26 October 2019, 12:00 - 4:30
George Hotel, Burslem, ST6 2AE
Seen on the Signal 1 calendar
Table-top sales are highly variable, but this one looks promising because it's local, in a good location and indoors. This sale is in aid of two charities - Dougie Mac Hospice and Our Burslem.
If you want to sell your items (home bric-a-brac, or homemade wares), then tables cost £5.00.
All funds raised will go to the two causes, and 20p of every pound you sell goes to the both of the good causes
There's also a cake/refreshments/coffee stall. Soft drinks, tea and coffee are just 50p, half of which goes to the causes.
There's also a bar which will be open for alcoholic beverages.
Stoke Con Trent held their 11th convention this weekend, and it was a great success, despite the intermittent rain. The number and range of celebrity guests continues to grow, and there was a definite increase in the number of cosplayers (in my estimation). This is definitely a healthy, growing event, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.
*I should comment that my 10-year-old, 8-year-old and I were admitted with press passes so that I could produce a full review, similar to the other articles I write in this blog.
The convention started at 10:00, and we arrived at about 10:30 - we couldn't get into the main Leek Road Venue due to capacity (most of the visitors hadn't yet moved to the other buildings), and were directed to the other buildings. I will say immediately that it's advisable to grab an event guide/map, which shows the buildings being used for the event. In previous events, they've used the science block - but not this time, and we had a long walk there and back! However, each of the buildings are well suited to a convention, with three separate zones - predominantly traders and celebrities (LRV); traders and comic/superheroes/sci-fi (Sports Hall), and a kids' zone with food court (Brindley Building).
The kids' zone was based in the Brindley building (where it was also possible to purchase refreshments and find a place to sit) - there were toys to play with; a tombola; soft toys to purchase, and wide range of activities - making slime, playing with coloured sand, and so on. Our 8-year-old enjoyed the dinosaur toys in particular, but he was far more interested in finding the traders' tables, and we only stayed for around five minutes in the toy zone. This kind of zone is ideal, though, for parents with younger children - even up to age 8 or 9 - given the wide range of activities and the organisers hit their target audience with plenty to see (props, models) and do (toys, craft activities) and buy (more soft toys).
We made our way back to the Leek Road Venue, and we were very impressed with the number of stalls; the amount of space, and the range of celebrity guests. Hacker The Dog was a real attraction for both of the children, especially the 10-year-old who is outgoing and talkative, and it would be great to see him at future conventions. He was sitting next to Michael De Souza, writer of Rastamouse, and while he wasn't immediately recognisable, once I'd explained who he was, the children were very pleased to see him.
No mention of the guests would be complete without mentioning the Gladiators. I mentioned them in my preview, and suggested that perhaps people had seen them enough in previous conventions. I was wrong. The Gladiators are a major attraction every time they appear, and there was a steady flow of visitors eager to meet and photograph them. This time saw Lightning, Jet, Cobra and Wolf attend, and they were very warmly welcomed by the Stoke crowd.
Another recurring celebrity visitor is SoCal Val. I confess I've not heard of her outside Stoke Con Trent - I've had to do a quick Google to find out more - she's a professional wrestling valet; ringside announcer and interviewer. While we'd not heard of her, and didn't stay to chat, this shows the best part of Stoke Con Trent - there is something for everybody. In the same way as the kids' zone appeals to some children, the guests are selected to appeal to as wide a fanbase as possible. There are the current children's TV stars; there are TV stars from the 90s - like the Gladiators - and then there are the comic artists and classic sci-fi celebrities (who formed the nucleus of the early Stoke Con Trents), and these were to be found in the Sports Hall.
The atmosphere in the Sports Hall was unlike anything I've ever experienced at a convention before - it was calm, laid back and relaxed. There was even more space to move around, even with a good complement of traders' stalls and celebrities, and the most unusual but welcome difference was that the floor was carpeted. I know that doesn't sound like much, but it changed the acoustics completely - sound was absorbed instead of reverberating, and it meant it was possible to hold conversations at normal volume instead of having to raise your voice to be heard. We were able to have a chat with the traders and with some of the guests, and in particular I was able to meet Lee Sullivan, comic artist currently known for Doctor Who and Thunderbirds, and who also drew Transformers comic covers.
Meeting Lee Sullivan was probably the main highlight for me. He was chatty and outgoing, and kindly signed the three 1980s Transformers comics I'd brought with me - ones where he'd drawn the covers. He posed for photos and talked through his current work, his portfolio and some of the history of the Transformers artwork he's done. My children got bored while I played the fan for quite a few minutes, but this was quickly remedied when we went to meet the dinosaur.
There was a life-size (actually, it was probably less than life-sized) velociraptor prowling around the sports hall, and this was a major attraction for both of my children, who had a number of photos taken with it. This was cosplay on a whole new level, and it was a great fit for Stoke Con Trent. We moved on from the dinosaur to some of the more regular cosplay characters, and it was great to meet Central Legion, who run cosplay events across the West Midlands. They were present in force, with Star Wars characters, Batman villains and Marvel heroes wandering the sports hall and the wider event area. It was great to see a variety of characters as well as the usual Star Wars Stormtroopers, and they were all very happy to have their pictures taken - in fact, some of them insisted. While the children were meeting the characters, I managed to grab some photos of the traders' stalls, and of the table set out by the Cheshire and Staffordshire Wargaming Club, (their Facebook page) who had brought some very photogenic Star Wars games.
The atmosphere throughout the event was warm, welcoming and friendly. Everybody acknowledges that everybody else has some degree of geek-ness, whether it's meeting 90s TV stars or sci-fi favourites such as Paul McGann (Dr Who) or John Morton (Star Wars, Boba Fett). As the Boba Fett cosplay character commented, "That's Boba Fett. THE Boba Fett!"
My children particularly enjoyed two of the star guests - namely Eddie Hall, the world's strongest man, and Tim Bradbury (I didn't see his name on the event list, but my children both picked him out from the photo behind his desk) - "That's Tiny Tim!". Tiny Tim is an internet and YouTube sensation - Tim Bradbury is a 36-year-old man who is able to produce the voice of a child who sounds "three, nearly six," and make comedy prank calls. He was very funny (although he was also a little late), and well worth waiting for. This was the highlight of the day for my 10-year-old.
There were a few minor disappointments - some of the replica vehicles didn't show up (The A Team van, The Knight Rider KITT and the DeLorean replica), but we still enjoyed those that did, especially the Jurassic Park jeep. Overall, we spent close to three hours having a great time browsing, buying, chatting, playing, taking photos and posing for photos. We each had our own separate highlights, and there was plenty for us to see and do, each of us with our own interests (the traders; the comic book artists; the cosplay and the celebrity guests) and Stoke Con Trent once again did a great job of balancing everybody's interests and appealing to a very, very wide audience. A huge success, expanding beyond the typical narrow focus of a sci-fi convention, but therefore appealing to a wider audience than most 'comic conventions'; not everything will appeal to you, but there's something for everybody.
Tickets are £40 for a family (2 adults, 2 children); £15 for an adult (age 17+); £10 for concessions and £8 for children. Stoke Con Trent is twice-annual event, with conventions in April and October.
Staffordshire University's Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department held their latest Big Biology Day on Saturday 12 October, and (from our perspective, at least) it was another resounding success. The range of activities; the enthusiasm of the staff and students, and the organisation and helpfulness of the volunteers all ensured that the event was once again the best educational "day out" event of the year.
I took our 10-year-old and 3-year-old, with very different interests and preferences, and throughout the 2.5 hours we were there, they were both fully occupied throughout, typically doing very different things at the same time.
Our three-year-old's highlights were rescuing the fish from the plastic pollution in their fish tank, where we spent a good ten minutes - not just rescuing the fish but enjoying the explanation of plastic pollution (and the free chocolates too). in fact, he enjoyed the fishing so much that we had to go back and do it again. He also enjoyed excavating the human bones from the sand pit, and even - at a stretch - recognised that the bones he was digging up matched those on the skeleton next to it. 10-year-old daughter certainly enjoying matching the bones with the skeleton, and the volunteer on the stand was able to tell us the names of the bones, as we managed to see how the thigh bone fits into the pelvis.
Every corner of the science centre revealed something new, and we found a play-doh station set up almost underneath the staircase. Play-doh is a massive hit in our household (except when it gets into the carpet) and we spent 10 minutes making our own healthy sea creatures, before fishing (again) for ducks amongst the plastic solution, and rescuing sea creatures from a plastic quagmire (represented by spaghetti).
There were more strictly educational activities upstairs, where there was a lab full of microscopes set out. 10-year-old set herself in front of a microscope and started examining some insects; 3-year-old wanted to open the petri dishes to take a proper look at them :-/ Unfortunately we weren't able to stay too long here, but the facilities were very well laid out and we would certainly have stayed longer if we'd had the attention span for it!
Other highlights included making a cell from biscuits and sweets (this is a long-standing attraction and a definite winner), which 3-year-old did while 10-year-old enjoyed the adjacent stand - the all-new and very exciting virtual reality CPR training. The layout was ideally suited to us - the activities weren't grouped in any particular way (or maybe they were), and frequently led to activities for a 3-year-old being located directly next to activities suited to a 10-year-old. We were warmly welcomed by everyone we spoke to, and the enthusiasm of the staff certainly matched our excitement, so that everybody had a good time.
Our thanks to the staff, students and volunteers of the Staffs Uni BioScience department - we had an amazing time; we're already looking forward to the invertebrates day in the spring, and next year's big biology day!
Here we go: October half term 2019
ALL WEEK
Stoke Library - Book Sale
Stoke Library will be selling off old and surplus stock. You might find a literary bargain - it really is a mixed bag, with everything from reference to fiction to children's to DVDs.
Potteries Museum and Art Gallery - Where's Wally - every day
Go along to the national Where's Wally event at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery this half term. We’re part of the national Where’s Wally? The Big Museum Hunt, organised by Kids in Museums and Walker Books, will celebrate the release of the new Where’s Wally? book, "Double Trouble at the Museum". Can you find Wally in our collections? Pick up a free activity sheet at the museum Welcome Desk, and get a special sticker if you do!
I love museums and museum events - even if the event doesn't suit your family, you can still look around the rest of the exhibits and activities.
Friday 25 October
Some schools are closed for teacher training on Friday 25 October - many aren't - so this is an ideal time to visit busier events and locations, when most children are still at school. My children are off on 25 October, so we're already planning ahead.
Saturday 26 October
09:00-17:30
Halloween Comic Fest 2019
Forbidden Planet, Hanley are holding a free comic day (similar to the one in May). Unlikely to be all Halloween, you'll probably pick up some superhero comics, and possibly some with giant transforming robots. You never know. Full details here (ignore that it's for the Wolverhampton store; Hanley will be doing the same).
12:00 - 4:30
Table Top Sale
George Hotel, Burslem, ST6 2AE
Seen on the Signal 1 calendar
Table-top sales are highly variable, but this one looks promising because it's local, in a good location and indoors. This sale is in aid of two charities - Dougie Mac Hospice and Our Burslem. See my separate post on this event for more details.
Sunday 27 October
Working on it. I've not found anything yet.
Monday 28 October
The Mysterious Case of the Four Quarters at City Central Library
City Central Library, Hanley
There are four slots: 10:00-10:40; 11:30-12:10; 14:00-14:40; 15:30-16:10
Free entry
In a world where stories have the power to come to life a very special book has been created. Holding all the curiosity, kindness, bravery and imagination of every story ever told is The Book of the Four Quarters. If anything were to happen to The Book of the Four Quarters life would never be the same again, for anybody.
It is FREE to join in with The Mysterious Case of the Four Quarters but tickets MUST be booked in advance by contacting your local Stoke-on-Trent library.
These kinds of events at the local libraries are frequently over-subscribed, so book early!
Mars Robots at Potteries Museum
Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
Starts 11:00
Explore the surface of the red planet and learn all about robots with our Mars Rovers. Drive a remote-control robotic vehicle across a realistic Martian landscape and discover the challenges faced in space exploration and how robots will help the first humans to land on Mars! Free entry, no need to book. ONE DAY ONLY.
Tuesday 29 October
The Mysterious Case of the Four Quarters at Tunstall Library
Tunstall Library, The Boulevard, Tunstall
There are four slots: 10:00-10:40; 11:30-12:10; 14:00-14:40; 15:30-16:10
Free entry
As above. Contact your library in advance to book.
Free Let's Fish! - Middleport - Trent & Mersey Canal - Learn to Fish Session
Whether you have fished before or have always wanted to try, why not join us for this day. in association with Stoke on Trent Angling Society, come and learn to fish with our team of professional, fully qualified angling coaches. (All the bait, licences permits and equipment is provided, so all you need to do is book in and turn up on the day.)
10:00-16:30
Trent and Mersey Canal, Milvale Street, Middleport, Stoke on Trent, ST6 3NQ
Jurassic Adventure at Affinity Outlet Staffordshire (Freeport Talke)
Tuesday and Wednesday; outlet is open 10:00-16:00, no times stated for the dinosaur
Now this looks cool. "Europe's Largest T-Rex" will be visiting Freeport Talke. I haven't seen timings yet (so watch out, because Freeport tend to play fast and loose with the timings) and make sure you arrive early, because their crowd control isn't the best. They get oversubscribed on many of their events and it can spoil the event if you're not in a good location.
Free entry, naturally, bring a camera and be prepared to wait. It could get very busy, especially if the weather is bad.
Wednesday 30 October
Jurassic Adventure at Affinity Outlet Staffordshire (Freeport Talke)
Tuesday and Wednesday; outlet is open 10:00-16:00, no times stated for the dinosaur
This looks good. According to Twitter, "Europe's Largest T-Rex" will be visiting Freeport Talke. I haven't seen timings yet (so watch out, because Freeport tend to play fast and loose with the timings) and make sure you arrive early, because their crowd control isn't the best. They get oversubscribed on many of their events and it can spoil the event if you're not in a good location.
Free entry, naturally, bring a camera and be prepared to be patient. It may well be busier than Freeport can easily handle.
Thursday 31 October
Meet the PJ Masks at Intu Potteries, Hanley
Book tickets for slots at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00 or15:00.
Catboy, Owlette and Gekko - the PJ Masks - will be coming to visit intu Potteries to meet their little shoppers. The PJ Masks will be appearing outside H&M on the upper mall on the hour from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Each appearance will include a meet and greet plus an interactive Hero Moves session where kids can learn the super moves of their favourite PJ Masks heroes.
Only children wishing to meet the PJ Masks will need a ticket for this event, adults will not need to book a ticket to accompany them.
Because Intu events are ticket-only, there is much better crowd control compared to the Affinity (Freeport) events, so this one gets a recommendation from me.
Friday 1 November
Saturday 2 November
Table top sale, Newcastle Methodist Church, Merrial Street , 10-1
More information here
Sunday 3 November
Staffs University hold an annual Big Biology Day every October, and, without saying too much in the first paragraph, it counts as one of the family event highlights of the year.
It's truly a family-friendly event, with a wide range of activities and exhibits that will appeal to toddlers upwards. The Biology department put on a great show, with exhibits from microscopic samples (and lab benches filled with microscopes), to a mock-up forensic scene, to live animals (furry, feathered, scaly, slithering and crawling) which can be seen at close quarters and - in most cases - handled.
Top marks must be given to the department staff, who all share their subject with real enthusiasm. During a short break at the most recent "Bug Day" (Invertebrates Science Fair), my children got into a discussion with one of the senior lecturers in the department, whose main area of interest is bees. They enjoyed a surprisingly lengthy and in-depth discussion (my daughter was nine years old at the time has the questioning skills of a journalist and the ability to soak up information like a sponge) and this was completely unplanned, but pitched just right for our family. The Big Biology day is the same.
There are activites to colour; interactive games, quizzes and puzzles; there are the animals to see, and there are many leaflets to peruse, posters to view and many varied activities for parents, children, students and educators alike. The exhibition (for want of a better description) spans two floors, with the microscopes and forensic crime-solving activities upstairs. This is a great advert for higher education, for biology (and I'm a chemistry graduate) and for Staffs University. It's great that they are continuing with their series of community days - this Big Biology Day (October); their Invertebrates Science Fair (April) and their new Science Technology Engineering and Maths day (they hosted the West Midlands Big Bang fair in June).
And, while searching for the date for the STEM day, I've discovered that earlier this year they introduced a Fete (August) based on gaming and social online gaming. I'll be looking for that (and sharing it when I find it) next year!
