The Octagon Theatre Bolton in Greater Manchester is hosting a family programme called Family Saturdays on selected Saturday mornings between January and March 2026, designed to provide affordable, indoor learning and creative opportunities for local families during the winter months.
Known as Family Saturdays, the sessions feature free storytelling and creative play along with arts and crafts and introductory drama activities for children and their grownups. The Octagon’s listings describe these as taking place on selected Saturday mornings across January–March (check the theatre website for specific dates and to book). The activities are held in the theatre’s reimagined participation and studio spaces, which were updated as part of a major redevelopment completed in 2021.
Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham said she wants the Octagon to be a place where people feel they belong every day of the week, and the Family Saturdays programme is intended to open the building up to families and reduce barriers to participation for the next generation.
The programme is supported by funding from Arts Council England and Bolton Council to help the venue remain a focal point for the town centre. Chief Executive Roddy Gauld has said the Octagon is working to increase its local economic impact while also reaching people who do not usually attend theatre productions.
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