Half Moon’s free Fun Palace

This Saturday, 7 October, Half Moon in Limehouse is throwing open its doors and welcoming the local community to take part in its Free Family Fun Day, part of the Fun Palaces nationwide campaign to put culture at the heart of community and community at the heart of culture.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Fun Palaces Weekend of Celebration and the 8th year that Half Moon has taken part. It’s a fantastic way for us to introduce ourselves to new families – and say hello to regular participants – during a relaxed day that takes place all over our building and garden.

It’s going to be an exciting experience with lots of engaging free family events that everyone can participate in together, as a local community, while also celebrating arts and culture and the crucial role it plays in human life.

Throughout the day, which runs from 10am-4pm, there will be a variety of activities with a birds, butterflies and bees theme exploring nature and the environment.

In our theatre, we’ll have a rolling programme of pop-up storytelling sessions, plus music and drama workshops. Our foyer space will have art tables and craft activities, alongside our eye-catching gallery exhibition that shines a spotlight on the innovative world of children’s book illustration. There is also a specially created Gallery Trail for children to complete.

In our garden, you’ll have the opportunity to create a large-scale chalk drawing. You can also explore the changing face of Tower Hamlets over 30 years in our Snapped 1990 | 2020 photography exhibition, which features photographs of the same scene taken 30 years apart.

Refreshments will also be available and if the weather’s good – fingers crossed – our outdoor space is a real sun trap and the perfect space to relax with a cup of tea and a delicious slice of cake!

Since 2014 over 45,000 people have made 2,500 Fun Palaces with 800,000 people taking part, and we’re proud to be a small part of that success. Over our own seven events, we have engaged with 4,000 people in our local community. Will you be a part of it this year?

There’s no need to book; just turn up on the day. You can dip into one or two events or stay for the whole day.

Stephen Beeny is the Communication Manager at Half Moon