Biggest Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day yet to take place on Father’s Day in Southport

This year’s Family Fun Day promises to be the biggest and best yet, featuring over 50 attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

Set to take place on Father’s Day, Sunday 16th June 2024, Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day will run from 10.00am – 4.00pm at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown and is free to attend, thanks to sponsorship from Checkers of Churchtown.

Organiser Jess Rickers expressed her excitement for the upcoming event, saying, “We’re really looking forward to this year’s Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day. It’s going to be a fantastic event! We have far more attractions than we have ever had for families to enjoy. The park will be full of things for people to do throughout the day.”

The event will feature a variety of live entertainment, including performances by three superb local singers near The Fernery and the Atkinson Wellbeing Choir.

BabyBallet at the Botanic Gardens family Fun Day. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Additionally, talented youngsters from six local dance schools will showcase their skills throughout the day.

Families can look forward to a day filled with live music, bands, fairground rides, trampolines, inflatables, farm animals, dance performances, giant bubbles, stalls, donkey rides, birds of prey, and much more.

Highlights include:

Allday’s Farm: A mobile farm where visitors can pet and feed cute animals.
Paris Bubbles: The bubbleologists are back creating huge bubbles.
Hickory’s Smokehouse: Offering free popcorn.
Children’s Stalls: Featuring hair braiding, glitter tattoos, and more.
Southport Saviours: Demonstrating lifesaving techniques using a defibrillator.

While the event is free, donations are welcomed to support the Botanic Gardens Community Association.

Jess Rickers emphasised the importance of community involvement: “It was brilliant to see David and Ann Cobham, who lead the volunteers, being awarded the Sefton Community Impact Award at the Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards recently for all the work they do.”

The event, supported by local councillors and Green Sefton, is a true community affair. Jess Rickers said: “The Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day is a really local community event, organised for families in Southport to enjoy.”

The Botanic Gardens family Fun Day. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Checkers of Churchtown, the headline sponsor, is one of the longest-established family-run businesses in Southport. Managing Director Andrew Wareham said, “When event organiser Jess Rickers approached us to say that the Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day needed a sponsor, we were delighted to support it. The Botanic Gardens is a beautiful, historic park that has been enjoyed by many generations of local families, and we want to see it there to be visited for generations to come.”

Guests are encouraged to bring cash for the various local, independent stalls, as not all vendors may have access to card machines. Due to the popularity of the event, parking nearby may be limited, so visitors are advised to walk, cycle, or use public transport where possible.

The Botanic Gardens is located next to Churchtown Village, which offers fantastic local independent restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, and more.

It’s a perfect opportunity to spend a full day in Churchtown and enjoy everything the village has to offer.

Jess Rickers said:

“We want to show everyone, including organisations such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, how much this park is loved, enjoyed, and appreciated by the local community. The Botanic Gardens is definitely the people’s park, and we all want to see investment being made to make it even better.”