In 2025, Rotherham will become the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture designed and delivered by children and young people from our borough. And at the Rotherham Show, you’ll get a sneak peek of what to expect during our festival year!
With children, young people, and families at its heart, the Children’s Capital of Culture field is an exciting and interactive space jam-packed with things to do. With hands on creative activities, brilliant performances by children and young people from across the borough, and even a baby rave, there is something for everyone!
Don’t miss our brand-new spectacle for this year’s Rotherham Show: Pif-Paf’s ‘Right to Play,’ a pop-up adventure playground created collaboratively with children and young people. And especially for us, it’s been supercharged with some amazing new surprises!
Beloved Rotherham organisations including Gulliver’s Valley, Grimm and Co., Magna Science Adventure Centre, Wentworth Woodhouse, and more will be there throughout the weekend, giving a taster of what to expect during 2025.
We will also have a free treasure hunt starting from our Children’s Capital of Culture festival tent, which will see you exploring all the delights of the Show – and you can win a prize if you complete it!
Scheduled activities
Baby Rave by BoomChikkaBoom
11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm
Join BoomChikkaBoom and prepare to rave with the whole family. From singing and pom poms to dance routines, snow machines and balloons galore!
Kevin Tickle’s Dogs by Dizzy O’Dare
12:30pm and 2:30pm
Kevin Tickle is back with a new team of animals, and this time our enthusiastic host has attempted to reign in man’s best friend… what could possibly go wrong? Expect lots of comedy, mayhem, and madness!
Interactive Book Reading with Carly Hart
11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:45pm
Award-winning children’s author Carly Hart will be holding interactive reading sessions followed by book related craft activities.
Drop in activities
Grimm and Co.
Grimm and Co are gathering wishes from you in the form of wand-making, and you can even join them in the musical story tent where families can share familiar stories, songs, and rhymes. Bring your imagination to life and create your very own short story! Who knows, they may even write a song about it.
NovaCity
Learn from the parkour pros NovaCity, who are coming to demonstrate their amazing skills in parkour, street dance, and more throughout the day!
Magna Science Adventure Centre
Whether you’re a budding scientist, a future engineer, or just someone who loves a thrilling challenge, Magna Science Adventure Centre has the workshop just for you!
Pif-Paf
Pif-Paf will be there with their new showstopping ‘Right to Play’ project, which mixes theatre with play by using giant bamboo poles, a big stack of play mats, and some big bits of rope they have turned into an Adventure Playground! The playground is also filled with games, stories, and songs. You don’t want to miss this!
Plus, even more drop-in activities over the weekend including: dance workshops, interactive reading and book related craft activities with Libraries and Neighbourhood Hubs, musical fun with Orchestra of Objects (Sunday only), giant games and colouring with Early Help, electronic music workshops with Electronic Music Club, craft with Gulliver’s Valley, create your own stop-motion animation with a skilled artist in our Children’s Capital of Culture workshop, and character based activities and all things green with Wentworth Woodhouse.
Community Stage
Saturday
Perfomers | Start Time |
---|---|
Custard Creatures and Co. and Grimm and Co. 11am Showcase |
11:00am |
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase with
with Brampton Drama Group |
11:40am |
Laura Folkes | 12:20pm |
Wickersley Young Stars | 1:00pm |
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase with
with Breakout Arts |
1:40pm |
Mini Parade (all are welcome to join in!) | 2:.00pm |
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase
with Green Man Drama Group |
2:20pm |
Electronic Music Club | 3:00pm |
Smashby | 3:40pm |
KIER | 4:30pm |
Sunday
Performers | Start Time |
---|---|
Ellie Human | 11:00am |
Kavya Bhosle | 11:30am |
Kid Blue | 11:55am |
The Banned | 12:35pm |
Pelican Crossing | 1:10pm |
The Kostanzas | 1:50pm |
Rotherham Youth Choir | 2:30pm |
Kyla C DJ Bryan | 3:00pm |
Beautiful Carrot | 3:45pm |
The Tivolis | 4:30pm |
Grace Bower – Compere for the Community Stage
Saturday and Sunday
Grace's passion for the Performing Arts has always shone brightly. A graduate of CAPA College, where she specialised in musical theatre, she featured in YPPA's production of ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ which dazzled sold-out audiences at the Rotherham Civic Theatre.
With multiple appearances on BBC Radio and more achievements to her name, Grace brings her talent and charisma as our dynamic compere for the Community Stage.
Custard Creatures and Co
Saturday
Join Custard Creatures and Co! from Grimm and Co's Saturday Morning Club, who have written an absolute hit, which they can't wait to perform to you all!
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase with Brampton Drama Group
Saturday
The World Beneath Our Feet programme enables children and young people to engage with nature and their local environment and take action to combat climate change.
Brampton Drama Group is a vibrant community for young people aged 8 to 18, where creativity and expression come alive! Their enthusiastic leaders understand the challenges facing today’s youth and are dedicated to providing a safe, supportive space.
At Brampton, they believe in the power of young people. Their fun and interactive sessions aim to inspire, uplift, and help every individual reach their full potential, all while addressing important and sensitive issues.
Laura Folkes
Saturday
Laura is 16 years old and has been performing since she was a toddler, performing every year at the Civic Theatre which has led her to perform in Tenerife.
She has also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and this will be her third year performing at the Rotherham show.
Wickersley Youngstars
Saturday
Wickersley Youngstars is a Youth Musical Theatre group based in Rotherham who take members between the ages of eight to 23.
They are an all-inclusive group and believe everyone should be given the opportunity to perform no matter their ability.
Wickersley Youngstars will be performing a medley of songs from their upcoming show Rock of Ages. This will be a mix of solo/duets and full cast songs with both singing and dance routines. There will be around thirty young people performing.
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase with Breakout Arts
Saturday
The World Beneath Our Feet programme enables children and young people to engage with nature and their local environment and take action to combat climate change.
Break-Out Arts want to nurture and empower artists and the artist within everyone, and to develop future problem solvers through artistic projects, activities, performance, research investigations and collaborations.
Nothing is off limits, they break rules, they break boundaries, they are Breakout Arts!
Mini parade featuring Drama Kids Rotherham, Hope the Hedgehog & Reign the Water Spirit
Saturday
Featuring a fun mime performance from the talented youngsters of Drama Kids Rotherham, followed by the two awe-inspiring giant puppets - Hope the Hedgehog and Reign the Water Spirit – parading their way all across the Children’s Capital of Culture field! Blending art, nature, climate, and drama in a vibrant celebration of imagination. Everyone is welcome to join in!
World Beneath Our Feet Showcase with Green Man Drama Group
Saturday
The World Beneath Our Feet programme enables children and young people to engage with nature and their local environment and take action to combat climate change.
Green Man Drama Group is a passionate community-driven group dedicated to supporting young people through the power of performing arts.
The group provides a creative outlet where youth can express themselves, build confidence, and connect with others. This year, they are thrilled to perform on the Community Stage at the Rotherham Show!
Electronic Music Club
Saturday
Enjoy an incredible DJ performance by the talented kids of the Electronic Music Club!
Smashby
Saturday
Smashby’s been a favourite on the UK Pride Circuit since the age of seventeen but cemented his status as a “queer artist on the rise” with their collaborations with RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Aja and Divina De Campo. We can’t wait to see him on the Community Stage!
KIER and Band
Saturday
The rising star of the UK country/Americana music scene. At just 23 years old, KIER has dedicated herself to crafting songs that captivate listeners with her invoking and unforgettable melodies.
Joined by the fantastic band at the Rotherham Show, this is one performance you won’t want to miss!
Ellie Human
Sunday
A multitalented musician and singer, Ellie Human lights up the stage with her colourful look and upbeat energy.
Ellie started her musical journey in 2016 and since then has travelled up and down the country performing for charity, events, and festivals both as a solo act and with the group The Ukes of Hazzard.
Ellie has played for Rotherham Music at Signals Festival and joins us again at Rotherham Show following her last spectacular appearance with us back at WoW Rotherham earlier this year.
Kavya Bhosle
Sunday
Kavya is a young Rotherham performer singing Indian Classical music with her music box as an accompaniment. She sings Ragas and has performed recently at Signals 2024, UPLIFT and Ferham Festival, wowing crowds every time.
We welcome her to the Community Stage for the Rotherham Show where she will showcase her fast-developing artistry and grasp of this difficult artform.
Kid Blu3
Sunday
Kid Blu3 is a rising star in South Yorkshire’s rap and hip-hop scene, and with such good vibes and stories to tell, it’s no wonder Sheffield and Rotherham have taken a shine to her.
She lit up the stage for us last year at the Rotherham Show and Kid Blu3 joins us at Rotherham Show after wowing us all at UPLIFT festival in the summer, only a day before she made her Tramlines Festival debut over in Sheffield.
The Banned
Sunday
Formed by Social Eyes Rotherham, The Banned is a musical group for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
The group have performed at festivals, concerts, and events in and around Rotherham since their inception, bringing smiles to faces as they go. The Banned joined us at UPLIFT in July and will now be showing us what they can do again at the Rotherham Show.
Pelican Crossing
Sunday
Formed in Oakwood High School, rock band Pelican Crossing are a local group who love bringing their talents to the stage.
Participating in multiple battle of the bands events and just recently having won the Rotherham Battle of the Bands performing alongside bands from other Rotherham schools.
Pelican Crossing are rising as a name to look out for on the Rotherham music scene. Performing with us at Signals 2024, and again at UPLIFT, this talented band can’t wait to play at the Rotherham Show.
The Kostanzas
Sunday
The Kostanzas, a grunge rock band formed in school by a group of five teenagers last December, seemed to appear in the public eye overnight, having performed for the first time at an open mic in March.
The band went on to perform many more gigs over the year from school awards ceremonies, to battle of the bands, and even playing in high street shops. These tenacious teenagers are leaping from strength to strength despite their group’s relative infancy.
Rotherham Youth Choir
Sunday
A showcase of talented young voices from Rotherham, the Rotherham Youth Choir brings choral music to the masses, as well as offering these young voices the opportunity to perform and compete, alongside and against other music groups.
The Rotherham Youth Choir have performed with Rotherham Music before at the Museum of the Moon event in Rotherham Minster in November last year.
Kyla C and DJ Bryan
Sunday
Kyla C is a Sheffield based DJ and workshop facilitator who has been working with Rotherham Music and Signals Festival to teach young people in Rotherham how to DJ. She’s been working with Clifton Learning Partnership and Rotherham United Community Sports Trust to deliver sessions in Eastwood.
DJ Bryan is one of the talents she has been nurturing there on these sessions. He’s already made a splash at Signals 2024, and we can’t wait to see him, and Kyla C perform at Rotherham Show.
Beautiful Carrot
Sunday
Beautiful Carrot is a Wickersley based indie rock band consisting of four Wickersley School students with a passion for performance. The band performed at Clifton Community School’s Battle of The Bands earlier this year as well as having achieved second place in the intermediate division of the same competition last year.
At Signals back in February we had Beautiful Carrot took the stage, and we’re pleased to announce that they’re going to be performing for us again at Rotherham Show.
The Tivolis
Sunday
The Tivolis have been taking Rotherham and Sheffield’s indie music scene by storm in the last year.
This quintet hailing from Wickersley, won the advanced division in Clifton Community School’s Battle of the Bands, going on to perform at multiple venues, events and festivals in Rotherham and Sheffield, recently playing a gig at the Tramlines Fringe. They joined us last year at Rotherham Show 2023, and also performed for us again at UPLIFT Festival.