- Features
- Eight family-friendly activities in Shrewsbury for half term
Eight family-friendly activities in Shrewsbury for half term


Shropshire County Show
The annual Shropshire County Show is the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society’s main event - and this year it celebrates its 150th birthday!
A fun-filled day out for all the family is all but guaranteed, as thousands of people from across town and country come together on the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury, bringing with them pigs, dogs, cows, horses, ducks, ferrets, sheep, and much more. Plus monster trucks, tractor displays, and a very special carnival.
The annual dog show is a must see!

Enter a World of Pure Imagination
Following the immense popularity of their Shrek the Musical and Elf, Shrewsbury's own masters of musical theatre Get Your Wigle On are gearing up for a highly anticipated return to Theatre Severn's main auditorium with a spellbinding musical take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Expect an uber talented cast, fantastic costumes and the characteristic wonder and humour of Roald Dahl - plus singing Oompa Loompas, of course!

Celebrate Community and Help the Hive
Move over Bob Geldof, this is Hive Aid - Shrewsbury's mini folk festival, raising money for beloved local charity The Hive with folk performances from leading artists (including Glastonbury-featured Jessie Reid and folk legend Keith Donnelly), dance workshops, song writing workshops, poetry workshops, children's entertainment and more.

Celebrate Summer's Arrival with a Splash
Get your swim towels at the ready - The Quarry Splash Park is open for the summer! The Splash Park is open 7 days a week, 10.30am-6pm.

Hunt the Mighty Knights
Can you track-down all of the Knights hidden around Shrewsbury's Castle Grounds?
Purchase a £2 trail card from the Castle shop when you arrive and have fun spotting the different knights' poses as you find them! Enjoy the activity on the back of the card and when you've found all of the knights, pop back into the Castle shop to claim your reward.

For Little Thrill Seekers...
The Quarry Swimming Pool will be holding a special Diving Boards and Flumes session. Whether your little ones are itching to race down the slide, take their first dive over the edge or are just looking for some fun in the water, these sessions are the perfect way to spend a half-term day.

Let Loose in the Imagination Playground
There are infinite possibilities to play, invent, build and - perhaps most fun of all - demolish structures in Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery's Imagination Playground. Booking is recommended - this is a very popular activity!

A Film for the Family
From the 25th of May to the 1st of June, the Old Market Hall cinema will be showing A Minecraft Movie. Combine a beautiful town centre location and well-stocked cafe bar with laugh-out-loud fun in Minecraft's cubic bizarroland.
More half-term happenings

Vanlife Festival
Vanlife Festival is a major event taking place at the West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury, and was one of the most talked about Festivals of the…

World War II Exhibition
The Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust (SRHT) is set to transport visitors back in time with a compelling World War 2 exhibition at Abbey Station,…
01 June 2025
More for kids to do and see

Hire a canoe
Paddle the River Severn on our popular downstream A-to-B canoe hire route with free minibus transport to the launch point or tour Shrewsbury town…

The paddle bros
Great value water sports experiences for all along the River Severn in Shrewsbury and the magnificent Shropshire Union canal in Ellesmere.
Open Today 10:30AM - 9:00PM

Sabrina Guided Walking Tours
Explore Shrewsbury’s Rich History with Our Guided Tours Discover over 1,100 years of Shrewsbury’s captivating medieval history with our expert-led…

The Enchanted Labyrinth
The Enchanted Labyrinth is your go-to for spells, crystals & gifts. Like the magic shop of your dreams, it contains a divination department,…
Open Today 10:30AM - 4:00PM

Nerdy
Nerdy is a board game café and events venue in Shrewsbury town centre. An alcohol-free, family-friendly, fully inclusive environment that offers an…
Open Today 9:00AM - 8:00PM

DVD Megastore and Buttercup Bookshop
Of course, they stock DVDs – but they also stock games, gifts and amazing memorabilia! Not only that, but they’re incredibly price competitive! From…
Open Today 10:30AM - 4:30PM

Level Up Escapes
LevelUp Escapes is a family-run business operating out of the Darwin Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury. We are proud to design and host top-class escape…

Shrewsbury Prison
The current prison buildings are Victorian, built in 1868 but there has been a prison on that site since 1793. The prison was decommissioned by the…
Open Today 10:00AM - 5:00PM

The Cut Visitor Centre, Shropshire Wildlife Trust
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre and Shop, or The Cut, is a beautiful arrangement of buildings and garden situated near Shrewsbury…
Open Today 9:30AM - 12:30PM

The Entertainer
Here at The Entertainer, there's not much we don't know about toys. In fact, with over 30 years of experience selling the best toys and games, we've…

The Hive
The Hive is an arts and entertainment venue, as well as a charity working with vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. Offering a varied…

The Soldiers of Shropshire Museum
Weapons, medals and uniforms from the 18th century to the present day sit within the ancient, red sandstone walls, which tower above the town. Hunt…

WHSmith
One of the UK's leading retailers, WHSmith is best known for its books, newspapers and stationery. WHSmith offers an increasingly wide choice of…
Open Today 10:30AM - 4:30PM

Darwin's Den
Darwin's Den is a free-to-use soft play area for children aged eight and under, located on the Middle Level of The Darwin Centre next to M&S. We…
Open Today 10:30AM - 4:30PM

Mollie's
Mollies is a modern sweetshop selling traditional British sweets and American candy. The store in Shrewsbury's Charles Darwin Shopping Centre has a…

Paws Cafe
Step into Shropshire's first cat cafe! We have 11 resident cats; Nala, Simba, Elsa, Snowy, Marmalade, Binx, Lady Grey, Mocha, Cappucino, Darwin, and…
Open Today 10:00AM - 4:00PM

Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre
Enjoy a swim in one of the pools, take a fitness class or visit the gym - which has a range of cardiovascular and resistance equipment. We offer…
Open Today 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Shrewsbury Duck Store
Thousands of ducks looking for their new forever pond. Shrewsbury Duck Store is your one-stop-shop for rubber ducks and all duck-themed products,…
Open Today 10:15AM - 4:15PM

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
Situated just outside Shrewsbury town centre, the internationally important Flaxmill Maltings site reflects a time when Shropshire led the way in…
Open Today 10:00AM - 5:00PM

Shrewsbury Library
Shrewsbury Library is a busy lending library situated in a Grade I listed building in Castle Gates. The library offers a fantastic range of fiction…

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (SM&AG) sits proudly in the town square and is the county’s flagship museum and art gallery. Visitors will…

C.E.X
CEX buy, sell and exchange a range of technology and entertainment products including mobile phones, video games, DVDs and Blu-ray movies, computers,…
Open Today 10:30AM - 4:30PM
Not every listing on this site is able to offer a complete representation of all the wonderful businesses that operate within Shrewsbury.
We do our best to include all relevant businesses in each feature. However, if your business wasn't included and you feel it should have been, please don't hesitate to contact us on content@originalshrewsbury.co.uk.
If you would like to get more involved with the Original Shrewsbury platform, learn about voluntary membership here!
Plan your visit to Shrewsbury