40 family-friendly events in and around Cardiff for September 2025
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The summer holidays are over and the schools are back…. but there’s no shortage of events for families in and around Cardiff. When I started putting this guide together, I was expecting it would be a list of 10 to 15 things to do. Turns out I was wrong! From food festivals and outdoor theatre to meeting dinosaurs and a chance to explore historical buildings for free, here’s what’s happening in South East Wales this month.
All events are subject to change and cancellation, and many need booking in advance, so please check ahead with organisers to avoid disappointment.
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40 family-friendly events in and around Cardiff September 2025
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Various locations across Wales
Throughout September
Historical buildings across Wales open their doors for free, including churches, castles, town halls, cemetries and more. Local highlights include Dyffryn Gardens and Tredegar House on Sunday 7 September, Insole Court on 8, 12, 14 and 15 September, and Llandaff Cathedral on 12 and 13 September, Blaenavon Ironworks on 13 and 14 September among many others.
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Forage Farm
Fridays to Mondays until 28 September
£4 per person plus £1.75 per bloom
Select your own blooms from more than 4,000 dahlia plants, fill a jam jar with sweet peas (£7.50), plus additional family-friendly activities and plenty of photo opportunities.
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FREE Play For Memory
The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Daily throughout September, 12pm-3pm
Help raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society with The Red Dragon Centre’s public piano. Whether you’re a beginner or a musical maestro, come and play a tune. Plus whether you’re playing or watching, make a donation to support families affected by dementia.
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Ranch Adventure and Gruffalo Trail
Mountain View Ranch, Cardiff
Fridays to Mondays during September (closed Tues-Thurs)
£10 per person aged 2+
Join the Ranch family adventure trail, including the famous Gruffalo trail. Explore and discover all these and much, much more; two jumping pillows, guinea pigs, pygmy goats, ponies, straw bale obstacle course, soft archery, double zip wire, fairy forest, roly poly hill, tree houses, The Vomit Comet, The Big Big Swing, Hobbit Hill, and of course The Gruffalo. Tickets must be booked in advance.
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St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan
Saturdays and Sundays
£1 in addition to usual entry (adults £10.48, adult plus one child 3-14 £10.48, additional child £2.62
The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-4pm and is Wales’ largest independent and undercover aircraft museum, with interactive exhibits and hands-on activities.
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BBC Cymru Wales, Central Square Cardiff
Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 3pm
Adults £15, children £12, family £42
A behind the scenes look at the BBC’s newest and most advanced studios. Visit the state-of-the-art television and radio studios to discover the secrets of making a BBC programme, see the BBC newsrooms, packed with cutting-edge technology including augmented reality, virtual reality and robotic cameras, take a sneak peek at TV galleries and other broadcast facilities, and lots more.
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Star Tours / DNA Decoded / Little Bear / Yucky You
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay
Saturdays and Sundays throughout September
Adults £12.72, children £10.90, family £43.63 plus £2.50 per person per additional show
As well as more than 100 hands-on science exhibits, choose from planetarium shows, live science shows or creative workshops at an additional cost.
Star Tours
25 minute Planetarium show, age guidance 7+
DNA Decoded
45 minute lab workshop, age guidance 7+
Little Bear
25 minute Planetarium show, age guidance under 7s,
Yucky You
30 minute live science show, age guidance 5+
PLUS: Toddler Day, Friday 12 September
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National Museum Cardiff
Until Sunday 22 February 2026
Discover how hip hop has shaped Welsh culture in this exhibition celebrating the evolution of the genre and artform in Wales. Celebrate the style, culture, community, artists, dance and fashion through the stories of the people who shaped hip hop’s past, present, and future. From the artists, dancers, and communities that make up the scene in Wales.
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Summer Nights
Cantref Adventure Farm, Brecon
Friday 5 September, 5.30pm
Live music, hand-made pizza, fully stocked bar, access to farm attractions and more.
Entry is free to those dining and drinking but must be pre-booked.
Plus open Saturdays and Sundays for the usual farm fun.
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Insole Court, Cardiff
The Wind in The Willows
Friday 5 September
Age guidance 5+
£11-£19
Multiple award-winning Illyria celebrates Kenneth Grahame’s timeless tale of friendship, laughter, the longing for home and the lure of adventure.
Pride and Prejudice
Saturday 6 September
£11-£19
Following seven sell-out seasons of this sparkling adaptation, award-winning Illyria returns to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in style. Bring a picnic and enjoy her at her vibrant, forthright, bitchy best.
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Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan
Saturday 6 September, 11am-6pm
Adults £12, children £10, under 3s free
Tibutes to Taylor Swift, pink Bruno Mars, food stalls and licensed bar, plus all the usual Fonmon attractions including dinosaur trail, story trail, face painting and more.
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The Great British Food Festival
Margam Country Park, Port Talbot
Saturday 6-Sunday 7 September
Adults £15, children £7.50, family (2+2) £42
Street food stalls, live music entertainment, craft and gift stalls, chef demos , children’s entertainment, foraging walks and lots more as the festival returns to Margam Park for its seventh year.
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Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend
Sunday 7 September, 5pm
From £11
For families with older children, the final outdoor theatre performance of Bryngarw’s summer season sees the Jane Austen classic brought to the stage in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the author’s birth.
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Natural History Museum presents Dinosaurs Live
Riverfront, Newport
Sunday 7 Sep at 2pm
£19.50, age guidance 3+
London’s Natural History Museum is going on tour to take you on a dinosaur adventure like no other. Watch the life-like dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous come alive right on stage. Discover more about fossils, rocks and how our planet has changed over time.
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FREE Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Insole Court, Cardiff
Sunday 7 September, 2pm-5pm
Pack your favourite teddy, a cosy blanket and a picnic basket for an afternoon of enchanting fun at Insole Court’s annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic. The historic gardens will transform into a magical playground where little adventurers and their cuddly companions can explore, create and make memories together.
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Barry Island
Sunday 7 September, 10am-4pm
A California-inspired Old School Cool day at the beach with Vintage vehicles and rides including hotrod, scooters, low-rider bikes, plus music, independent street food traders, independent makers stalls and more.
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Cefn Mably Farm Park
Sunday 7 September
£11 per person (under 18 months free)
Following a successful summer visit to Cefn Mably, Bluey is back at Cefn Mably. Book in advance as she makes appearances throughout the day.
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FREE Dinky Dragons
Museum of Cardiff
Friday 12 September, 10am-3pm
A free monthly event for babies, toddlers and their grown ups, featuring soft play and messy play, plus rhyme time and story time at 11am and 1pm.
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Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway
Friday 12-Sunday 14 September
Adults £25, children £12.50, family £62.50 (special two and three day prices also available)
Experience five steam locomotives, an enhanced timetable, hog roast, live music and classic vehicles. Book online in advance for one child place free per fare paying adult.
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Big Top Tent, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Friday 12-Sunday 28 September
No Fit State Circus finish their tour of Sabotage in their home city of Cardiff, in their striking Big Top venue. It’s a roller-coaster ride of jaw-dropping circus skills and stunts, including breath-taking skills and aerial feats, eye-popping entertainment, live music and stunning imagery.
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Dinomania: Rivals of the Jurassic
Llanishen Leisure Centre, Cardiff
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September, 11am and 2pm
Adults and children 2+, £12, under 1a £3, family (2+2) £40
A prehistoric adventure where dinosaurs come alive right before your eyes. Meet an allosaurus and ceratosauruss, say hello to baby dinosaurs and discover amazing fossils, including a life-sized T-rex skull.
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Chepstow Castle
Saturday 13-Sunday 14 September, 10am-4pm
Adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family £32 or free for Cadw members
Experience the sights and sounds of medieval life, with historical re-enactment group Bowlore. Displays and demonstrations will take place throughout the day, with have-a-go archery and sword school for anyone who thinks they have what it takes to become a medieval knight.
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FREE Roald Dahl Day
Mumbles Pier, Swansea
Saturday 13 September, 10am-4pm
Celebrating the Welsh born children’s author on what would have been his birthday with storybook trails, live readings, crafts, golden ticket hunt and lot more
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St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September
More than 70 food, drink and craft stalls nestled among St Fagans’ historic buildings. Experience a feast of family-friendly foodie activities, cookery demos, tasty treats and music. Entry to the museum is free; parking is £7 for the day.
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FREE PJ Bell: The Big Bad Wolf Murder
Bookspace, Cardiff
Saturday 13 September, 11am
Local children’s author PJ Bell introduces his new book The Big Bad Wolf Murder, suitable for ages nine to 12. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.
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Heath Park Model Railway, Heath Park, Cardiff
Sunday 14 October, 1pm-5pm
Entry £2.80 per person, rides £2.80 (under 3s free)
Cardiff Model Engineering Society opens its doors to the public with miniature train rides – steam, diesel and electric – plus tram rides.
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Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Wednesday 17-Friday 19 September
£16-£23, under 25s half price
National Dance Company Wales present a triple bill of captivating dance and striking design. Discover three new worlds spanning from ancient mythology to futuristic sci-fi.
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Family Wellness and Music Festival
Garth Glamping, Cardiff
Saturday 20 September, 10am-10pm
Adults £27.80, children 12-16 £11.55, under 12s free
A blend of boutique music festival with the calmness of a wellness retreat at this new Cardiff glamping site, Expect bands and DJs, yoga, qi-gong and sound baths, kids workshops on survival skills and wild crafts, plus stalls from local food and makers.
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FREE Wings of Wales
Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs, Cardiff
Saturday 20 September, 10am-3.30pm
Wings of Wales present the ultimate falconry experience, with flying displays (12pm and 2pm, weather permitting) and educational talks as well as a chance to get up close and personal with the raptors.
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Chepstow Castle
Saturday 20 September, 10am-4pm
Adults £10, children 5-17 £7, family £32 or free for Cadw members
Experience music from the Tudor period, played in beautiful surroundings on authentic instruments.
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Tintern Abbey
Saturday 20 September, 10.30am-4.30pm
Adults £9, children 5-17 £6.30, under 5s free, family £28.80 or free for Cadw members
Step back in time with Brother Thomas and learn what life was like as a monk in Tintern Abbey. The Cistercian monk will tell you about the workings of the abbey, his fellow monks, and their daily life.
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Tretower Court and Castle
Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September, 11am-4pm
Adults £10, children 5-17 £7, under 5s free, family £32 or free for Cadw members
Step back to 1600 and discover what life was like – what people ate, what they wore and how they entertained themselves.
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Saturday 20-Sunday 21 September
£17.50 for stroller entry age 16+, £6,50 for ages 13-15, free for under 13s when accompanied by a paying adult; ticketed events priced individually
Family activities at the popular annual food festival include making Welsh Oggies with Castell Howell Kids’ Cookery School, willow weaving workshop, making flower headdresses, air brush tattoos, face painting, learning about bees and lots more.
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New Theatre, Cardiff
Sunday 21 September
£33-£35
Experience the music and magic of Michael Jackson, with UK tribute act Ben Bowman, Expect a night of greatest hits from Michael and also The Jackson Five, dazzling costumes, a live band and some of the performer’s iconic dance routines.
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New Theatre, Cardiff
Friday 26 September
£28-£32
Direct from London’s West End, this is the first national tour featuring some of the greatest musicals of all time, performed by a live band and character singers, with sing along lyrics on a giant screen. Join in with songs from Mamma Mia, The Greatest Showman, Dirty Dancing, Les Mis, Phantom, Rocky Horror, Mary Poppins, Oliver and more.
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Tintern Abbey
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September, 10am-4pm
Adults £9, children 5-17 £6.30, under 5s free, family £28.80 or free for Cadw members
Learn all about the history of hawking and see bird of prey in flight.
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Trecco Bay Holiday Park
Friday 26-Sunday 28 September
From £14
Contenders from around the globe compete to be the best Elvis impersonator at Porthcawl’s world-famous Elvis festival.
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FREE Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration
National Museum Cardiff
Saturday 28 September, 11am
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most cherished celebrations in the Chinese calendar, marking the harvest season and honouring the full moon as a symbol of family reunion, harmony and abundance. This free event features live performances of the Lion and Dragon Dances, traditional music and dance, Chines craft activities, a dress up corner and more.
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Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Tuesday 30 September and Wednesday 1 October
From £15
Mixing urban dance, daring stunts and dazzling acrobatics, Cirque Éloize’s ground-breaking and breath-taking West End and international hit, is an intoxicating blend of circus arts and urban dance music; b-boying/b-girling, breakdance, hip hop and more.
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