FAMILIES are being invited to celebrate the arrival of Spring, try out some new activities and get moving in Mossley during the Easter holidays.
A free celebration is happening at The Vale and Mossley Heritage Centre on Saturday, April 6, from 10am to 5pm.
It’s being funded by Action Together, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, UKRI and The Young Foundation.
Spring Up! has a mix of music, dance, art, storytelling, Carnival, heritage and even a gaggle of upcycled geese to take you for a walk.
A Gaggle of Geese is a comical troupe of mobile puppets, made from recycled materials, by local people and Mossley’s Phantasmagoria.
During three scheduled walks, the feathered ensemble will lead the way along the Goose’s Gander Heritage Trail between The Vale, off Micklehurst Road, and Mossley Heritage Centre in Longlands Mill next to Emmaus Mossley.
The guided walks will take place at 10am (Mossley Heritage Centre to The Vale), midday (The Vale to Mossley Heritage Centre) and 1.30pm (Mossley Heritage Centre to The Vale).
People can visit exhibits on Mossley and mill heritage when at the heritage centre, where weaving workshops will be taking place from 1pm to 3pm.
Activities throughout the day at The Vale include a family ceilidh with a twist; giant walkabout puppets Charlie and Maude; a Pagode taster session; drop-in visual art workshops; drumming and dance workshops; and Malawi-born storyteller and musician Marco Woolf will be sharing original tales inspired by timeless folklore and fables.
Live music throughout the afternoon includes dreamy indie-folk from Coruja Jones; singer-songwriter Tiki Black; Sierra Leone-born folk guitarist Papa Sam Alafia and Electric Mike aka Mossley’s own Mike Mellor.
Cakes, treats and hot drinks will be available from George’s Deli and spring greens pizza by the slice from Pizza Love. The Vale’s bar will also be open in the afternoon serving a wide variety of drinks.
Amelia Bayliss, general manager at The Vale, said: “Spring Up! is a free community celebration of the arrival of the new season, which is full of hope and promise. It is also a celebration of our local and global heritage, in partnership with Mossley Heritage Centre.
“The day is the culmination of ‘Trails to the Vale’ – an Action Together funded project that is focused on getting local people walking and moving more and reducing the reliance on car use for short journeys.”
Find out more on The Vale’s website at https://www.the-vale.co.uk/event/spring-up/