Celebrate culture, creativity and the arrival of spring at the home of the UK’s biggest Shared Reading charity at Calderstones Park in South Liverpool.
From an Alice in Wonderland inspired Easter Book Hunt, to literary events, Mini-Movies and a Mother’s Day Roast, Liverpool charity The Reader announces a colourful spring 2026 season.
The new programme of events at one of the city’s most beautiful heritage sites – the restored Georgian Mansion House in the heart of Calderstones Park – will run from Sunday 1 March to Sunday 31 May. It includes the return of spring wellbeing workshops, deep dives into literary classics and family events celebrating Easter and Whitsun.
The Spring season begins with Holi at the Storybarn on Saturday 7 March, in collaboration with MILAP (Indian Arts and Culture), marking the arrival of spring, new life and the Hindi festival of colours with a colour hunt in the park, a Holi-inspired story and spring craft for families.
Also on the same day, debut author and illustrator Neil Coslett will be taking part in a Meet the Author event for children aged 7+ to talk about his brilliant new book Kid Potato: Welcome to my World. It includes a fun-filled workshop where children can create their very own ‘Kid Potato’.
Two highly anticipated spring Makers at the Mansion markets will be back on Sunday 8 March, and Sunday 31 May, with a stunning selection of local handmade gifts, art and clothing by indie makers, plus delicious food and drink pop ups throughout the mansion and garden. Groove & Grind Record Fair will also be joining the fun on Sunday 31 May.
By popular demand The Reader’s in-house chefs will once again be preparing Mother’s Day Roasts on Sunday 15 March, 12-3pm. Diners can enjoy views of the Mansion House garden filled with spring blooms from the glass-fronted historic Theatre room, accompanied by live music.
Enjoy a starter, roast for main with all the trimmings (chicken, beef or nut roast) or dessert. There’s also a kid’s menu for under 12’s.
As always, The Reader will bring people together and books to life through literary events including a Spring Poetry Masterclass on Sunday March 22 led by the charity’s founder Jane Davis. It will feature works by Gwendolyn Brooks, Geoffrey Chaucer, E E Cummings, Emily Dickinson, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Ada Limon.
Many of the events are inspired by The Reader’s Bookshelf 2026 – a diverse range of 24 books for adults and children centred on the theme, The Home We Carry, exploring how the sense of ‘home’ we carry with us is different for everyone.
A four-week Deep Read, held every Monday, 5-7pm, from 13 April to 4 May, will explore The Home-maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, an instant bestselling novel from 1924 featured on this year’s Reader Bookshelf 2026 for adults.
Three Spring Wellbeing Workshops will also focus on two more novels chosen from the Reader Bookshelf 2026, Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel Anna Karenina, on Saturday 28 March; and 2016’s Homegoing by Ghanaian-American author Yaa Gyasi on Saturday 23 May, plus Never Let Me Go by Japanese-born British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro on Saturday 25 April.
Each session features a relaxed Shared Reading session led by the charity’s experienced practitioners, a walk in the park and unlimited tea and coffee.
The season continues with a Spring Music & Spoken Word Evening featuring live blues, folk and spring-themed poetry set amid the shelves of the Reader’s independent Bookshop on Tuesday 14 April and a Spring Quiz Fundraiser on Sunday 29 March, 12pm-4pm, to support The Reader’s charitable work in Liverpool and beyond with themed quiz rounds, delicious grazing boards, drinks and raffle.
The Mansion House is the home of Shared Reading and every week a wide range of sessions are held here. People are welcome to come along, connect and share experiences over stories and poems. There are also groups for under 30s, new parents, sci-fi fans and anyone interested in exploring LGBTQIA+ literature. Shared Reading is free and for everyone. There is no pressure to talk or read aloud.
For families over the Easter Bank Holiday, The Reader’s magical play space for children, The Storybarn, presents the Easter Book Hunt, Friday 3 April, an Alice in Wonderland inspired Easter egg hunt with a twist starting with a family disco in the Theatre Room, springtime stories and themed crafts.
Another key highlight for families with younger children is a new season of Mini-Movies – short and sweet screenings for the littlest cinema lovers inside the cosy Mansion House Theatre Room from 10.30am-11am.
This will feature a series of animated film adaptations of stories by Julia Donaldson, who last year overtook Harry Potter writer JK Rowling to become Britain’s bestselling author. The line-up includes The Scarecrows’ Wedding, Sunday 22 March (TBC), The Snail and The Whale, Tuesday 7 April and Superworm, Wednesday 8 April.
And during the Whitsun break two more of Donaldson’s most popular stories are set to hit the big screen – Tiddler, Tuesday 26 May,and Zog, Wed 27 May.
Families are advised to book early for The Reader’s creative Storybarn Holiday Club for 5-10 years old in the Easter and May Half-term holidays as places quickly fill up.
Regular weekly family events include regular Storybarn Drop-In sessions and cosy monthly Bookshop Bedtime Stories in the Reader Bookshop on Friday 27 March, Friday 24 April and Friday 29 May.
The Reader’s newly launched Baby Drop-In sessions for parents and carers with babies 12 months and under 12 months take place every Monday (18 March – 18 May, 12.30-2.30pm).
Incy Wincy Rhymers every Friday, brings stories to life with songs and rhymes, bubbles crafts and imaginative play for under 4’s, and at Incy Wincy Wanders on Wednesdays children will venture into Calderstones Park with The Reader’s dedicated team of Storyhunters singing nursery rhymes, reading stories, enjoying nature activities and playing outdoor games.
Birthday Parties at the Storybarn dates for 2026 have also just been released.
The Mansion House will be open seven days a week with guided tours exploring the history of the house every Tuesday at 2pm, and the History of the House exhibition, and the ancient Neolithic Calder Stones, which give the local area its name, open every day.
The full season is available to book here.
Calderstones Members enjoy a year of benefits and discounts. Anyone interested can join here.
READ MORE: Africa Oyé reveals Grammy-nominated Afrofuturist headliner for 2026 festival
