Events for young people at DocFest
What: Events and activities for children and young people.
When: 12th-15th June
Where: Various sites (see below)
Who: Various ages (see below)
Behind the Scenes: Educating Yorkshire, 4.45-6pm Thursday 11th June, Montgomery Theatre, age 11+. Tickets start from £3.
Peek behind the curtain of the BAFTA-nominated Educating Yorkshire. Join headteacher Matthew Burton, creator David Clews, and friends, to relive those iconic and heartwarming memories.
Go behind the scenes of the BAFTA-nominated Educating Yorkshire in this special Sheffield DocFest session. Headteacher Matthew Burton is joined by David Clews (Chief Creative Officer, Twofour) and Grace Reynolds (Executive Producer), who together created the original Educating brand, alongside current pupils from the series.
Returning to Thornhill Community Academy over a decade on, the panel will explore how both the school and the series have evolved, and what it takes to capture real life in an ever-changing school environment. From unforgettable classroom moments to the show’s lasting cultural impact, expect candid insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and a celebration of a series that continues to resonate with audiences across the UK.
This event will have British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation and live captions. Supported by Channel 4.
Sam Browne: Just a Boy, 7pm Friday 12th June, Montgomery Theatre, age 11+. Tickets start from £3.
Sheffield DocFest is proud to present a powerful live performance from poet Sam Browne leads into an insightful conversation on growing up, masculinity, and authentic storytelling for young audiences!
Poet Sam Browne brings a raw, powerful performance to Sheffield DocFest, exploring identity, masculinity, and the realities of growing up. He’ll subsequently be joined by the studio behind his short film Just A Boy for a conversation on growing up in a world shaped by algorithms, online culture, constant content, and on how youth-focused stories are crafted to resonate authentically with Gen Z audiences. Join us for this incredible live event in the heart of Sheffield during one of the most exciting festivals in the city!
Horrible Histories & Horrible Science: A Thoroughly Horrible Morning!, 10-11.15am, Sat 13 June, Lyceum, all ages. Tickets start from £13.
Join the cast and crew of CBBC's hit comedies Horrible Histories & Horrible Science for an exclusive look behind the scenes of both shows!
Live on stage, the cast and crew of Horrible Histories & Horrible Science reveal how the shows are made, play some of their favourite clips, and get you to join and singalong to some of the songs! Featuring cast members Jess Ransom, Inel Tomlinson and Richard David-Caine, songwriter Richie Webb, Executive Producer Simon Welton, Costume Designer Jemima Cotter, and maybe even YOU! For the first time ever, both of these shows come together to share the secret recipe behind the silliness and the success. Come and join the horrible fun!
Horrible Histories Goes Rogue: Time-Travellers Take Sheffield!, 11:45am - 1:15pm, Sat 13 June, Crucible Adelphi Room, 10+ children must be accompanied by adults. Tickets £5.75, which includes 1 child & 1 adult.
Ever wondered what the most famous (or infamous) villains, intellectuals and iconic historical leaders would get up to roaming around Sheffield city centre in 2026?
Would they go for an M&S Meal Deal? Try on clothes in TK Maxx? Or run through the fountains in the Peace Gardens?
Join Grimm & Co as we invent a world of role play, using costumes, props and Sheffield City Centre as our stage. We will become iconic historical figures exploring the world we live in today.
Want more? You can also join us for a special talk with cast and crew, Horrible Histories & Horrible Science: A Thoroughly Horrible Morning! Sign up here
Wild Futures: Creative World of Mask Making, 10am-1pm, Sun 14 June, The Workstation - Creative Lounge, all ages. Tickets £5.
The creative world of mask-making is perfect for curious explorers and makers!
Young participants are invited to join a hands-on creative workshop where they can imagine, design, and make their own animal masks. This playful session encourages imagination, creativity and a deeper connection to the wildlife we share our planet with. Guided by Sian Thomas (Craft Camp), an experienced creative facilitator, young participants are invited to bring their wildest imaginations. Whether roaring like a lion, swooping like an owl, or swimming like a jellyfish - we cannot wait to see what creations you come up with.
We will be using a range of crafts, including but not limited to: Paint, crayons, glue for beads, and feathers.
Wild Futures: Mini Lantern Parade, 11:15am - 12:30pm, Sat 13 June, Tudor Square, all ages & families. Non-ticketed.
To celebrate the Wild Futures programme, join us for a mini parade starting at Tudor Square.
Join the giant orange tip butterfly lantern and her friend the crocodile to explore the Winter Gardens in a Mini Parade.
Families are invited to bring their own animal lanterns and masks to take part in the mini parade.
Lanterns are created and performed by Jo Veal and Patrick Amber.
Weather Permitting. Please check DocFest's social media for updates.
Facilitators: Jo Veal and Patrick Amber
Sheffield-based community artists Jo and Patrick create magical, fascinating and fun workshops and events for all ages, from puppet-making to giant lanterns, foraged clay animals to mural painting.
Workshops usually relate to a community event, such as lantern processions, puppet parades, flower installations and more. They are hugely inspired by the natural world, creating giant flowers, goat puppets, giant animals and more, and use recycled and natural materials as much as possible.
Recent work includes the Scream of Swifts installation at Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries, the Kaleidoscope of Butterflies at National Trust Wentworth Castle Gardens and the giant kestrel lantern at Parkwood Springs Lantern Festival.
Wild Futures with Hannah Stitfall, 1-2.15pm Sunday 14th June, Crucible Playhouse, all ages. Tickets start from £3.
Join wildlife presenter, author and filmmaker Hannah Stitfall for a wild and interactive adventure into the natural world.
Come on a wild adventure with Hannah Stitfall, wildlife presenter, author and filmmaker! Join us for an action-packed safari as we reveal nature’s funniest, craziest and cutest animals from around the world, and right under our noses here in the UK. Packed with crazy animal stories, stunning visuals and fun interactive games and activities, this is a rare chance to experience the behind-the-scenes secrets of life as a wildlife filmmaker and zoologist.
This family-friendly event celebrates the wonder of our planet and the power of young people to help protect it. Inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s incredible legacy, it’s an uplifting, action-packed live event designed to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of conservationists.
FRONTLINEdance presents: The Explorers in Training!, 2.30-3.45pm, Sun 14 June, Winter Gardens, all ages. Non-ticketed.
The Explorers in Training! is an interactive live performance in which the performers and explorers embark on a wondrous adventure with the audience.
Combining dance, storytelling and music, this family-friendly show invites audiences to join in by exploring the performance space, using their imagination and actively engaging with the performers. It's performed by two trainee performers from FRONTLINEdance's Advanced Training Programme, with a supporting cast, access performers and creative enablers to ensure the audience has a fantastic time!
FRONTLINEdance is an artist-led company based in Stoke-on-Trent, placing disabled people and those with long-term health conditions at the core of our organisation as leaders, dancers, artists and audiences. We do this with heart, skill and inclusive practice, producing participatory and performance programmes in the community and in healthcare settings.
As makers we explore how we can create exciting, relevant and thought-provoking contemporary dance with d/DEAF, visually impaired, disabled, neurodivergent audiences and hospital patients. We co-create across ages, backgrounds and experiences, naturally integrating people together, reducing isolation and improving physical, mental and social health and well-being.
Wild Futures: If Animals Could Talk, What Might They Say? 12pm-1.15pm Mon 15 June, The Workstation, Creative Lounge, all ages. Tickets £5.75.
Did you know animals can travel by plane? How might that work?
Join us for a relaxed workshop to share your thoughts and feelings about the documentaries you have seen. Through a fun and interactive session, we will give you a chance to hear other people's thoughts and share your own thoughts about a range of arts and crafts activities.
Let's make, let's chat and let's share - ‘If Animals Could Talk, What Might They Say?’
Faciliator: Gemma Woffinden, ArtWorks. Generously supported by ArtWorks.
