AN exciting series of events is taking place at Skipton Town Hall and on tour for the October half-term holiday.

The Big Draw Festival returns to Skipton Town Hall on Saturday October 26, with the Big Community Doodle, a free drop-in event, in the town hall hub from 10am to 1pm.

This year the Big Draw Festival theme will be celebrating and exploring the benefits of being actively creative to make positive change and improve wellbeing.

Danielle Daglan, programming and venue development manager at Craven District Council, said: “Our big draw events are always really popular so this is a great way to kick off our half-term events. Research suggests that doodling calms the conscious mind and helps us focus on the present moment. Everyone can doodle - everyone is welcome.

“We also have lots of other events going on around the district, in Skipton, Settle and Gargrave over the October half-term so we hope to see plenty of families at our craft workshops, exploring the Craven Museum collections and getting creative.”

On Monday, October 28, from 11am to 1pm, there will be a drop-in craft workshop at the Folly in Settle. This is free on entry to the Folly and offers the chance to explore some of the curious and unexpected creatures of the Craven Museum collection currently ‘on tour’ at The Folly - and for visitors to make their own curious creature to take home.

A free Craven Museum drop-in workshop takes place on Wednesday October 30 from 10am to 12 noon, at the town hall hub in Skipton. Visitors are invited to join the spooky ‘make and take’ family-friendly workshop and make their own gruesome creation to take home.

Also on Wednesday October 30, from 2pm to 4.30pm, is another free drop-in event at Gargrave and Malhamdale Community Library, Gargrave. Visitors are invited to join Craven Museum for an afternoon of hands on history, with objects from the museum to have a look at and to handle. People can take along their own objects and treasures, and to share their stories with museum staff - objects could be featured on the online digital museum.

On Friday November 1, from 10am to midday, there will be another free ‘make and take’ craft session at the hub at the town hall in Skipton, when families are invited to make their own woodland creature with the Craven Museum team.

For more details on October half-term events and the rest of the Skipton Town Hall autumn/winter programme, go to:cravendc.gov.uk/skipton-town-hall. Copies of the Autumn/Winter programme are available to pick up from the Information and Visitor Centre, Skipton.