Half Term is around the corner so we’ve curated a list of the places and events to get involved in. From the best places to visit and top attractions in the City Centre to keep you and your little ones entertained in the holidays we’ve tried to cover it all. Spooky Halloween themed pop ups to places kids eat free, Coventry City centre has something for everyone this half term.
What’s On in Coventry City Centre this Half Term
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, will open at the Herbert Gallery on 27th October 2023.
Where: The Herbert Art Gallery
Date: Opening 27th October 2023
More info & booking: FREE – https://www.theherbert.org/whats-on/1765/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year
Coventry’s Half Marathon
The wait is finally over and making a triumphant return to the events calendar for 2023 is the much-loved Coventry Half Marathon.
Recreating much of the previously popular route, the event will take place on the historic City Centre streets before heading to the nearby countryside and out towards Shakespeare’s county of Warwickshire.
A great event for runners and spectators alike, this scenic route promises to attract huge crowds of supporters and allows for a spot of phenomenal sightseeing as the gothic city centre meets the picturesque countryside. Not just a route with something for everyone to appreciate, runners embarking upon the Coventry Cathedral finish line will be greeted with a goody bag of rewards, including post-run treats and a hard-earned bespoke medal for them to remember the day.
Where: Coventry
Date: 29th October 2023
The Smeds and The Smoos
Soar into space with this exciting adaptation of the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
On a far-off planet, Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love and zoom off into space together, how will their families get them back?
Music, laughs and interplanetary adventures for everyone aged 3 and up, from Tall Stories – the company that brought you The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom live on stage.
Where: Belgrade Theatre
Date: 31st October-1st November 2023
More info & booking: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/the-smeds-and-the-smoos/?utm_medium=culturehosts&utm_source=Visit+Coventry&utm_campaign=The+Smeds+and+The+Smoos
Halloween Events
Halloween Craft Fair
Join the resident makers, bakers and crafters for the latest West Orchards craft fair…this time Halloween themed. Find all things spooky, spicy and seasonal across the weekend; from crochet pumpkins to seasonal bakes. Find the market maps on the West Orchards website.
Where: West Orchards Shopping Centre
Date: 28th-30th October 2023
More info: https://www.westorchards.co.uk/events/halloween-craft-fair/
Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning
Under the buzzing lights of a psychiatric hospital in Aberdeenshire in 1897, Mina Murray recounts her encounters with the most terrifying of beasts: Dracula.
A throng of patients listen with bated breath as they are transported to a world where immortality and ultimate power is possible, even for women – but with terrible consequences…Miss this contemporary re-telling at your peril.
Where: Belgrade Theatre
Date: 18th-20th October 2023
More info & booking: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/dracula-minas-reckoning/?gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm-_Du8PwgQMV_5SDBx15qQ_pEAAYASAAEgKO3PD_BwE
The Real and Imagined History of The Elephant Man
If you think you know the story of The Elephant Man – think again.
The European premiere of Australian playwright Tom Wright’s acclaimed play imagines an alternative. This is the story of a man fighting for his right to be and to belong.
Arriving from his East Midlands beginnings in a London thick with the grime of industrialisation, Joseph Merrick is an anomaly. In a city of factories that churn out uniformity, there is no place for a unique being like him. But Merrick and the city are evolving into something new. We follow him through the workhouse, the freakshow and hospital as he searches for acceptance in a society that just wants to stare at him.
Powerful, angry and surprising – The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man questions industrialisation, capitalism, disability and difference, finally putting Joseph at the centre of his own story.
Where: The Belgrade Theatre
Date: 26th-28th October 2023
More info & booking: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/the-real-and-imagined-history-of-the-elephant-man/
Halloween Makers Market
Join FarGo Village for their Halloween Makers Market on 28th & 29th of October, find a selection of our most monstrous makers and deadly designers for a Halloween special at FarGo.
They’ll be filling the Market Hall with some of their favourite creatives so you can celebrate Halloween in spooktacular style! From candles & needle felted pumpkins to jewellery & sweets and much more.
Where: FarGo Village
Date: 28th-29th October 2023
More info: https://www.fargovillage.co.uk/events/halloween-makers-market-3
Family Activities
The Wave
For the thrill, spill and chill seekers, there is something for all ages and all the family at The Wave this half term.
Visit the award-winning, indoor waterpark making a splash in the heart of Coventry! From high-speed slides and a fun-packed splash zone to the exhilarating Wave Pool and relaxing Lazy River…tickets for February half term are available to book now.
Find out more and book: https://bookings.thewavecoventry.com/
Boom Battle Bar
For the whole family, the Boom Battle Bar’s family games package is the perfect activity to keep everyone entertained throughout august.
Choose your 3 games, from shuffleboard, Augmented Reality Darts, American Pool, Crazier Golf and Pin Pong for hours of fun at the battleground – excluding Axe Throwing – and let the entertainment begin!
Find out more and book: https://boombattlebar.com/uk/coventry/social-events/family-boom-package/
Ballroom Climbing Wall
Rock up to The Ballroom in Coventry City Centre, specialising in Bouldering which is a form of low to the ground climbing that tests you mentally as well as physically, all while having fun with your friends and family! There’s no experience needed to get started, the team will give you a short safety induction when you arrive for the first time so you can enjoy the centre in a safe way.
Take a look at what’s on and visit the centre for a fun packed, exciting stop along the way when visiting Coventry this half term.
Find out more and book: https://www.ballroomclimbing.co.uk/
Dippy the Dinosaur
Meet Dippy the world-famous dino-star in Coventry as it takes up residence at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.
Dippy the dinosaur is a life-size replica of a Diplodocus carnegii skeleton – a 26 metre-long dinosaur that lived 155-145 million years ago. For over 100 years, Dippy has been delighting visitors of all ages at the Natural History Museum in London, and now Coventry families have the chance to discover the Jurassic giant on their doorstep.
Dippy in Coventry: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur is free to visit – visit now for a roar-some day out!
Find out more and book: https://dippyincoventry.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8NilBhDOARIsAHzpbLC5IPhDV_BiWK8TfGyDQGez7q1u_-pB4XPx3TJCm-6uWRlllres3mIaAk21EALw_wcB
Odeon Cinema
Round up the kids! Grab some popcorn! And get ready to explore the latest haunts together. You’ll find a film that’s brilliant fun for the whole family at The ODEON Cinema Coventry.
Their great value tickets give you even more reasons to visit your local ODEON. Enjoy great value with Adult and Child tickets, where the adults pay kids prices!
Whether it’s just you and the little one, or the whole family, our great value tickets give you even more reasons to visit the big screen together.
See family films for less on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and every day during school holidays* with ODEON Kids.
Find out more: https://www.odeon.co.uk/offers-membership/odeon-family-value/
Half Term Food Offers
Bella Italia
Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of every adult main, Monday-Thursday! Kids can enjoy three delicious courses & a drink! Meals are suitable for 2-11 year olds. Outside of these times, kids can get three courses & a drink. Our Smaller menu is £6.49 – and the perfect mini sized mains for less hungry kids. Our Larger menu is £8.49, and consists of 50% bigger mains for hungrier kids.
We hope you have a wonderful half term and a spooktacular Halloween! Don’t forget to tag us in your social posts @covcitycentre #CovBID.