hiding inside the Museum ... can you find them all? A free and festive ‘ I Spy’ trail.
5. Winter Bird Walk in Stratford Park (free) Sunday 1 December 11am
With Mike McCrea. Wrap up warm, put your walking boots on and meet outside the Museum. A guided walk looking at the birds of Stratford Park.
6. Galanty: The Story of a Lost Victorian Street Entertainment Thursday 5 December, 2pm
Presented by Diana Humphrey and Fred Ward, this talk will be illustrated with spectacular ‘slides’, a genuine Galanty show to watch and shadow puppets to handle. Come and discover the story of this lost street entertainment. £5. Booking necessary – call 01453 763394.
7. Winter Poetry Evening (free) Thursday 5 December, 7.30pm for 8pm
Join Stroud poets for readings, a perfect way to brighten up a dark winter’s eve. All welcome, free entry, drinks and poetry books available to buy. Readings by Maria Stadnicka, Philip Rush, David Clarke, Adam Horovitz, and Uta Baldauf will perform a piece inspired by 'Somnia'.
8. Secret Garden Star Trail (free) Saturday 7 – Sunday 22 December
Follow the trail around the winter garden and look out for beautiful stars along the way. An outdoor ‘I Spy’ trail for all ages, created by local artist Corinne Hockley.
9. Festive Winter Crafts Weekend: Christmas Gifts & Decorations Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 December, 11am – 4pm (drop in)
Drop in for a cosy time and enjoy making gifts and decorations that don’t cost the earth at the museum this weekend. Make a lovely tree decoration, gift basket, lantern or old-fashioned lavender bag. Creative family drop in workshops for ages 5+. £1 or £2 per activity/item.
10. Buzz Club Wax & Honey Crafts Saturday 7 December, 11am – 4pm (drop in)
Find out what bees do in winter and about projects run by Buzz Club Ghana, and try your hand at candle dipping and making lip balm and more. Drop in activities for accompanied children aged 5+, part of the Museum’s Festive Winter Crafts weekend. £1 to £1.50 per activity/item.
11. Festive Family Wreath Making Workshop Sunday 8 December, 2pm – 3.30pm
Make a festive winter wreath to brighten up your table or add a welcoming touch to your door as Christmas draws near. For children and adults to enjoy together, you’ll end up with one beautiful family wreath to take home. Up to three children and one or two adults per ‘family group’, all ages welcome, very young children can make a little sparkly paper wreath while older ones help select and cut the holly twigs and evergreen sprigs. £10.00 per family. Limited places so advance booking necessary – call 01453 763394
12. Community Carol Singing (free) Sunday 15 December, 4pm – 5pm
Join Eleanor Holliday and friends for a festive sing song to lift the spirits and celebrate this special time of year. Everyone welcome, come along and sing your heart out! Refreshments will be served during the interval. Free event, donations very welcome.
13. Stroud Poets’ Winter Solstice Celebration (free entry) Friday 20 December, 7.30pm for 8pm
As the shortest day draws near, we invite you to join us for performance poetry, music, merriment and mulled wine. Free entry, drinks and poetry books available to buy. Strictly adults only. Organised with Yew Tree Press and Stroud Poets, for further details email museum@stroud.gov.uk
For primary school teachers looking for an end of term ‘treat’ for their class, a new activity session is on offer, exploring Christmases of the past through story, song and objects from Museum collections. For juniors the day is woven around Dickens’ Christmas Carol, and the infant sessions are based on pantomime classic Jack & the Beanstalk.
With many museum quiz trails for children on offer too, a visit to this friendly local museum this December is ‘a must’! For full details see www.museuminthepark.org.uk
The Museum in the Park will close from 23 December, re-opening on Saturday 25 January 2020, but with two special openings during that period, on 1 January 2020, and on 11 January for the Stroud Wassail.