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 family area where you can enjoy daytime events and activities free of charge. Bring a picnic and stay for the day, or dip in and out of your favourite activities. There’ll be music, theatre, dance, crafting, tried and tested favourites as well as some unexpected and truly magical moments.
Tickets for Under 11s are FREE!
families guide
Whether you’re a day tripper, or week-long season ticket holder, we’ve got you and your family covered. Check out our Families Guide for more hints & tips.
daytime events are free of charge
During the daytime, activities and events are free of charge but donations are welcome. Every penny given helps us create a fantastic children’s festival for families at Sidmouth each year.
peacock lawn
Peacock Lawn is the place to be for children and families! The Seagull and Peacock marquees will be hosting a fantastic array of workshops and performances including crafting, songwriting, dance, singing and forest school, and Mornings at the Maypole.
We’re delighted to see the return of the Star Marquee hosting our Young Performers Stage, where families can enjoy performances from some of the UK folk scene’s finest up-and-coming musicians. It also makes for the best picnic spot of the festival!
For families with very little ones, the Rainbow Tent will be back by popular demand, for drop in playtime, and providing a much needed space to chill out if the hustle and bustle of the main festival gets a bit much.
And don’t forget to pay a visit to the Sidmouth Postman, helping to run our very own Children’s Festival postal service throughout the week.
seaside stompers
For those children looking to tread the boards, 2025 will see the return of the now legendary Seaside Stompers. A series of workshops for children 8 years and over who play any musical instrument, the workshops build up to a special evening performance of the Seaside Stompers Ceilidh Band as part of the festival ceilidh programme.
the minims
Children aged 5-8 will have the opportunity to perform as part of The Minims, a daily music workshop tailored for beginners, which also leads up to a performance slot as part of the main festival.
singing and dance workshops
Jackie Oates & Miriam Ayling (Mini Singers) & Bryony Griffiths (Song Swell) cater for budding singers, and if dance is your thing, we’ve got you covered with morris and mini morris dance workshops for ages 5-12, Bollywood dance workshops, and maypole sessions taking place on Peacock Lawn across the week.
the Sidmouth pyjama party
Don your fanciest pair of jim jams and join us for a special evening event as Peacock Lawn transforms into the Land of Nod. Events include a pyjama ceilidh, dream interpretation, storytelling, marshmallow toasting, dream catcher making workshop and a lullaby concert.
pirate princess
Pirate Princess is a heart warming story of hope against adversity told with physical theatre, clowning and circus. This brand new solo show by circus performer and professional idiot Gemma Bond tells the tale of poor shipwrecked Princess Poppy. Can she overcome a big dress, extreme weather and the ultimate test of strength to see her way to safety? Inspired by strong and inventive women of history, Poppy must transform physically and mentally if she is to have any hope of rescuing herself from eternity on an island in the ocean. The show encourages all to reuse, repurpose and recycle as Poppy reinvents her outfit and her mindset to overcome her predicament. A visual feast of colourful costume and a unique crow’s nest on a pole prop, this is a fun filled show for children aged 5 to 11 and their families.
a kid’s Summer night’s dream
A fun fast-paced family friendly twist on the Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Loose yourself in the comedy and confusion of the original play, complete with the added bonus of catchy songs and water pistols! Suitable for children aged 5-11 and their grownups.
the Sidmouth postman
Write a letter to a friend or family member and pop it in our post box. Then come back at lunch time for a special delivery from the Sidmouth Postman. Paper, envelopes, pens, pencils, crayons, feltips, stickers, and glitter are all provided!
evenings
After a packed day of fun, nothing quite beats sitting down as a whole family and enjoying an evening of brilliant theatre, music, storytelling or dance. Evening shows are ticketed – with priority to families with season tickets. Season tickets for Children (0-11) are free. Tickets will be sold on the door, space permitting. Children must be accompanied by ticket holding adults. Evening events are included in season tickets – tickets for Under 11s for the Evening Events are free, children must be accompanied by ticket holding adults.