The event took place inside Stannington Library and also in the adjacent Stannington Park area. Outside there was a large event tent for our story-telling performers to weave their magic, as well as a gazebo housing an activity. Inside the library, all the book stacks were moved aside to give us space for further activities.
The performances were suitable for children and adults. There were four in the morning (we added and extra one at the last minute) and three in the afternoon - all housed in the large event tent - see the program above. Eden Ballantyne, Carmel Page and Joy Parker - all with local connections - entertained and enthralled!
We had giant Jenga and giant Connect 4 outside, as the sun was shining!
We had various crafts for adults, but older children were also welcome.
Drop in board games. There were a selection of table-top board games for children and adults to have a go at. Some easy to learn, quick games and some more complex, longer games. There was a choice of cooperative, competitive or team games and we happily taught attendees how to play the game of their choice.
There was lots of fun had at the model train station!
Attendees had fun building Lego models.
The magic of microscopic worlds was explored and some were shared on our digital noticeboard so that everyone could see them.
Practical advice was given to help attendees get the most from their mobile devices.
We had a large selection of craft activities suitable for younger children and older children. Lots of glitter and glue were used!
The activities ran from 10 o'clock in the morning to 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Some activities closed briefly so that they could be reset, ready for the next group of attendees.
There were four morning and three afternoon story sessions in the large tent outside. See the program above.
This was fun hands-on event for the local community and surrounding districts. It was aimed at all ages, and we asked that children under the age of 12 were accompanied.
On 29 September 2025, we celebrate the 11th year of Stannington Library being saved from closure and being successfully run by our marvellous volunteers, under the umbrella of the charity Stannington and District Library Group. We usually celebrate this occasion with the Stannington Story Festival, but this year we decided to try something different.
A Fun Palace is not a profit making event. We did not charge for any activities or performances. The main aim was to provide hands-on experiences for children and adults to become involved in and to reinforce the lovely community spirit of our magical part of the world.