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Easter Fun for all the Family 2 April 2009  A talking monk, Easter cake-making and a chance to watch the traditional Manx Flitter Dance are just some of the things on offer at Manx National Heritage’s first event for spring 2009, Easter at The Abbey. On Monday 13th April, Rushen Abbey, the Abbey Gardens and Interpretive Centre in Ballasalla will be the venue for what promises to be a fun-filled day for all the family.
Allison Fox, Curator: Archaeology, Manx National Heritage said: “As Rushen Abbey is one of the most important religious sites on the Island, it’s the perfect setting for a celebration of Easter and the coming of spring. We’re hoping for a fine day for people to enjoy the gardens, but there’ll be plenty for everybody to do, come rain or shine.” There’ll be craft activities with an Easter flavour, talks and a themed children’s trail around the Abbey Gardens, with a free chocolate egg for every child completing the trail. In the Abbey gardens there’ll be medieval games for children to take part in. The Manx Folk Dance Society will also be demonstrating the Flitter Dance, traditionally performed on the seashore on Good Friday. Allison continued: “We’re delighted that award-winning local florist, Heidi Baker will be joining us to give demonstrations throughout the day on how to make the best of the flowers in bloom at this time of year. Heidi is a hugely talented floral designer who has exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, designed, produced and presented a posy to HRH Queen Elizabeth II, and has also won a National Trust for Scotland organic gardening award.”  Children are also invited to showcase their creativity by joining in the cake decorating sessions or by bringing along a decorated hard boiled egg to enter in the “Best Decorated Egg” Competition. Judging will take place at 2pm with a special prize for the winner.
This special “Easter at the Abbey” event will take place on Monday 13th April 2009 between 10am and 4.30pm. All are welcome and ample free parking is available for the day. As well as ‘Easter at the Abbey’, there will also be Easter promotions at other Manx National Heritage attractions over the school holidays! At the Manx Museum from 4th to 18th April every child who completes the egg-citing ‘Manx Museum Discovery Trail’ will receive a FREE Easter Egg. At The House of Manannan in Peel there will be children’s Easter craft sessions every day during the holidays, including design your own egg cup and make your own Easter Egg character. An Easter ‘I love Manx’ farmers’ market will take place on Easter Sunday in the piazza outside from 11am to 3pm. Organised by IOM Farmers’ markets, there will be a range of stalls selling fresh, seasonal, local produce. Howard Parkin, Public Services Manager, Manx National Heritage commented:  “Spring is also the perfect time to take a trip to The Grove in Ramsey and its pleasant surroundings to see the ducks and Loghtan sheep and discover more about Victorian & Edwardian life, or to The National Folk Museum at Cregneash to see the newborn Loghtan lambs and find out about the lives of traditional Manx farmers and crofters.” Further details on forthcoming events at the Manx National Heritage sites are detailed on www.storyofmann.com or in the Manx National Heritage What’s On leaflet, available now at all Story of Mann attractions. More stories >>>
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