Spark Family Festival

The action-packed family festival SPARK will return this summer, bringing with it a bigger, bolder programme celebrating creativity, imagination and the natural world.

Following a hugely successful debut in 2024, which attracted more than 1,000 attendees, the one-day event on Saturday 5 July will see the Villa Marina transformed into a vibrant hub of performance, play and participation — all under this year’s theme of nature.

From music and theatre to hands-on workshops and outdoor play, SPARK 2025 invites families to connect through creativity and play.

Daphne Caine MHK, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, said: “It’s wonderful to see the festival grow — not only in size but in ambition — with more artists contributing and even more opportunities for families to learn, play and enjoy time together.”

This year’s headline performance will see the Olivier Award-winning Little Bulb Theatre perform Four Seasons in the Royal Hall – a joyful, music-filled, puppetry-packed adventure exploring the changing seasons, created especially for children aged three to seven.

Other highlights include:

• A Walk in the Woods by Mannin Music – a sensory adventure for younger children
• The Lion Inside by Manx Family Concerts – a musical tale of courage and kindness
• The Perfect Spot – an immersive storytelling picnic through the Villa Gardens
• Save Our Seabirds by Manx Birdlife – fun and educational workshops about seabirds
• Magic Wand-Making with Keird Collective – hands-on sessions using natural materials

New for 2025, Active Souls will host energetic outdoor play sessions in the gardens, encouraging movement, creativity and wellbeing. Families can also enjoy free face painting and tasty treats throughout the day.

Festival favourites are also set to return, including a singalong screening of Disney’s The Lion King in the Broadway Cinema and drop-in play sessions inside Dragon’s Castle.