Halton Libraries’ first festival of 2021 is Let’s Make! There are lots of activities and events that highlight the joy of making for you to get involved with.
We have makers’ workshops throughout the festival for all ages, including puppet making with Altru Drama, a creative non-profit organisation based in Liverpool, pixel art and tote bag design with the wonderful digital folk at Mako Create, and a cyanotypes printing workshop with Hazlehurst Studio based artist, Rachael Prime. There will also be a book sculpture workshop with artist Kate Bufton, who creates intricate and fragile paper sculptures from pages of timeworn books, and you can join us for an online talk with S.E. Lynes, the Amazon #1 bestselling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’, ‘beautifully written’ psychological thrillers such as Valentina, Mother, and her latest novel, The Housewarming. So come on Halton, Let’s Make!
Booking Details for Let’s Make Festival Events
Monday 17th May
Science Makers: Bug Hotel
Widnes Library – 4-4.45pm
Free – One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Please book via the Eventbrite link.
Make your very own bug hotel at this fascinating science making workshop. You’ll be able to take your creation home and offer luxury accommodation to insects and spiders!
Tuesday 18th May
Maker Workshop: Dream catchers
Widnes Library – 4-4.45pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite link. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
We’re making dream catchers during this making session. Design your catcher to be as decorative and as vibrant as you can for you to take home and hang in your bedroom to ensure you have lots of wonderful dreams!
Wednesday 19th May
Science Makers: Oreo Moons
Halton Lea Library – 4-4.45pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Did you know that you can create the phases of the moon using Oreo biscuits? This workshop is for astronomers, budding astrophysicists and biscuit lovers (just promise not to eat the biscuits!).
In Her Own Words: Author Talk with S.E Lynes
Online event, 6.30 -7.30pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website
Suitable for adults
Join us for an evening with Runcorn born author S.E Lynes. Former BBC Producer, S.E. Lynes is the bestselling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’, ‘beautifully written’ psychological thrillers, including The Pact, Mother, Can You See Her? and her latest novel The Housewarming. Susie will talk about her writing process, how she researches her works and the common themes and threads that join her novels together. There will also be a Q & A session for you to put your questions to Susie.
The event will take place as a live event on Zoom. After you register, you will receive an email closer to the date with the link to the event.
Thursday 20th May
Mini Makers: Storywalk in Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park, 10.30-11.30am
FREE, book online via the Eventbrite website. Information regarding family groups/support bubble tickets will be updated closer to the time of the event.
Suitable for under 4s
We’re going on a journey outdoors, come and join us! On our storywalk we’ll be discovering the wonderful tale of Octopants by Suzy Senior. We’ll be walking, talking and generally having fun as we go on this adventure together.
Maker Workshop: String art
Halton Lea Library – 4-5pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 7+ (due to the need to handle small pins)
Often referred to as pin and thread art and dating back to the 19th century, you will make string art by creating a design and using pins and colourful embroidery silks to produce striking geometric designs and bold patterns resulting in a perfect piece of art for your home or a lovely gift for someone special.
Friday 21st May
Maker Workshop: Design a Tote Bag
Halton Lea Library, 4 – 4.45pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages.
Design your very own tote bag using fabric and pencils. You will create a colourful tote bag that you can then take home and amaze your family and friends with.
Saturday 22nd May
Maker Workshop: Puppet Making and Performance with Altru Drama
Halton Lea Library, 10.30-12.30pm
£3 per ticket, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 7+
Altru Drama are a Liverpool based creative organisation who focus on delivering key messages and building skills through performance. This workshop will give each participant the opportunity to design and create their own amazing puppet. There will then be an opportunity for each puppet to take part in a workshop performance, showing off all of the puppetry skills learnt!
Maker Workshop: Pixel Art & Tote Bags with Mako Create
Widnes Library, 10.30-12pm
£3 per ticket, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket can have an accompanying adult if needed.
Suitable for ages 8+
Do you love retro pixel art and helping the environment? If you answered yes, this is the workshop for you! This workshop is the perfect introduction to those interested in getting creative using retro pixel art. During the session, you will be given a crash course on how you can design and create your own retro pixel art masterpiece and use a heat transfer vinyl to create a reusable tote bag featuring your own bespoke pixel art design.
Session breakdown:
Drafting pixel art designs .
Create Pixel art with heat transfer vinyl
Heat press designs onto Tote Bags
Finish / Showing off your finished tote bag.
Monday 24th May
Science Makers: Circuit Bugs
Widnes Library – 4.45pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Create your own light up bugs using electronics and circuits. This is creative science making at its very best and lots of fun too!
Tuesday 25th May
Mini Makers: Storywalk in Hough Green Park
Hough Green Park, 10.30-11.30am
FREE, book online via the Eventbrite website. Information regarding family groups/support bubble tickets will be updated closer to the time of the event.
Suitable for under 4s
We’re going on a journey outdoors, come and join us! On our storywalk we’ll be discovering the wonderful tale of Octopants by Suzy Senior. We’ll be walking, talking and generally having fun as we go on this adventure together.
Maker workshop: Let’s Cross Stitch!
Halton Lea Library – 4-4.45pm
FREE, book online via the library website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult.
Suitable for all ages
This workshop is perfect for young ones wanting to create their own cross stitch creation. A relaxing end to a busy week of making!
Wednesday 26th May
Science Makers: Gene Bracelets
Halton Lea Library – 4-4.45pm
FREE, book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult.
Suitable for all ages
Explore genes and DNA in this hands on making workshop where you’ll get to create your very own DNA bracelet!
Thursday 27th May
Maker Workshop: Cyanotypes with Hazlehurst Studios
Halton Lea Library, 10.30-12.30pm
£3 per ticket, please book online via the Eventbrite website.
Suitable for adults
Join Hazlehurst Studio for this hands on workshop exploring the traditional photography technique of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue print. Engineers used the process well into the 20th century as a simple and low-cost process to produce copies of drawings, referred to as blueprints .No previous experience needed for this workshop. The artist will take you through step by step how to produce these beautiful artistic images.
Friday 28th May
Music Makers: Drumming Workshop
Halton Lea Library, 4-5pm
FREE, book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult.
Suitable for all ages
Let’s Make music! Children can book onto this drumming workshop to experience the fun and excitement of rhythm and noise. Learn to hold drum sticks, take part in hands-on drumming exercises and then end with a bang! Help us fill the library with noise, beats and laughter!
Saturday 29th May
Maker Workshop: Book Sculpture with Artist Kate Bufton
Halton Lea Library, 11-1pm
£3 per ticket, please book online via the Eventbrite website.
Suitable for adults
In this special workshop for adults, Kate Bufton, a North West artist who creates intricate and fragile paper sculptures from pages of timeworn books, will take you through the book sculpting process to create a piece of beautiful art. Kate transforms the familiar medium of books from a carrier of text to an object of art.
Paperchain wall hangings
Widnes Library, 11-12pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Paper crafts are an important art form that allow each artist to have a creative outlet to express feelings. Come along to this making session to create your own paperchain wall hanging, make it unique with your own creative flair.
Sunday 6th June
Get It Loud In Libraries
Katy J Pearson
Widnes Library. Doors open 2.30pm.
Ticket price £8, book online via getitloudinlibraries.com
Suitable for all ages
We have live music amongst the book shelves once again at Widnes Library! Hailing from Bristol, Katy J Pearson has been described by the NME as American-glazed rock where West Country meets Wild West. Her debut album, Return, was released November 2020.
Sunday 18th July
Porridge Radio
Widnes Library. Doors open 2.30pm
Ticket price £7, please book online via getitloudinlibraries.com
Suitable for all ages
Porridge Radio are a British indie rock band, originating from Brighton. They were listed among The Guardian’s top 40 new artists in 2018 and they have performed live on BBC Radio 6 Mark Riley’s show in May 2020. Their latest album, Every Bad, was released to critical acclaim in March 2020.
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