The Reader reveals spring season of events at Calderstones

The Reader is celebrating National Year of Reading 2026 with a series of events at its Calderstones Mansion base this spring.

The spring programme takes place between March 1 and May 31 and includes literary events, wellbeing workshops, an Easter book hunt, Holi festival and Mothering Sunday celebrations, a four-week Deep Read and Mini-Movies alongside regular Reader events and classes.

Holi at the Storybarn on Saturday, March 7, is a collaboration with MILAP (Indian Arts and Culture) and will mark 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 March 7, debut author and illustrator Neil Coslett will taking part in a Meet the Author event – including a fun-filled creative workshop - for children aged 7 and up to talk about his new book Kid Potato: Welcome to my World.

Makers at the Mansion markets will be held on Sundays March 8 and May 31, showcasing a selection of local handmade gifts, art and clothing by indie makers, plus food and drink pop ups throughout the mansion and garden and, on May 31, will also include the Groove & Grind Record Fair.

Special Mother’s Day lunches will be served in the Reader’s historic Theatre Room on March 15, accompanied by live music.

Then Sunday, March 22 sees a Spring Poetry Masterclass led by the charity’s founder Jane Davis and featuring works by Gwendolyn Brooks, Geoffrey Chaucer, EE Cummings, Emily Dickinson, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Ada Limon.

Many planned 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.

Above: Two makers' markets will be held at Calderstones as part of the spring programme. Photo by Ollie Gyte Photography.

A four-week Deep Read, held every Monday teatime from April 13 to May 4, will explore The Home-maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, while a trio of Spring Wellbeing Workshops will focus on two more novels chosen from the Reader Bookshelf 2026, Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel Anna Karenina, on March 28, and Homegoing by Ghanaian-American author Yaa Gyasi on May 23, plus Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro on April 25. Each date features a relaxed Shared Reading session led by The Reader’s experienced practitioners, a walk in the park and unlimited tea and coffee.

The season continues with a Spring Quiz Fundraiser on March 29 and a Spring Music & Spoken Word Evening featuring live blues, folk and spring-themed poetry on April 14.

Meanwhile an Easter Book Hunt on Good Friday, April 3, will see an Alice in Wonderland inspired Easter egg hunt with a twist, starting with a family disco in the Theatre Room, and with springtime stories and themed crafts.

The Reader will also host its popular creative Storybarn Holiday Club for five to 10-years-olds in the Easter and May half term holidays.

And a new season of morning Mini-Movies for tiny cinemagoers takes place in the Mansion House Theatre Room from 10.30am-11am, featuring a series of animated film adaptations of stories by Julia Donaldson including The Scarecrows’ Wedding, The Snail and The Whale, and Superworm.

For full details on the programme and booking visit the website HERE