By Kate Hodges
02nd March 2018
EVENT Joli Holi
Holi is the two-day Hindu festival of colours. The first day is spent carrying out religious rituals in front of a bonfire, and the second throwing around rainbow-coloured dry powder paint, coloured water, and water-filled balloons. There are celebrations across Britain, but Manchester’s are particularly spectacular. This Sunday, in Platt Fields Park, there will be music, dancing, and of course, mountains of psychedelic powder colours to throw around. It’s very family friendly, and all are welcome. If you can’t make it out to an event, make your own Holi colours and have a party in your back garden or park, or try these eye-popping Holi crafts.
FORAGE and COOK Green Shoots
Taking a stroll in the post-snow countryside this weekend? Why not take the opportunity to forage for the earliest, most tender spring leaves. Chickweed should be starting to peep through; use it to make these tasty River Cottage pakoras, or as a powerful, herbal ingredient in a soothing salve. Nettles are starting to appear; their new leaves taste fresh and are full of vital minerals and vitamins. But you can do more with them than make soup – we love these 20 great ideas for using stingers from chips to hair rinses!
EVENT Rubbish Round-Up
The excellent Sea Shepherd action group are hoping that the Blue Planet effect continues, attracting more helpers than ever to their month of Beach Cleans. Join your local gang to rid the shoreline of plastic, rubbish and industrial clutter and help wildlife, keep our seas clean, and our cliffs, sands and shingle beautiful. Kids love to help out on a tidy-up; but bring gardening gloves to protect your hands.
EVENT To The Letter
Wee Write is Glasgow’s Book Festival for children and young people, held at the Mitchell Library. There’s a megamix of free and ticketed events, including exhibitions, balloon modelling, storytelling and messy play, puppet shows, puzzle solving, workshops and much much more. The reading-themed events are designed for a wide range of ages, imaginative, and a lot of fun. All weekend.
MAKE Going To Pot
Prepare for spring by getting your pots ready to grow! Decorating your containers is fun, and also encourages kids to garden. We love these very cute faces, while gem-studded containers are brilliantly over the top. Colour dipping your indoor pots is super-sophisticated, and covering pots with fabric transforms plants into stylish accessories that can match your room. Outside, these chalkboard-painted herb pots are very cute and practical, while a twine-wrapped container and the moss-covered and twig-wrapped ideas here are beautifully rustic.
