Good Morning Cheshire! 👋 

Half term is here, and Cheshire’s pulling out the stops. This week you’ve got everything from moon-gazing at Chester Cathedral to hands-on half-term activities, plus a stack of easy wins for families (and a few proper grown-up nights out too).

Let’s dive in!

🎉 What’s On In Cheshire

🎹 One Night of Billy Joel
Fri 13 Feb, 7:30pm, Parr Hall, Warrington
A live celebration of Billy Joel’s biggest hits, from the big ballads to the full-throttle singalongs.
👉 Details

🚶 Let’s Walk! Northwich (social walk)
Fri 13 Feb, 10am-11am, Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre, Northwich
A friendly, led canal-and-riverside stroll – ideal if you fancy a bit of fresh air and a chat.
👉 Details

🎸 The Glam Rock Show – Get It On!
Fri 13 Feb, 7:30pm, Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
Glitter, riffs and wall-to-wall 70s bangers – Bowie, Slade, T. Rex and more, served loud.
👉 Details

🦒 Zoo Tots – Tiny Tots
Fri 13 Feb, 10am-10:45am, Chester Zoo, Chester
A toddler session with a wildlife twist – designed for under-12-months and their grown-ups.
👉 Details

🦕 The Dinosaur That Pooped: A Rock Show!
Sat 14 Feb, 12pm & 3:30pm, The Brindley Theatre, Runcorn
A high-energy kids’ show with songs, silliness and plenty of “Dino!” moments (bring your best singing voice).
👉 Details

🎶 K-POP LIVE!
Sat 14 Feb, 11am & 3pm, Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
A family-friendly K-pop stage spectacular with big routines and big crowd energy – expect plenty of hand-hearts.
👉 Details

🏃 Sports Day Scarecrow Festival
Sat 14 Feb, daytime, Tatton Park (Gardens & Farm), Knutsford
Tatton’s famous scarecrows are back – this time with a sporty theme. Great for a wander with lots of photo ops.
👉 Details

🚀 February Half Term at Jodrell Bank
Sat 14 Feb, daytime, Jodrell Bank, near Macclesfield
Space shows, trails and hands-on activities – ideal for curious kids (and secretly-curious adults).
👉 Details

🌿 Half-term at Quarry Bank
Sat 14 Feb, 10:30am-5pm, Quarry Bank (National Trust), Styal (Wilmslow)
Half-term activities in a gorgeous mill-and-gardens setting – a solid “outdoors + history + cake later” day.
👉 Details

🌿 Half Term at Dunham Massey
Sat 14-Sun 22 Feb, 10am-4pm, Dunham Massey, Altrincham
Winter garden colour, deer-spotting, and space for little ones to run wild on the North Park log pile – perfect for an easy half-term day out.
👉 Details

✨ Astro Night: Valentine’s Special
Sat 14 Feb, 7-9:30pm, Jodrell Bank, Macclesfield
A grown-up night under the stars with planetarium-style storytelling, stargazing kit (weather permitting) and a very different kind of Valentine’s plan.
👉 Details

🦌 February Half Term: Wildlife Wander Trail (Lyme)
Sat 14-Sun 22 Feb, 10:30am-4pm, Lyme, Disley
Grab a £1 trail booklet and wander with mini challenges and nature-spotting along the estate – choose buggy-friendly paths or go full wellies.
👉 Details

🧧 Lunar New Year Calligraphy Workshop (Year of the Horse)
Sun 15 Feb, 12pm, Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Warrington
Drop in for a hands-on calligraphy session with artist Johanna Leung – create your own ‘horse’ character artwork and learn about Lunar New Year customs.
👉 Details

👑 The Sooty Show
Sun 15 Feb, Parr Hall, Warrington
Classic family chaos with Sooty, Sweep and Soo – the kind of nostalgic fun that still lands with kids.
👉 Details

🧜‍♀️ Mermaid & Pirates (Feb Half Term)
Sun 15 Feb, from 10am, Blue Planet Aquarium, Ellesmere Port
Half-term fun alongside the aquarium: themed crafts, treasure hunting, activity trails – plus mermaid meet-and-greets at selected times.
👉 Details

🐾 Pet Pals – February Half-Term Workshop
Sun 15 Feb, 2pm, Pets at Home, Northwich
Free kids’ workshop (ages 4-10) all about pet play and behaviour – with supervised, hands-on activities and a certificate at the end.
👉 Details

🌝 Moon Model Making Workshops
Mon 16 Feb, 10:30am-4pm, Chester Cathedral, Chester
Drop in and make your own moon model for a fiver – a great add-on if you’re visiting the Cathedral anyway.
👉 Details

🌲 February Half Term Forest School at Delamere Forest
Mon 16 Feb – Fri 20 Feb, 9am-3pm, Venturewood at Delamere Forest, Delamere
A proper outdoorsy half-term club: den building, nature crafts, campfire warm-ups and muddy-boot joy.
👉 Details

🧀 A Grand Day Out at Chester Cathedral (Wallace & Gromit + live music)
Mon 16 Feb, 11:30am-5pm, Chester Cathedral, Chester
A classic Wallace & Gromit screening with the soundtrack played live, plus optional moon-themed creative extras in the Cathedral’s stunning setting.
👉 Details

🦁 Lions and Tigers and Bears (with Gordon Buchanan)
Mon 16 Feb, 7:30pm, Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
A big night of wildlife stories from one of the UK’s best-known filmmakers – close encounters, big landscapes, and the moments that went sideways.
👉 Details

🦦 Zoo School (Reaseheath Zoo)
Tue 17-Thu 19 Feb, 10am-2:30pm, Reaseheath Zoo, Nantwich
An animal-mad kids’ club (ages 8-14) with hands-on activities – from feeding and cleaning to enrichment and behind-the-scenes routines.
👉 Details

🐾 Animal Fun with the RSPCA
Wed 18 Feb, 10am-3pm, Nantwich Museum (Millennium Gallery), Nantwich
Drop-in family activities, mini challenges and crafty makes – plus a pretend pop-up “animal hospital”.
👉 Details

• The Lunar New Year Market – Sun 15 Feb | 👉 Details

• Crewe Makers Market – Sun 15 Feb | 👉 Details

• Tarporley Makers Market – Sun 15 Feb | 👉 Details

• Lymm Artisan Market – Sun 15 Feb | 👉 Details

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show – Sat 21 Feb-Sun 22 Feb | 👉 Details

• Pancake Weekend at the Farm (Tatton Park) – Sat 21 Feb-Sun 22 Feb | 👉 Details

💎 Hidden Gem: Gowy Meadows (Thornton-le-Moors, Ellesmere Port)

If you want “proper nature” without the crowds, Gowy Meadows is a cracking shout: 166 hectares of floodplain grazing marsh with ponds, scrapes, reed-lined ditches and wide, big-sky views – all improbably tucked between Stanlow and the M56. It feels wild in a way most people don’t expect this close to Ellesmere Port.

What you’re actually walking through

• Lowland grazing marsh with cattle and sheep on site (proper working landscape).

• Over 2.5 miles of public footpaths cross the key habitats.

• It’s a strong birding spot where 158 species have been recorded, with winter wildfowl often using the wet meadows and ponds.

Route options

• Option A: The easy (family-friendly) “wildlife wander” – Stick to the main public footpath(s) through the meadows and do an out-and-back (turn around when you’ve had your fill).

• Option B: The longer leg-stretcher – Use the public footpaths to make a longer out-and-back that properly gets you away from roads – it’s flat, open and surprisingly expansive.

Practical bits

• Open: Always.

• Accessibility: not suitable for wheelchairs.

• Best season: the Trust says spring to summer, but Feb can be brilliant for winter birds and stark, moody skies.

• Start point: A commonly used local approach is parking by Thornton-le-Moors church then walking in via the public footpath network.
  👉 Directions/parking (local guide)

🔗 Gowy Meadows

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for reading The Cheshire Buzz! See you next Thursday – same time, same inbox.