Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club to host perfect family day out at first-ever Wicksteed Model Show
Model fans can enjoy everything from boats, planes and trains to haulage trucks and traction engines when Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club hosts an event for the whole family later this month.
The free event will run at the Northamptonshire park from 10am to 5pm on Saturday April 18 and Sunday April 19, and will include superb railway layouts and model boats, both on display and sailing on the park’s heritage model boat pond.
There will also be large-scale model aircraft on show (no flying), model jet turbine demonstrations, and haulage trucks in action, as well as steam model traction engines.
Visitors will be able to try their hand at operating radio-controlled boats and trying out the hobby for real.
Crawler Trucks will be performing over a very tricky obstacle course, demonstrating their amazing skills in climbing the most demanding challenges.
There will also be demonstrations by Models for Heroes, the charity which gives valuable support to former and current armed forces and emergency personnel.
The Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club has been based at the park since the early 1920s, when it was originally called Wicksteed Model Yacht & Power Boat Club.
Club chairman Bill Traynor-Kean said: “This event promises to be great fun for the whole family.
“We have some really wonderful models to display, as well as demonstrations of the art of plastic kit building and painting, which we hope will inspire people of all ages to take up the hobby and encourage youngsters to put down their screens and do something creative and enjoyable.
“The model displays will all be undercover, apart from those at the model boat pond and the Crawler Trucks, so even if the weather isn’t great there will be lots to see.”
Admission to this family-friend event will be free of charge, although car parking charges will apply to support the Wicksteed Charitable Trust’s ongoing maintenance of this lovely park.
For those wishing to make a weekend of it, camping pitches and facilities are available, details of which can be found online at https://wicksteedpark.org/your-visit/camping-at-wicksteed-park/
Wicksteed Park’s rides and attractions are open during the event and on weekends, school holidays and bank holidays until the end of September.
After listening to feedback from visitors, the price of on-day wristbands purchased at the park has been reduced from £25 to £22, to match the online purchase price.
Attractions include the Water Chute, which has just celebrated its 100th birthday, Wicky’s Farmyard, the Wicksteed Park Railway, Sway Rider, the Dinosaur Valley rollercoaster, Rocky River Falls and the refurbished crazy golf course, Pig n’ Putt.
Wicksteed Park combines a 281-acre estate including 147 acres of beautiful parkland with more than 25 rides and attractions for all the family.
It was opened in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed who had a vision to inspire and encourage play as a way to improve families' health and wellbeing.
The Wicksteed Charitable Trust was formed to ensure his work continued after his death and the park has become known as the home of children’s play.
The park has been praised for providing a highly enjoyable and memorable family day out in an assessment by national tourist board VisitEngland.
Awarding the Kettering park a score of 84%, VisitEngland said the attraction remains a well-established and much-loved visitor attraction, offering an excellent balance of traditional family entertainment, expansive green space, and historical significance.
For further information on Wicksteed Park Model Boat Club go to: