EASTER celebrations will soon be under way as a series of events in East Lancashire will leave people egg-static.

Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Oswaldtwistle and Colne will be hosting craft activities, caricatures, face painting, magic shows, storytelling station and Mad Hatter's Tea Party during the Easter holidays.

1. Blackburn with Darwen Council will continue its free family-friendly school holiday activity programme, Let’s MAKE, at Blackburn and Darwen Markets.

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The entertainment and creative activity programme, run in conjunction with award-winning partners Crafty Vintage, will take place from April 8 to Good Friday on April 19.

Blackburn with Darwen Cllr Phil Riley, executive member for regeneration, said: "I am pleased that we are able to provide this free family-friendly holiday activity and that it is taking place within our markets, at the heart of our towns. There are new skills to learn and fun to be had for all ages.”

Laura Johnson, owner of Crafty Vintage and Let’s MAKE, said: “The amount of people who came along in February was fantastic and we had a lot of people who couldn’t believe that it was all free."

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2. In Darwen, people can burn off any Easter egg-fuelled energy at the Sweaty Mama Easter Holiday session at Central United Reformed Church, on Duckworth Street on Tuesday, April 9 and April 16 from 1pm.

Babies aged over six weeks and children of all ages are welcome to visit and each track can be adapted to suit people's fitness ability levels, bosses have said. The single session will cost £7.

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3. An Easter egg hunt will be held for children at Oswaldtwistle Mills Shopping Village and Garden Centre from April 19 to April 22. All entrants can try the golden egg lucky dip to be in with a chance of winning a boxed Easter egg.

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4. In Accrington, an Easter fun day involving fun fair rides, arts and craft stalls and face painting will be held in the town square on Saturday, April 20 from 11am to 4pm.

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5. 'Easter in Colne' will be returning for its fifth year on Saturday, April 20 from 9am to 4pm. There will be free donkey rides, traditional acoustic music, a traditional egg hunt and a window decorating competition held during the day at Colne Town Hall, on Albert Road.

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6. Burnley Belvedere Football Club will be hosting an Easter egg-stravaganza on Easter Sunday, April 21, from 2pm to 5pm. A raffle will be held alongside live music, arts and crafts stalls. There will also be cakes and sweets on sale and several games for children to take part in.

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7. An Easter egg bingo event will be held at Billington and Langho Community Centre on Saturday, April 13, from 6pm. There will be prizes for all the children attending the Whalley Road centre and funds will be raised for Langho's St Leonard's Church.

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8. A scrabble egg hunt will be taking place at the Whitaker, in Rawtenstall, this Easter. People will be tasked to hunt down the missing Easter eggs which contain hidden letters to form a secret word. The event will run each day throughout the school Easter holidays and costs £2 per child. Other events at the Haslingden Road premises will include an egg and flag painting workshop on April 10, book making and art workshop on April 11 and craft fair on Easter Saturday.

9. Eastender star Ricky Groves, who played character Garry Hobbs, will be taking part in the Easter pantomime, Mother Goose, performing at Blackburn Empire Theatre on Monday, April 22 at 2pm and 5pm. Tickets will cost £10 for adults and can be purchased via www.blackburnempire.com

A timetable with full details can be found via theshuttle.org.uk/lets-make-an-easter-eggs-travaganza

10. The Mall Blackburn is set for a cracking Easter with an eggcellent line up of free crafty fun.

From designing wooden egg fridge magnets to visits from the Easter Bunny and painting stunning sun-catchers to decorating pretty plant pots – there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

Staring Monday, April 15, and running through to Sunday, April 28, all activity will take place from 11am until 4pm at the Ask Me Point in Victoria Court.

Loraine Jones, General Manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “Once again the school holidays are upon us and parents will be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained.

“We have a great line up of totally free activities that are sure to put a spring in the step of our little shoppers!

“As usual, The Mall is closed on Easter Sunday, but the fun starts again on Easter Monday!”

The Mall Blackburn’s eggciting Easter line up:

Monday 15th April: Design and make a wooden egg fridge magnet

Tuesday 16th April: Easter themed glitter tattooists

Wednesday 17th April: Make & decorate Easter baskets (with free chocolate!)

Thursday 18th April: Easter themed Face Painting

Friday 19th April: Easter themed Balloon Modelling

Saturday 20th April: Visit from the Easter Bunny and a fun Easter Egg hunt

Monday 22nd April: Easter themed Face Painting

Tuesday 23rd April: Decorate a plant pot and stake and plant a seed

Wednesday 24th April: Glitter tattooists

Thursday 25th April: Paint a cute bug sun-catcher with glass paint pens

Friday 26th April: Glitter tattooists

Saturday 27th April: Design and make your own windmill

Sunday 28th April: Design a wooden flower photo holder

The Mall Blackburn’s Easter opening hours:

Good Friday - Friday 19th April: 09:00 – 17:30 

Saturday 20th April: 09.00 – 17.30 
Easter Sunday - Sunday 21st April: CLOSED 
Easter Monday - Monday 22nd April: 10:30 – 16:30