LICENSED CHARACTER EVENTS OVER EASTER AND DURING APRIL 2014

Waybuloo's Yojojo will be visiting Brent Cross Shopping Centre this month

With increased leisure time available to many families over the Easter period, shopping centres, retail outlets and visitor attractions across the UK will be hosting events and activities in a bid to entice even more families to their venues.

The clocks have gone forward an hour as we welcome British Summer Time (B.S.T).  With a bit of luck the UK weather should also be more like spring during April.  Not forgetting that April will bring two Bank Holidays during the middle of the month, giving many people an extended four day weekend.

Easter proves to be a particularly busy time of year for events featuring licensed children’s characters represented under licence by Rainbow Productions, the company who manages their presence at venues across the UK on behalf of the respective brand owners. As well as meet and greet guest appearances by famous children’s television characters such as Fireman Sam, Tree Fu Tom and Scooby-Doo, Rainbow Productions will also be delivering mini shows – such as Postman Pat’s ‘Special Baking Service’ at Crealy’s Adventure Park in Devon on 9 April.  Other character activities taking place in April include Piplings’ characters Yojojo and De Li from Waybuloo performing their interactive Yogo sessions at Brent Cross shopping centre on 26^th April. On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday the historic house visitor attraction Blenheim Palace has arranged for Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Peppa Pig and George to visit, complemented by a branded Holiday Fun standee, enabling youngsters to pose within a beach scene alongside characters from the television show.

An indication of some of the licensed character events scheduled during the month of April is included, below.  The information is correct at the time of going live although both the licensed character and the associated location for the event are subject to change.

• April 5^th: Animal Farm in Somerset will be hosting a visit by Tree Fu Tom.
• April 5^th & 6^th: Peppa Pig and George are taking part in a narration event at Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable.
• April 6^th: Captain Barnacles and Kwazii from the Octonauts will be going to Bunn Leisure in Selsey.
• April 6^th: Woburn Safari Park has arranged for Fireman Sam to make guest appearances today.
• April 8^th: Tree Fu Tom will be visiting Adventure Wonderland in Bournemouth.
• April 8^th:  Crealy’s Adventure Park in Cornwall has booked a Fireman Sam narration event.
• April 9^th: Crealy’s in Devon will be hosting a Postman Pat mini show, which also features Ben from the TV show and a narrator.
• April 10^th: Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums has arranged for Tree Fu Tom to make appearances at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
• April 10^th: Thomas and The Fat Controller are going to Centrale Shopping Centre in Croydon.
• April 12^th: Rocket Licensing has arranged for the Very Hungry Caterpillar to visit Tesco Extra in Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire.
• April 12^th: Asquith Nursery has arranged for Mike the Knight to see the little ones at their Twickenham Nursery.
• April 12^th: Guests visiting Animal Farm in Somerset will have an opportunity to see Moshi Monsters Katsuma and Poppet.
• April 12^th: Postman Pat® and Jess the Cat are going to Busy Bees Nursery in Croydon.
• April 12^th: Aardman’s Shaun the Sheep is making appearances at an event on behalf of Oldham Metropolitan Council.
• April 12^th: Red Bird from the Angry Birds is going to Harbour Park in Littlehampton.
• April 12^th:  Daddy Pig joins Peppa Pig are visiting White Post Farm in Mansfield.
• April 12^th: West Somerset Railway has booked personal appearances by Wallace and Gromit.
• April 13^th: The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has arranged for Peppa Pig to visit the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.
• April 14^th & 15^th: Mike the Knight is visiting Drayton Manor Park near Tamworth.
• April 15^th: Captain Cook Square Shopping Centre in Middlesbrough is hosting a visit from Postman Pat® and Jess the Cat.
• April 15^th: Ice Age characters Sid, Scrat and Diego are going to the Oracle shopping centre in Reading.
• April 16^th: intu Potteries in Hanley has arranged for Thomas and The Fat Controller to be visit the centre to see shoppers.
• April 16^th: Drusillas Zoo Park in East Sussex will be the venue for guest appearances by Scooby-Doo.
• April 18^th: Thomas and The Fat Controller are going to Bligh’s Meadow in Sevenoaks.
• April 19^th: Bugs Bunny will be heading to Houndshill Shopping Centre in Blackpool.
• April 19^th: A Peppa Pig narration event is taking place at Monks Cross Shopping Park in York.
• April 19^th: It will be a day out at the races today for Katsuma and Poppet from the Moshi Monsters, when they head to Kempton Park Racecourse.
• April 19^th: Shaun the Sheep will be making appearances in Bolton on behalf of the Council.
• April 19^th: Ben & Holly from Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom will be meeting fans in Bristol city centre, arranged by Global Radio Services.
• April 19^th: Fireman Sam is going to Abbotsbury Children’s Farm in Dorset.
• April 20^th & 21^st: Blenheim Palace has arranged for Fireman Sam to visit; on both days, there will also be a family outing for Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Peppa Pig and George – plus a Peppa Holiday Fun beach scene photo opportunity standee for guests to enjoy.
• April 20^th: Towcester Racecourse is the venue for appearances by Ben & Holly.
• April 20^th: Plumpton Racecourse has also arranged a character visit: Mike the Knight, plus Peppa Pig on the following day, April 21st.
• April 21^st: The Galleries, Washington in Tyne & Wear has arranged for Octonauts’ character Captain Barnacles to head to the shopping centre.
• April 23^rd: Westfield Merry Hill will be hosting a visit from Buddy from Dinosaur Train today, including a narration event.
• April 23^rd & 24^th: Postman Pat® and Jess the cat will be delivering two days of fun during a visit to Drayton Manor Park.
• April 26^th: Busy Bees in Reading will receive a visit from Ben & Holly.
• April 26^th: Yojojo and De Li from Waybuloo’s The Piplings will be performing their Yogo sessions during a visit to Brent Cross shopping centre.
• April 26^th: Mead Open Farm in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire has arranged a visit from Peppa Pig.
• April 27^th: Liverpool BID has arranged for Mike the Knight to make appearances in the city.