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 Purity 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! 2025
It’s carnival time at Pandemonium!. From Brazil to Notting Hill, we will be celebrating all things carnival. Get your Rio feathers ready – we’ll supply the Samba drums you bring the rhythm.
Pandemonium! will be bursting with colour, music and good vibes only. 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.
And don’t miss the Carnival Queen story time, music, maypole, Diddi Dance and Jiggy Wrigglers sessions for the under 5’s in the WEE FOLKIES tent. No need to book just turn up and join in!
Friday
Lantern Making with Off Your Trolley (Family Session)
13:00 – 16:00
Let your imagination run wild whilst creating a lantern using willow, paper and lights. Our theme this year is CARNIVAL 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 (Drop-in Session)
14:00 – 17:00
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
14:30 – 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 and then follow them over to the family friendly session in the festival’s Dance Tent.
Melodeon Workshop (aged 8+)
16:00 – 17:00
Learn how to play this extraordinary instrument with Spinning Path Music. This is a popular workshop. Limited numbers so arrive in plenty of time.
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.
See Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities.
Saturday
Junkyard Instruments with Off Your Trolley
10:00 – 12:00
Make your own junk instruments with ‘our Garry’ and learn how to play them as part of Pandemonium’s Junk Yard Band at Glamba Samba’s workshop on Sunday at 16:30.
Melodeon Workshop (aged 8+)
11:00 – 12:00
Learn how to play this extraordinary instrument with Spinning Path Music. This is a popular workshop with Limited numbers so arrive in plenty of time.
Archery
11:00 – 14:00
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.
Family Story time with Sal Tonge (Family Session)
12:00 – 13:00
Join the amazing Sal Tonge for an hour of songs and stories for all the family to play with words.
Keyring or Friendship Bracelet Workshop (aged 8+)
13:00 – 14:00
The first of our drop-off session for the older Pandemonium! children. Working with our festival friend Ffion and our Pandemonium! crew, 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 on their own.*
Interactive Story – Drama Workshop
13:00 – 14:00
Always wanted to have a go at acting? Join our interactive story where you could play a big part!
Pandemonium! Party Time
14:00 – 15:00
Music Heroes live band headline our Carnival Party in the Pandemonium tent. Listen, sing and dance the afternoon away.
Maypole Dance – Live Music (aged 7+)
15:00 – 16:00
Grab a partner and let 3D Folk guide you around the maypole to weave an intricate festival pattern to live music.
Carnival Banners with Off Your Trolley
15:00 – 16:00
Create a fabulous carnival banner to use in the Lantern Parade on Sunday.
Drumming Story time
16:00 – 17:00
Use your hands to become part of this amazing story told with drums. You can keep to the beat or make your own rhythm at this interactive storytelling session.
Lantern Making (Family Session)
16:30 – 18:00
Let your imagination run wild whilst creating a lantern using willow, paper and lights. Show your lantern off in our procession on Sunday evening.
See Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities.
Sunday
Carnival Costumes with Off Your Trolley
10:00 – 12:00
Make a carnival costume to wear, designing your very own headdress and feather wings to show off your at the lantern parade on Sunday evening.
Archery
11:00 – 14:00
Sharpen your target skills with our soft archery sets – can you beat the festival’s highest score with six arrows?
Drumming Story time
11:00 – 12:00
Use your hands to become part of this amazing story told with drums. You can keep to the beat or make your own rhythm at this interactive storytelling session.
Theo Troubadour – LIVE MUSIC (Family Session)
12:00 – 13:00
Join Theo the Pirate for an interactive music session – sing like a whale or drum like the waves and the Pirate Troubadour will guide you through singalongs. For a pirate: it’s always a carnival at sea!
Ukulele Workshop (age 6+ limited numbers)
13:00 – 14:00
Music Heroes are here to take you step by step through some chart toppers so grab a uke and give to a go. All abilities welcome.
Travel Game Craft (aged 8+)
13:00 – 14:00
Make your own Noughts and Crosses game that you can carry around with you and take home in a drop-off session for the older Pandemonium children. This session is designed to give the over 8+’s a feeling of independence and a chance for them to make friends away from their grownups for an hour.
*Children must be signed in and out of the workshop by an adult so please don’t send them on their own.*
Maypole Dance (aged 7+)
14:00 – 15:00
Let 3D Folk guide you around the maypole to weave a festival pattern with live music.
Interactive Story – Drama Workshop
14:30 – 15:30
Always wanted to have a go at acting? Join our interactive story where you could play a big part!
Paper Craft
15:00 – 16:00
Come and enjoy cutting or ripping magazines, picking pieces with colours or themes to make a picture or mini zine. Fun for all ages.
Glamba Junk Yard Band Workshop
16:30 – 17:30
Bring your own junk yard instrument and join the Glamba Samba band, improvise and have fun with drums and percussion.
Lantern Procession
19:50 – 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 and we’ll see you all there.
All children must be with their grown-ups.
19:50 – 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 Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities.
Monday
Art with Garry
11:00 – 12.00
Inspired by our very own artist Garry, create a carnival on paper to take home as a festival memento.
Musical Story time
11:00 – 12:00
Step into a world of music and wonder with our inclusive interactive story time! Join us for an adventure where imagination takes centre stage. Through songs, stories, and playful activities, we celebrate and create magical moments for all to enjoy.
Archery
11:00 – 14:00
Sharpen your target skills with our soft archery sets – last chance to beat the festival’s highest score with six arrows!
Music Workshop
12:15 – 13:00
Come and have a go at a wide variety of instruments guided by Music Heroes. They have loads of instruments to try: guitars, bass, keyboards, flutes and djembe and more!
Rapper Morris Workshop
13:00 – 14:00
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. Stay for a chance to perform your dance on the Village Stage at 14:05.
Paper Craft
14:00 – 15:00
Come and enjoy cutting or ripping magazines, picking pieces with colours or themes to make a picture or mini zine. Fun for all ages.
See Wee Folkies programme for under 5s activities.
Wee Folkies
Friday
13:00 Join the Carnival Queen – Sue Hoult will be opening the tent with carnival stories and games.
14:30 Welcome Ceilidh (Family Session) – bring your grown-ups and join in with the children’s ceilidh in the big tent!
15:00 Music Makers – enjoy as Ben and Rosie play instruments and encourage you to make some music.
16:00 Diddi Dance – explore dance styles from around the world and get carnival ready with lots of props!
17:00 Sing and Sign – family fun with ‘Hands On’ songs with signing
Saturday
10:00 Morning Story Time and Games
11:00 Jiggy Wrigglers – join Jiggy Wrigglers and their puppets for an hour of songs and music.
12:00 Sensory Play – messy play tray will be out for you to explore
13:00 Maypole – a special maypole session for our little dancers
14:00 Pandemonium! Party – join the Music Heroes band for some LIVE music in the big tent
15:00 Music Makers – enjoy as Ben and Niamh play instruments and encourage you to make some music
16:00 Sing and Sign – family fun with ‘Hands On’ songs with signing
Monday
10:30 Morning Story Time and Games
11:00 Musical Story Time (main tent) – step into a world of music and wonder with our inclusive interactive story time! Join us for an adventure where imagination takes centre stage. Through songs, stories, and playful activities, we celebrate and create magical moments for all to enjoy.
12:00 Sensory Play – what can you make with our woodland materials?
13:00 Diddi Dance – explore dance styles from around the world and get carnival ready with lots of props!
14:00 Maypole – a special maypole session for our little dancers.