Free rides take centre stage at Spring Family Festival

It’s nearly time for Tameside’s Spring Family Festival, which is spinning into action on Wednesday 8 April with free rides on a traditional carousel and helter-skelter.

The four day family event aims to give families free entertainment in the school Easter holidays while also showcasing ongoing transformational work in Ashton and Stalybridge town centres and giving a taste of the upcoming cultural programme for the towns.

The festival will begin on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 April with a two-day Ashton Spring Preview 10am to 4pm in Ashton Market Square.  The vibrant event will include free vintage fairground rides, carnival, theatre, dance and music performances, free face painting, balloon modelling and arts and crafts, and street food stalls. Parts of the market square are still undergoing work, however a central part of the square in front of Ashton Library will be open for the event

On day three, Friday 10 April, the Spring Family Festival will move to Stalybridge for the first Street Fest of the year from 5-9pm. This ever popular event is back again for 2026 on the second Friday of every month with an array of delicious food and drink stalls and family entertainment. There will also be an artisan market in Stalybridge Victoria Market Hall to tie in with Street Fest.

Day four of the Spring Family Festival will be back in Ashton Market Square for a Super Saturday taster event on 11 April 10am to 4pm. This foodie family event will give a food and drink themed preview of the Super Saturday events planned for Ashton once the market square is fully back open in the summer. The taster will include street food and drink stalls with free entertainment including live music, roving street performers, and free facepainting and crafts.

Tameside Council Strategic Director of Housing, Environment and Estates Julian Jackson said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming families, residents and visitors of all ages into Ashton and Stalybridge to see the transformation work taking place and get a taste of our fantastic cultural events programme for the towns.  This is only the start of our transformational plans for all of our town centres to help them meet the needs of residents, visitors and businesses and move with current shopping, leisure and cultural trends.

“Thank you to everyone – businesses, shoppers and visitors - for your patience while Ashton Market Square is undergoing redevelopment. The square will be fully back open in the early summer but, in the meantime, come along and enjoy these events during the Easter school holidays and support our towns and local businesses.”

There’s free parking for up to two hours in all Tameside Council run car parks before 6pm Monday to Saturday, making it even easier for people to enjoy a free outing at the events.