ANNOUNCING: Free visual art workshops
September 15, 2021‘Perfect Flight’ between London Heathrow and Glasgow Airport achieves record emissions reduction
September 15, 2021Paisley is set to host a festival of family fun as The Wee Spree returns this October.
The popular programme of activities for kids and families will take place from Saturday 9 – Saturday 16 October, with plenty for everyone to enjoy during the school holidays.
The Wee Spree events will also coincide with the return of The Spree music and arts festival in 2021 – one of the centrepieces of Renfrewshire Council’s major events programme which has made Paisley a key cultural destination in Scotland in recent years.
Shows at The Wee Spree will take place at venues and locations around Paisley, including the Methodist Central Hall and the Tannahill Centre.
Music is at the heart of the programme as Silent Knights bring pop tunes and classic sing-alongs to the Family Silent Disco (Monday 11 October). Indepen-dance will then present two Dance Your Socks Off sessions for early years before older age groups get the chance to freestyle to popular dance tracks and trends with a TikTok Moves class (Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14). There’s also new-born – 18-month baby and parent activities with BuddieBeats Music Makaton & Sensory classes (Sunday 10).
The ever-popular film screenings will return as Dance HQ presents Dance Along – The Lion King and Trolls World Tour (Monday 11 and Tuesday 12), while kids will also get the chance to unleash their creativity through Cinemor77’s Spooktacular Animation Workshop (Tuesday 12).
Youngsters can learn to walk on stilts, spin poi and staff, juggle and much more as part of a two-day Circus Camp (Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14) with the team from Scotland’s only touring contemporary circus company Circus Alba.
Budding comedians can practice their jokes as the popular Comedy Club 4 Kids workshop returns to The Wee Spree (Friday 15), before performances from comics Stephen Halkett, Rosco McClelland and Mr Fibbers’ later that afternoon.
There will also be live performances as festival favourites FUNBOX presents: Back to The Spree with two fantastic shows (Friday 15 October), while THE REFS come equipped with cones and whistles to entertain with playful, easy to follow warmups and obstacle courses (Saturday 9).
Drop-in to The Wee Spree Arts, Crafts and Science Hub at the Methodist Central Hall to enjoy activities from local artists and experience the excitement of the Glasgow Science Centre right here in Paisley, as the Centre’s on tour team showcase their interactive mobile exhibits (Saturday 9 and Saturday 16).
Experience a walkway of magical soundscapes at Paisley Abbey Gardens as Cryptic presents Katie Anderson’s Sound Horn (Friday 8 – Sunday 10), comprising six fascinating outdoor sound sculptures which visitors can enjoy safely and at their own leisure. The sculptures will then head to Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch, the following weekend (Saturday 16 and Sunday 17).
And while out and about in Paisley town centre, kids can write their own story or have one crafted for them by writer Luke Winter with Stories While You Wait at the Story Wagon in County Square (Friday 15 and Saturday 16).
Families can also enjoy a number of pop-up circus and street performances in Paisley town centre from Circus Alba & Oceanallover (Saturday 9 & 16).
Plus, from Thursday 14 October, music lovers can take a Tour of Paisley’s Musical History by downloading a fantastic walking tour app. Led by Art Boss’s team of young producers, the tour will explore the medieval scores discovered in Paisley Abbey Drain, the town’s historic punk past and much more.
Tickets for The Wee Spree are on sale from 10am on Wednesday 15 September and can be bought online via www.thespree.co.uk.
The Spree is Paisley’s annual arts festival with events taking place from Thursday 7 – Saturday 16 October in the fabulous Salon Perdu Spiegeltent in the town centre.
Top acts on the bill for this year’s main Spree programme include The Twilight Sad, Nadine Shah, Arab Strap, Michael Rother, Kathryn Joseph, Nick Lowe, Retro Video Club and The Rezillos.
Organised by Renfrewshire Council, The Spree is programmed by Regular Music and has received funding support from Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund, managed by EventScotland.
For more on the festival and ticket information, visit The Spree website.
