This October, The Higgins Bedford will once again burst into life with the return of Fun Palaces, a vibrant community celebration filled with free, hands-on activities and events designed for all ages.
Launched in Bedford in 2015, the town has proudly been part of the nationwide Fun Palaces initiative for a decade – give or take a global pandemic in the middle…
This year, events take place on Saturday, 4 October between 11am and 4pm at the Higgins Bedford on Castle Lane.
Visitors can enjoy a remarkable day exploring creativity and culture through a wide range of engaging experiences such as photography, juggling, dancing, virtual reality exploring, and much more. And everything is completely free.
Fun Palaces 2025 is part of a nationwide campaign that places culture at the heart of community and community at the heart of culture.
Since its inception in 2014, the movement has involved over 45,000 creators and attracted 800,000 participants through 2,500 unique Fun Palaces across the UK.
“Curiosity and community”
At The Higgins Bedford, visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at circus skills, learn juggling tricks, explore portrait photography, discover traditional rushwork crafts, meet the Nritham dancers, dive into the borough’s airship heritage through immersive VR experiences, and celebrate personal achievements big and small with the team from Profess(ional) Box.
All activities are free to the public and designed to inspire creativity and connection across the community.
Kristina Castle runs the Little Science Lab, a long-time collaborator of Fun Palaces in Bedford.
“I will always be grateful to Bedford Fun Palaces, which became a platform for my small business, Little Science Lab,” she said.
“From this event itself to the school roadshows we did to advertise Fun Palaces, it allowed us to showcase science in an exciting, hands-on and fun way – free and open to all in the community.
“The Higgins and its wonderful volunteers continue to support my business as a workshop venue, bringing people from Bedford and beyond together in a celebration of curiosity, community, awe and wonder.”
Fun Palaces 2015 in pictures…
Fun Palaces unite arts, science, craft, technology, heritage and sport, but above all, they bring people together to create, collaborate, and have fun.
“The Higgins Bedford has proudly supported Fun Palaces since the beginning, and this year’s event promises to be an inspiring showcase of local connections and creativity,” said a spokesperson for Bedford Borough Council.
“Join us for a day of fun, learning, and celebration at The Higgins Bedford this October!”
The Higgins Bedford is located on Castle Lane, Bedford, MK40 3XD. For more information on this event, exhibitions and workshops, please visit their website here.
