Family Fun Day 2025 🦖

Friday 29 August | 10am–4pm
Free Event
East Square & inside Eastgate at our Ground Floor Event Space

Join us for Basildon’s ultimate family day out – back by popular demand!

We’re teaming up with Basildon Borough Council, Creative Basildon, and Vue once again to bring you a Jurassic-sized day of fun across East Square and inside Eastgate Shopping Centre. Expect dinosaurs, drama, and dino-sized memories…

What’s On in East Square:

🦕 Roaming Dinosaurs – from Spinosaurus and Dilophosaurus to newborn dino babies

🦺 Dino Basecamp & Ranger Training Workshop – register as a Trainee Ranger, learn how to handle a dino emergency, and meet the Chief Ranger!

🎪 Circus Skills Workshop – balance, spin and juggle like a pro

🎨 Join Mike from Family Scribbles for a themed scribbles drawing activity

🎬 Celebrate Vue’s First Birthday with £1 film screenings – choose from Madagascar, Bluey Let’s Play Chef, CBeebies Musical: The Great Ice Cream Hunt, or The Dark Knight (available to book from 22 August via Vue Basildon’s website – first come, first served)

🎉 …and more surprises on the day!

What’s On At Eastgate:

🚙 Jurassic Jeep Wrangler Photo Op – snap a pic with our iconic 1994 Jeep parked outside by East Square

📸 Jurassic Selfie Spot – big, bold and perfect for family pics

🧢 Palaeontology Workshop – kids can dress like explorers, join dino school, make their own clay fossil and earn a certificate

🧸 Dino Plush Stall – take home your very own prehistoric pal

🎁 Look out for retailer pop-ups, special discounts and offers too!

🦖 It’s all completely FREE – no tickets, no bookings, just turn up and dive into the fun.

Rainforest Rescue at Eastgate! 🌿

31st July – 2nd August
10am–3pm daily
Ground Floor, Event Space

Step into the jungle this summer at Eastgate with Rainforest Rescue – a FREE three-day family event packed with fun, colour, and conservation!

🌳 Explore a fully themed rainforest zone filled with vibrant props, from hanging chimps to tropical parrots.
🎨 Enjoy hands-on craft workshops inspired by Amazon wildlife – decorate and take home your creations!
📸 Snap a photo in our lush jungle selfie spot, complete with flowers, leaves, and our giant peacock chair.
🐆 Learn about endangered animals with fun fact stations dotted around the space – including the sloth, river dolphin, and jaguar.

Whether you’re here to craft, explore, or just soak up the immersive experience, this event offers a fun and educational day out for the whole family.

No booking required – just turn up and enjoy!
Let your little explorers go wild for wildlife this summer at Eastgate.

Win a £100 Entertainer Gift Card!

We’re giving one lucky winner the chance to enjoy a £100 shopping spree at The Entertainer here at Eastgate – perfect for picking up the latest toys, games, and gifts!

To enter, simply:

Like our giveaway post on Facebook
Follow Eastgate on Facebook
Tag 2 friends in the comments

💡 Want a bonus entry? Follow us on Instagram too!

📅 Entries close Thursday 18th July
📍 The prize must be collected from Eastgate Shopping Centre

Good luck!

T&Cs apply. One winner will be selected at random. This competition is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram.

Bluey is coming to Eastgate! 💙

We are thrilled to welcome the Aussie Heeler pup, Bluey to Eastgate Shopping Centre on Saturday 10th May!

Bluey will be making personal appearances at intervals from 10am – 3pm, so be sure to pop down and say hello.

There will be opportunities to take photos, so don’t forget to bring your camera!

It’s the perfect family day out – come and join the fun.

Join us on 11am-3pm Thursday 17th, Friday 18th & Saturday 19th April for a fun-filled Easter experience in the heart of Eastgate.

Join us at Eastgate Shopping Centre for our exciting Pumpkin Patch event this Halloween! 🎃

On Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th October, bring the whole family to our ground floor event space (in front of the hoardings) for a fun-filled day of pumpkin picking and decorating.

Choose your perfect pumpkin from our patch, snap some pics at our festive selfie spot 📸, and get creative at our arts and crafts station where you can decorate your pumpkin to take home! 🎃✨

Important Info:

This is a FREE event but to ensure everyone has a great time and it doesn’t get too crowded, you’ll need to book a 30-minute time slot in advance.
Each child can be accompanied by 1 adult max, so please keep this in mind when booking.

Secure your spot now by heading to our ticket page and get ready for some spooky Halloween fun at Eastgate!

Book Your Tickets Here

We can’t wait to see you there! 🧡

AUGUST EVENT SCHEDULE at Eastgate Shopping Centre! 🌟

We’ve got an exciting line-up of FREE events every weekend in August in our Ground Floor Event Space! Here’s what you can look forward to:

Friday 2nd August: Family Fun Day with Vue Cinema and Basildon Council
– Time: 11am-4pm
– Highlights: Dinosaur Takeover, character meet-and-greets, and more family fun activities.

Saturday 10th August: Olympic Arts and Crafts
– Time: 11am-3pm
– Highlights: Get creative with Olympic-themed arts and crafts sessions for all ages.

Saturday 17th August: Golf Simulator in the Centre
– Time: 11am-4pm
– Highlights: Try your hand at our golf simulator and compete with friends and family.

Saturday 24th August: Jamie Knight Football Freestyler
– Time: 11am-3pm
– Highlights: Watch incredible football freestyle performances and join in on workshops every hour.

Bonus Activity:
– Olympic-Themed Badminton Court
– Dates: Available for free play on the days between these weekend events.
– Location: Ground Floor Event Space, outside Starbucks.

Don’t miss out on a fun-filled August at Eastgate! Bring your family and friends to enjoy a month of exciting activities and events. We can’t wait to see you there! 🎉

Summer of Sports: Badminton Extravaganza!

As we wrap up our Summer of Sports, get ready to smash, serve, and have a blast with our final sport: Badminton! We’ve had a fantastic journey with football and tennis, and now it’s time to enjoy the thrill of badminton. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just looking for some family fun, our badminton court is open to all!

Event Details:

Dates: All through August
Location: Ground floor, outside Starbucks in our event space
Time: Available for free play every day, with events every Saturday

Why Join Us?

Stay Active: Enjoy a fun way to keep fit and active during the summer.
Family-Friendly: A perfect activity for families to enjoy together.
Community Spirit: Join fellow community members in a vibrant and engaging atmosphere.

How to Participate:

Just show up! There’s no need to register in advance. Our badminton court is available for free play throughout the day, every day in August. If you’re looking to join in on the special Saturday events, be sure to check our event schedule for details.

Join Us for a Smash Hit Summer!

Don’t miss the final stretch of our Summer of Sports at Eastgate Shopping Centre. Come down, enjoy the game of badminton, and make some wonderful summer memories. See you on the court! 🌞🏸

Date: Friday, 2nd August

Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: East Square, Eastgate Shopping Centre

Eastgate Shopping Centre, in partnership with Vue Cinema and Basildon Council, is thrilled to invite you to our Family Fun Day to celebrate the grand opening of the new Vue Cinema! This is an event you won’t want to miss, packed with exciting activities and entertainment for the whole family, and it’s all FREE!

What’s Happening:

Character Meet & Greets:

Say hello to Bluey, Minions, and giant dinosaurs like T-rex and Velociraptor!
Meet and greet with baby dinosaurs, including the adorable Dino Rangers roaming around with surprises in hand.

Entertainment & Activities:

Dino Story Time: Enjoy engaging dinosaur tales.
Roaming Rangers: Explore with our rangers and their surprises.
Face Painting & Balloon Modelling: Fun for all ages!
Circus Skills Workshop: Learn amazing new tricks.
Community Window Colouring: Get creative with local artists.

Vue Cinema Specials:

Exclusive Preview of Bluey: 10:00 AM – Watch a compilation of your favourite episodes from season three. You might even get a chance to meet Bluey in person!
Mighty Mornings Screening: Enjoy the family blockbuster “IF” at 12:30 PM.
Spiderman: Back on the big screen at 1:00 PM.
McLaren Simulator Challenge: Test your racing skills on the big screen, brought to you by Coca Cola. Compete against a pro McLaren E-sport champion’s lap time.

Eastgate Highlights:

Meet and greet with baby dinosaurs.
Fun giveaways and a plush stall.
A 1995 Jurassic Jeep Wrangler on display.
Special offers from retailers around the centre.

This fun-filled day is perfect for families, film enthusiasts, and anyone looking to enjoy a fantastic day out. Come and celebrate with us, make new memories, and experience the magic of Eastgate and Vue Cinema.

Don’t Miss Out!

Join us for a day of unforgettable fun and celebration. We can’t wait to see you there!

For full details and updates, visit Basildon Council Events.

Category: Past Events & Competitions