Chester families set for a summer of free fun as city centre launches ‘Summer in the City’

Chester BID is giving families a massive reason to head into the city centre this summer with its brand-new ‘Summer in the City’ campaign — and there are over 1,000 free tickets up for grabs.

Running for five weeks over the school holidays, the scheme is packed with free activities for families that’ll keep the kids entertained and give parents a break on the wallet, while also bringing more people into the heart of Chester to support local businesses.

Each week has its own theme, so there’s plenty to do whether your family loves films, boat trips, history tours or just wants to relax and recharge.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Week 1: Cinema Week — from 28 July
More than 350 free cinema tickets for showings at Chester’s Picturehouse and Storyhouse, including Jurassic World: Rebirth and How to Train Your Dragon: Live Action.

Week 2: River Week — from 4 August
Take to the River Dee with free half-hour cruises with Chester Boat Tours. There are 120 tickets to claim.

Week 3: Tour Week — from 11 August
Step back in time with Big Heritage’s Roman Tour or The Edwardian Lady Tour. 70 free tickets are on offer.

Week 4: Leisure Week — from 18 August
One of the biggest weeks, with 500 free tickets giving families access to top attractions like Sick to Death, Deva Roman Experience, The Hole in Wand and Making Tracks Exhibition.

Stuart Jarman from The Potions Cauldron Group, which runs The Hole in Wand, said: “It’s brilliant to see Chester BID stepping up to help families out this summer and bring more people into the city. We can’t wait to welcome everyone for some magic.”

Georgia Hayes from Big Heritage added: “Summer in Chester is looking amazing, with new places to visit and loads going on. We’re excited to be part of it and show families the city’s history — from the Romans to the downright weird.”

Week 5: Wellness Week — from 25 August
Round off the summer holidays with free family swims at Chester Baths and family yoga sessions at the Rooftop Social Club.

Ian Gordon, who runs Rooftop Social Club, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming new faces to our venue. Family yoga up on the rooftop will be something special.”

Luka Morrell from Chester BID said: “This is about more than free tickets — it’s about giving families an affordable summer to remember, bringing people together and supporting our city centre. We’re so excited to see everyone out and about, making the most of it.”

Tickets are free but numbers are limited, so families are being encouraged to keep an eye on Chester BID’s social media and sign up to the newsletter for booking info. Tickets for each week are released two weeks ahead.

To find out more and get your hands on tickets, visit the website.

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