Free Family Activities at Cheltenham Literature Festival

A free day out at Cheltenham Literature Festival? Yes please! Alongside the ticketed author events, the Festival Village in Montpellier Gardens is packed with free activities for children, from LEGO building and crafts to storytelling, book swaps and character appearances. There's plenty to keep the kids busy without spending a penny on tickets.

Free Family Activities at Cheltenham Literature Festival 2026

• Date: Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 October 2026

• Time: The Den is open 9.30am to 5pm at weekends. Other activities have individual session times.

• Cost: FREE

• Location: Festival Village, Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham

• Suitable for: Families with children of all ages. Some sessions are for ages 3+ or 4+.

Free activities in The Den

The Den is where children can get stuck into some hands-on creativity, with activities running from 9.30am to 5pm at weekends.

There's plenty to choose from:

• LEGO Story Building: Build favourite book characters, story scenes or entirely new worlds using LEGO bricks.

• Micro Life Explorer: Discover the tiny creatures and fascinating details of the natural world that we don't usually get to see.

• Badge Making: Design your own Festival badge using colourful craft materials.

• The Magic Faraway Tree: Create a new imaginary land inspired by Enid Blyton's much-loved stories.

• Sensory Nook: A quieter corner with stories, natural materials and interesting objects to explore.

• Little People, BIG DREAMS Trail: Pick up a quiz sheet from the Trail Tent and hunt for posters featuring extraordinary people around the Festival site.

Free storytelling in the Story Shack

The Story Shack hosts a programme of interactive storytelling sessions across both Festival weekends. Expect everything from dinosaurs and pirates to chocolate mysteries and superhero adventures.

Highlights include Romani storytelling with Richard O'Neill, a chance to create your own superhero story with Becci Books, and a dog-themed story and draw-along with author and illustrator Alex Willmore.

Some sessions are SSE/Makaton interpreted, and the programme includes activities for Deaf and hearing families.

More free highlights

On Sunday 18 October, there's even more happening around the Festival Village:

• Meet the Gruffalo: Head to Dunkertons Taproom between 10am and 12pm for a character appearance and themed activities.

• The Amazing Scene Machine: Join animator Jim Parkin in The Den between 10am and 4pm to help create an animated picture using clay, painting and other techniques.

• Big Children's Book Swap: Bring along pre-loved children's books and exchange them for something new to read. Drop in at the Picnic Tent between 11am and 1.30pm.

• Meet Patrice Lawrence: The Children's Laureate will be at Waterstones Children's Bookshop from 2pm to 2.30pm for a talk and book signing.

Make a day of it

You don't need tickets to enjoy the Festival Village. There's space to play, picnic areas, food traders and the Waterstones Children's Bookshop to browse. Keep an eye out for the Gruffalo, Tom Gates and Donut Squad characters around the site too.

If you're planning to book a couple of paid family events as well, there's a handy 10% discount when buying tickets for two or more qualifying family events on the same day. Workshops, Book & Ticket events and Young Adult events are excluded.

For individual storytelling times and the full programme, see the official free family events programme. Worth checking before you set off so you don't miss a favourite.