The Great Malvern Festival of Stories for Children is all set to return following the huge success of last year’s first ever festival.

Taking place from Tuesday 24 - Sunday 29 October, the six day festival has been given the green light to return across a number of venues throughout Great Malvern, with an extra two days added for local schools.

The first festival took place in October 2022 with 40 events, over 20 artists performing, 1000 tickets sold and over 600 school pupils attending on the school days.

Formed by Malvern Hills District Council in partnership with Boffy Arts Events People the festival is a celebration of stories, with professional storytellers, children’s authors, illustrators, puppet companies, musicians, and theatre.

This year the likes of expert stop motion animation filmmakers Aardman will be holding workshops and Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon introduces her newest book. Fantastic storytelling and puppetry will take place in a variety of venues including the Storytelling Tent, Lyttleton Well and even inside the belly of a whale.

The first four days of this year’s programme will be aimed at local schools, followed by a family programme on Saturday and Sunday which also includes both ticketed and free events, open to everyone.

Steve Boffy, from Boffy Arts Events People, said: “I was delighted with the success of last year’s festival and the brilliant response it received. I am now looking forward to building on that success and hope to develop the festival and see it become a much-loved annual fixture in the local cultural calendar”

You can find out more at visitthemalverns.org.