MORE than 13,000 people made the most of Tameside’s summer events as theatre, music, crafts and family activities drew crowds across the borough.
A packed programme of free and low-cost activities took place during the six-week school holidays.
Events were held at parks, libraries, Family Hubs, Portland Basin Museum, Stalybridge Victoria Market Hall and Ashton-under-Lyne town centre.
Among the highlights were the popular Theatre in the Park performances, which attracted around 1,400 visitors across eight shows – several of which sold out.
Families could also get involved in outdoor arts sessions, with crafts and music providing a chance to enjoy creative activities in the borough’s green spaces.
Portland Basin Museum proved particularly popular, with a record 1,875 people attending this year’s Our Museum Day. The event brought together crafts, heritage, dance and activities for families.
Tameside’s libraries also had a busy summer, hosting 36 events as part of this year’s Children’s Summer Reading Challenge, Read to the Beat.
The programme included puppet and bee drum workshops, silent discos, hip hop DJ experiences, family music-making sessions, storytelling, film screenings and Mini Challenge story times for preschool children.
Over 1,300 children and 1,000 adults attended the library events, while pop-up sessions in local parks helped encourage youngsters to take part in the reading challenge. More than 1,700 children signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge.
Family Hubs attracted another 1,000-plus children to sessions including Story Walks and Wellies in the Wood.
Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Lifelong Learning, said: “It’s wonderful to hear how much residents and visitors enjoyed this year’s summer programme.
“We know keeping children entertained throughout the six-week holiday can be a challenge for many families, so it’s fantastic to see so many people taking part in the activities, sessions and events on offer.
“Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the programme such a success. Keep an eye out as our teams continue to work on events and activities for the rest of the year!”