at the heart of the town and the festival, peacock lawn is the place to be for children and families!
It’s a safe, secure and welcoming area where you can enjoy free daytime events and activities. Bring a picnic and stay for the day, or dip in and out of your favourite sessions. Expect music, theatre, dance, crafting, tried-and-tested favourites, and a sprinkling of magical surprises.
Tickets for Under 11s are FREE!
Whether you’re visiting for the day or here for the whole week, we’ve got you and your family covered. Check out our Families Guide for more hints & tips.
The full programme will be out in shortly, and see below for lots of information to get you excited about summertime at the seaside!
If you love performing, we’ve got plenty on offer. Budding musicians can join the Stompers Ceilidh Band or The Minims, and warm up their vocal cords with the Sidmouth Mini Singers (with Jackie Oates) or the Sidmouth SongSwell Choir (with Bryony Griffith).
For dancers, look forward to border and Dartmoor Step & Broom workshops, Mini Morris, and even Tiny Morris for the very youngest festival-goers.
The ever-popular Craft Carousel returns with endless things to make and do. And if theatre or music is your passion, don’t miss the evening performances, each night featuring some of the best storytellers, musicians and performers from across the country.
For young folkies under 4, The Rainbow Tent is a calm, colourful space with picture books and toys, perfect for feeding, changing, or taking a little quiet time.
And of course, it wouldn’t be Sidmouth without the Torchlight Procession. Throughout the week you can make a magical lantern to carry in the Friday night parade.
However you choose to spend your time, we hope you and your family have a fantastic Sidmouth experience.
Daytime Fun – Suitable for All the Family
All daytime activities and events are free of charge, though donations are welcome. Every penny helps us create a wonderful Children’s Festival each year. Daily Favourites for children, parents, grandparents and carers to enjoy together are announced below:
Mornings at The Maypole! Come and start your morning with a family maypole dance workshop led by Richard Surridge and Hannah Greaves, with music from Erin Brown and Barry Watson. (Sun-Fri) Peacock Lawn
Midday Music Grab your lunch, a blanket and a spot on the grass, then settle in for some brilliant live music on Peacock Lawn. These relaxed lunchtime sessions are the perfect soundtrack to your festival day. (Sat-Fri) Puffin Marquee
Sidmouth Postman Buddy up with someone else to send a letter or picture to (or choose to send it to a friend or family member). Then post it in the letterbox. All stationery is provided! Letters will be delivered each day at 1pm by the Sidmouth Postman and can be collected from Peacock Lawn fence all afternoon. (Sat-Fri) Peacock Lawn (or in Puffin Marquee in wet weather!)
Torchlight Processional Lantern Workshop with Thingumajig Theatre. Come and make a lantern to take part in Friday’s Torchlight Procession. Children and their adults can either make their own lantern or help make a giant lantern puppet. To help us ensure there are enough materials for everyone taking part, lanterns are only available to participants who will be joining the procession. (Mon-Fri) Peacock Marquee
Special Daytime Events
Family Ceilidh with Erin & Barry Watson. (Mon and Weds) Peacock Lawn
Junk Music Drum Workshop An interactive junk music workshop. Learn to play rhythms with original songs and use audio looping pedals and other voice effects. There’ll be bike wheel drums and other junk percussion as well as the chance to make up your own songs and to perform. (Tue) Peacock Lawn
Happy Bubbles Devon Fun for all the family from 0 to 100 and beyond. Come and enjoy watching and making your own giant bubbles. (Sat, Sun and Weds) Peacock Lawn
Family Drama Workshop with Rob Pudner Rob Pudner brings his infectious energy and theatrical expertise to this fun-filled family workshop. Join in with a lively mix of drama games, storytelling and performance activities designed to build confidence, creativity and plenty of laughter. (Tues) Peacock Marquee
Uncle Tacko’s Flea Circus 8 highly-trained, international fleas perform incredible feats of strength and agility in front of your very eyes – see Madam Flea-Flea soar over the heads of the audience, marvel at the might of Hercu-fleas and thrill to the daring Fleavil Kinevil as he is fired across the ring from the mouth of a huge canon! (Sun, Mon) Puffin Marquee
Captain Ginger Walkabout Meet Captain Ginger, Uncle Tacko’s mischievous monkey companion. With plenty of cheeky charm, playful antics and banter, this much-loved character delights audiences wherever he goes. (Sun, Mon) Peacock Lawn
Circus Skill Showcase with Darryl J Carrington Join Darryl J Carrington for his incredible circus skills show! From intimate cabarets to major outdoor festivals, his work brings together physical comedy, world-class juggling, and a unique flair for audience connection. (Sat) Peacock Lawn
Rob Pudner Is Entertainingly Different Join experienced entertainer Rob Pudner for a fast-paced hour of interactive family fun. Packed with songs, stories, games, surprises and plenty of audience participation, this joyful show is guaranteed to leave children and grown-ups alike smiling, laughing and singing all the way home. (Wed) Puffin Marquee
Messy Paws Eimear Coyle, Messy Paws, is a children’s musician creating “big tunes for little legends”, with songs inspired by tractors, dinosaurs, snails, rainy days, the moon and everyday childhood adventures. Their music combines playful storytelling with catchy original songs designed for young audiences and families. (Sat, Sun) Peacock Lawn
Family Storytelling Workshop Join Rob Pudner for a relaxed and imaginative family workshop exploring the art of storytelling. Through fun, interactive games and story-making activities, you’ll discover how stories are created, shared and brought to life – and perhaps leave understanding why it’s often said that “the most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.”. (Wed) Peacock Marquee
My House is Too Small A perfect little house; a window, a door and a cup of tea… what more could anyone want? But this little old lady thinks her house is too small! Following advice from her neighbours and some unexpected sources, she fills her home with a collection of increasingly strange animals. As the chaos grows, there’s only one thing for it – call the Helpline! Can she get her house back to being just right? A Zannie Fraser production. (Sun) Peacock Lawn
Le Tournepierre Walkabout Meet Tournepierre, a towering lantern puppet and guardian of nature who has journeyed from another world. This poetic, immersive walkabout invites audiences to reconnect with the beauty and fragility of the natural world through wonder, participation and gentle storytelling. (Thu) Peacock Lawn
Spike Bones’ Punch and Judy show A new perspective on an old tradition: both Mr. Punch and Ms. Judy take centre-stage as they work (and sometimes shirk) their responsibilities. Classic adversaries like the devious devil, the pompous police officer and the carnivorous crocodile all return to meddle with Punch & Judy, who, as always, delight audiences with their witty responses and slapstick takedowns. (Sun, Mon) Puffin Marquee
Spike Bones and Rattus The Rat Walkabout Join Spike Bones and his cheeky companion Rattus The Rat with lots of mischief, fun and playful banter. (Sun, Mon) Peacock Lawn
Children’s Festival Showcase Celebrate a week of singing, dancing, music-making and creativity with performances from the Children’s Festival Workshops. MC. David Gibb. (Fri) Blackmore Gardens Marquee
Evening Family Fun
After a busy day, settle in as a family for brilliant evening theatre, music, storytelling or dance.
Evening shows are ticketed and season ticket families have priority. Child season tickets (0–11) are free. Tickets will be sold on the door where space allows. Children must be accompanied by ticket-holding adults.
Saturday 1st August – The Sidmouth Pyjama Party – Put on your pyjamas and join us for a fabulous Party. As dusk falls, Peacock Lawn comes alive with a Pyjama Ceilidh, the Out of the Box Circus Show, Teddy Bear in the Bed crafts and Bedtime Bingo. Don’t forget your teddy! Peacock Lawn, 7pm
Sunday 2nd August – Luminous Fables – Discover a magical wandering shadow puppet show in unexpected corners of the festival. Beloved tales from Aesop’s Fables are brought to life through enchanting shadows, gentle humour and captivating storytelling for audiences of all ages. Dance Studio at Dissenter (Unitarian), 7pm
Monday 3rd August – David Gibb Family Jukebox – Join David and his magical, musical Jukebox as he takes you on a trip through his hilarious and often surreal imagination, where wolves roam the school corridors, dragons live under the bed, and teddy bears dance the night away at the disco. Packed with audience participation, catchy songs and plenty of laughs, this joyful family concert will have everyone dancing and singing along within minutes! All Saints Church, 7pm
Tuesday 4th August – Stowaway Theatre present CLUCK! – A brand-new original musical inspired by the bizarre true story of Mike the Headless Chicken (a chicken from 1940s Colorado who lived for 18 months without its head!). Head on down to the farmyard where the chickens come together to tell you the true story of one of the legends of chicken-kind in this fast paced, comic musical that has to be seen to be believed! All Saints Church, 7pm
Wednesday 5th August – Family Campfire Session at the Bulverton! Join us for a Family Campfire session at the Bulverton hosted by Rob Pudner. Get ready to sing your heart out and enjoy some live music from some very special music guests specially chosen by Bryony Griffith. Bulverton Campfire, 7pm
Thursday 8th August – A Stomping Ceilidh – After a week of learning tunes together, the Sidmouth Seaside Stompers make their festival debut! Appearances by Boggarts Breakfast and Jenny Read, an evening of music, dancing and festival fun. Everyone welcome – no experience needed. Blackmore Gardens Marquee, 7.30–10.30pm
Friday 9th August – Lantern Parade & Torchlight Procession – A magical end to the Children’s Festival. Bring along the lantern you’ve made during the week and join the Lantern Parade in Sidmouth’s famous Torchlight Procession along the seafront, ending with the traditional firework display at Port Royal.
Call out for young performers!
We’re looking for talented young people to showcase at the 2026 Festival. If you are a singer, musician, band, dancer or performer aged 21 or under, you could be part of the Young Performers Showcase on the Star Stage at Peacock Lawn. Full details on how to apply will be available in the spring.
Thank you
We would like to acknowledge our generous funders that helped keep the Children’s Festival free in 2025:
Keith Owen Fund, administered through the Sid Vale Association & Arts & Culture East Devon.
If you’d like to support the Free Children’s Festival in 2026, please get in touch (Email Andy Griffiths, Local Sponsorship Co-ordinator)