What’s new this summer in Chester and Cheshire

Ratty, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad will lead little ones on an enchanting walkabout production of The Wind in the Willows this summer (until 20 August). Youngsters aged 5 and under (and their families) should head for Chester’s Grosvenor Park to pick up the animal friends’ trail for this theatrical adventure. Find out more about Wind in the Willows at Storyhouse here.

Hands up who wants to go to The Ice Cream Farm’s school’s out party (21 July)? Though little ones will still have to exercise their brainpower to figure out how to free themselves from the brand new Escape Room opening at the farm this month. Find out more about the Ice Cream Farm here. 

The party invitations keep on coming. This one is from the Grubbles, who are visiting BeWILDerwood this summer (1 July-5 September). Never heard before, the BeWILDermuddle story will be told for the first time, plus there’s Soopa Scale face painting, Crocklebog crowns to make, and a Puzzling Park Trail to follow. Find out more about BeWILDerwood here.

Next stop Crewe Heritage Centre, the ultimate destination for train enthusiasts this summer for ‘Forging History’ (1 July-10 September), the anniversary exhibition celebrating 180 years of the town’s Railway Engineering Works. Among experiences on offer is the chance to design a loco in the Drawing Office and, of course, drive a train. Find out more about Crewe Heritage Centre here.

The curtain is about to go up on the Chester Mystery Plays (28 June-15 July), which return on their five-year cycle, starring the people of Chester under professional direction. An audience from across the world will gather to see this historic spectacle in the nave of Chester's mighty medieval Cathedral. Find out more about the Chester Mystery Plays here.

No need to pack a costume to dive into Planet Shark: Predator or Prey. The essential role of the much-maligned species is told through underwater projections of sharks in motion, life-size models, and collections of teeth, jaws and rare fossilised remains. Find out more about Planet Shark at Chester Zoo here.

It’s 100 years since Cicely Mary Barker published her first Flower Fairies book. To celebrate, the enchanting illustrations have gone on display at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight (until 5 November). Some 45 original illustrations can be seen, along with digital projections and fairy-inspired costumes designed by Vin Burnham. Find out more about the Flower Fairies exhibition at the Lady Lever Art Gallery here.

Youngsters can foil a mysterious society of time travellers intent on locking Chester in a pocket in time by hunting for a secret password on the Time Travelling Treasure Hunt along Chester's famous Rows. (Meanwhile, older visitors can tune in to the free Discover The Rows self-guided audio tour to delve into the history of these extraordinary buildings.) Find out more about the Time Travelling Treasure Hunt here.

Play, Everyday at Dunham Massey (22 July-10 September). That’s the name of this summer’s daily programme of activities and happenings taking place at the historic country house during the school holidays. Find out more about Dunham Massey here.