Children’s Festival

What is Pandemonium!?

Hello and welcome to Pandemonium! our very own children’s festival for kids from our Wee Folkies up to 10-years-old!

The Pandemonium! (5+) and Wee Folkies (under 5s) tents are a hive of activity over the weekend. Situated close to the Village Stage, we’re perfectly positioned for parents and children to have fun together.

We are safely tucked away in a dedicated area of the site, but close enough to the main action to be a real part of the event. You can book a place for our workshops or drop-in and get creative in the arts zone, either way there is something for everyone.

The Wee Folkies is a drop-in area. Parents are welcome to join in with the activities or cosy down for feeding time.

Pandemonium! 2026

This year, we will be bursting with RAINFOREST magic. Journey through the rainforests of the world, celebrating the trees, animals and people who live there. You can expect amazing artists, award winning storytellers sharing tales from faraway places, plus music and dance inspired by rainforest rhythms.

We are especially delighted to welcome Usifu Jalloh, The Cow Foot Prince, to the Pandemonium! tent for an electric performance of his WAKA WAKA RONKO show and a chance to meet Usifu at Pandemonium!’s first ever book signing.

You can enjoy drop-in activities every day in the Pandemonium! family village along with our friends from Fandangos with their circus skills and wonky bikes! Wake up every morning with our family yoga sessions. Get hands-on making animal masks and costumes, then join the Pandemonium! family as we parade around the festival site showing off our spectacular lanterns glowing with rainforest creatures. Don’t miss the welcome ceilidh, samba drumming with Glamba, ariel hoop workshops and drop-off crafts for the over 8s.*

For our younger folkies we welcome back Diddi Dance and Hartbeeps for the under 5s in the WEE FOLKIES tent and much, much more. There’s no need to book for Wee Folkies, just turn up and join in.

* may be subject to change – check the printed souvenir programme available via pre-order or at the festival for final timings

Friday

Lantern Making with Off Your Trolley

13:00 – 15:00 (Family Session)

Let your imagination run wild while creating a lantern using willow, paper and lights. Our theme this year is RAINFOREST but you are welcome to let your creativity run free. Show your lantern off in our carnival procession on Sunday evening or take it home with you as a festival memento.

Archery

14:00 – 17:00 (Drop-in Session)

Sharpen your target skills with our soft archery sets. Bring your family and friends and see who can get the highest score. This activity is located away from our Pandemonium! tent – so just ask one of our friendly stewards, they will happily show you to the right area.

Welcome Ceilidh

14:15 – 15:00

Get the party started with our children’s ceilidh in the Pandemonium! tent. Join Folk 3D as they guide you through some dances, then join the procession over to the family friendly session in the festival’s Dance Tent. A great way to introduce your little ones to the festival’s Dance Tent.

Festival Passport

17:00 – 18:00

Create your own festival passport, full of activities not to miss and collect your passport stamps over the weekend. If you’ve got very little hands, bring a grown-up to help you.

Pete White’s Suitcase Circus

17:30 – 18:15

See Pete White and his hilarious live show on the VILLAGE STAGE.

See the Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities

Saturday

Morning Family Yoga

9:30 – 10:00

Start your day right with Sue from Believe in Yoga.

Aerial Acrobatics

10:00 – 17:00 (aged 6+)

Join the amazing Orly Rose Aerial Acrobat as she performs and offers children (6+) to try their own moves on the aerial hoop and silks. Several workshops will be offered across the day – see our lovely stewards to book a slot. STRICTLY ONE SLOT PER CHILD

Lantern Making

10:00 – 12:00 (Family Session)

Let your imagination run wild while creating a lantern using willow, paper and lights. Show your lantern off in our procession on Sunday evening.

Archery

11:00 – 14:00 (Drop-in Session)

Melodeon Workshop

12:00 – 13:00 (aged 8+)

Learn how to play this extraordinary instrument with Squeezebox from Scratch. This is a popular workshop with limited numbers so arrive in plenty of time.

Rainforest Animals (aged 8+)

13:00 – 14:00

The first of our drop-off sessions for older Pandemonium! children working with our festival friend Ffion and our Pandemonium! crew to make dynamic paper crafts. This session is designed to give the over 8s a feeling of independence and a chance for them to make friends away from their grown-ups for an hour. Children must be signed in and out of the workshop by an adult so please don’t send them over on their own.

Fandangos

13:30

Join the Fandangos team for their power hour of intense fun – all staff will be on board so if you want to try any new equipment or skills now is the time.

LIVE Performance with Usifu Jalloh – The Cow Foot Prince

14:00 – 15:00 (Family Session)

Award winning storyteller Usifu Jalloh will be performing his WAKA WAKA RONKO show – you’re in for a treat with this amazing interactive performance.

Book Reading and Signing

15:00 – 16:00

Usifu Jalloh will be reading from his children’s book Anansi and Makonkoni, an interactive West African folk story about emotional regulation and developing resilience. We are delighted to offer our Pandemonium! children the chance to meet him and ask questions about this wonderful book. Books will be available for sale (cash only) and signed by this enigmatic author.

Pete White’s Suitcase Circus – LIVE PERFORMANCE

15:45 – 16:30

See Pete White and his hilarious live show on the VILLAGE STAGE.

Rainforest Painting with Off Your Trolley.

16:00 – 17:00

Create your own rainforest painting to take home or hang in our festival gallery.

Music Workshop

17:00 – 18:00

Join Seeds of Sound for a fun and exciting workshop full of drumming, sounds, signing and making up songs together. Explore the rainforest through music and imagination in this nurturing and playful workshop with the wonderful singer/songwriter Emma Linney and musician Jonathan Bannister.

See the Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities

Sunday

Morning Yoga with Sue from Believe in Yoga

9:30 – 10:00

Wake up right with this family yoga session.

Aerial Acrobatics (aged 6+)

10:00 – 17:00

Join the amazing Orly Rose Aerial Acrobat as she performs and offers children (6+ years old) to try their own moves on the aerial hoop and silks. Several workshops will be offered across the day – see our lovely stewards to book a slot. STRICTLY ONE SLOT PER CHILD

Animal Masks and Costumes with Off Your Trolley

10:00 – 12:00

Make an animal mask to wear and design your very own costume to show off at the lantern parade on Sunday evening.

Melodeon Workshop

10:30 – 11:30 (aged 8+)

Learn how to play this extraordinary instrument with Squeezebox from Scratch. This is a popular workshop with limited numbers so arrive in plenty of time.

Archery

11:00 – 14:00

Bring your family and friends and see who can get the highest score. This activity is located away from our Pandemonium! tent – so just ask one of our friendly stewards, they will happily show you to the right area.

Morris Dance Performance

13:00 – 13:30

Come and see Pandemonium!’s very own morris dancing performance. See how it’s done and then come and try for yourself.

Morris Dance Workshop

13:30 – 14:15

Join Folk 3D as they take you step by step through your very own morris dance. Be inspired by our professional performance and then become the professional in this workshop.

Weaving Workshop (aged 8+)

13:30 – 14:30

Create your own dreamcatcher that you can take home in a drop-off session for the older Pandemonium children. This session is designed to give the over 8s a feeling of independence and a chance for them to make friends away from their grown-ups for an hour. Children must be signed in and out of the workshop by an adult so please don’t send them over on their own.

Glamba Samba Drumming Workshop

14:30 – 15:30

Join the Glamba Samba band, improvise and have fun with drums and percussion.

Music and Songwriting Workshop

15:45 – 16:45

Story Makers

17:00 – 18:00

Join the Story Makers and their puppets to create your very own story about the rainforest animals. Look out for the Story Makers as they walk around the festival site and join them in the Pandemonium! Tent.

Rainforest Bandana

17:00 – 18:00

Draw inspiration from the dazzling colours and patterns found throughout the rainforest wildlife. Create a bandana that transforms you into a walking piece of rainforest art!

Lantern Procession 20:00 – 21:30

Everyone who has created a lantern is invited to parade around the festival, starting from the Pandemonium! tent. This is a beautiful part of the festival – we’ll see you all there.

All children must be with their grown-ups.

20:00 – collect your lanterns from the Pandemonium! tent

20:15 – form the procession

20:30 – procession from the Pandemonium! tent spreading joy and light around the festival.

See the Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities

Monday

Morning Yoga with Sue from Believe in Yoga

10:00 – 10:30

Start your day right with this family yoga session.

Art with Garry

10:30 – 12:00

Inspired by our very own artist Garry, create a carnival on paper to take home as a festival memento.

Rapper Dance Workshop

11:00 – 12:00

Inspired by our Morris teams here at Shrewsbury Folk Festival – come and learn the Rapper Sword Dance. Guided dance made fun and easy to learn by Folk 3D for beginners using safe swords.

Archery

11:00 – 15:00

Rainforest Clay Art

13:30 – 14:30

Create your own rainforest clay tile and capture a tiny window into this wild, magical world!
Design a small scene bursting with life – mysterious snakes weaving through vines, colourful birds perched among giant leaves, glowing butterflies fluttering above, and insects hidden in the lush greenery. Add bold leaf prints, twisting vines, and vibrant rainforest textures.

Usifu Jalloh – LIVE PERFORMANCE

14:15 – 14:45

See the amazing Cowfoot Prince Usifu Jalloh performing on the Village Stage. Grab a cushion from the Pandemonium! tent for your little ones and head to the front of the stage – Pandemonium! children get VIP seats at the front of the stage.

Story Makers

14:45 – 15:45

After watching Usifu perform on the Village Stage, follow the Story Makers back to the Pandemonium! tent and create your very own story.

Fandangos

15:30

Go out with a bang with the Fandangos team – join them for their closing show and dance party!

See the Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities

WEE FOLKIES – under 5s programme

The Wee Folkies is a drop-in area and parents are welcome to join in with the activities. We have changing facilities and our feeding chair is ready to welcome anyone who wishes to use it.

Friday

13:00 Join the Rainforest Welcome Story – Sue Hoult will be opening the tent with stories and games.

14:15 Welcome Ceilidh (Family Session) – Bring your grown-ups to the children’s ceilidh in the big tent. Folk 3D will guide you through dances and then join the procession over to the DANCE TENT to put your moves to the test.

15:00 Lanterns for little hands – come and make your little lantern for the parade on Sunday.

16:00 Diddi Dance: Be Brave in the Jungle – songs and drumming beats with Charlotte from Diddi Dance.

17:00 Festival Passport – make your own passport and collect stamps over the weekend. Bring your grown-ups to the big tent so they can help you.

17:30 Pete White’s Suitcase Circus – LIVE performance on the VILLAGE STAGE.

Saturday

10:00 Morning Story Time and Games

11:00 Diddi Dance: Be Brave in the Jungle – songs and drumming beats with Charlotte from Diddi Dance.

12:00 Sensory Play – Explore the rainforest creates with a sensory tray full of surprises.

13:00 Hartbeeps – Join the jungle drums and boomwhackers to search out the animals.

14:00 LIVE PERFORMANCE – Award winning storyteller Usifu Jalloh will be performing his WAKA WAKA RONKO show – you are in for a treat with this amazing interactive performance. Join us in the big tent, grab a cushion and take a seat with your grown-ups.

15:45 Pete White’s Suitcase Circus – LIVE performance on the VILLAGE STAGE.

Sunday

10:00 Morning Story Time and Games

11:30 Hartbeeps – Join the jungle drums and boomwhackers to search out the animals.

13:00 Morris Performance – Come and see Pandemonium!’s very own morris dancing performance. See how it’s done and then come and try for yourself.

14:00 Sensory Play – messy play tray will be out for you to explore.

17:00 Story Makers – Join the Story Makers and their puppets to create your very own story about the rainforest animals. Look out for the Story Makers as they walk around the festival site and join them in the Pandemonium! tent.

Monday

09:30 Family Yoga

10:00 Morning Story Time and Games

11:00 Sensory Play – messy play tray will be out for you to explore.

12:30 Diddi Dance – explore dance styles from around the world and get jungle ready with lots of props!

14:15 LIVE PERFOMANCE – See the amazing Cowfoot Prince Usifu Jalloh, performing on the Village Stage. Grab a cushion from the Pandemonium! tent for your little ones and head to the front of the stage – Pandemonium! children get VIP seats at the front of the stage.

14:45 Story Makers – After watching Usifu perform on the Village Stage, follow the Story Makers back to the Pandemonium! tent and create your very own story.