Don’t forget, first ever Plug In and Play festival takes place this October half term, a real life videogame adventure taking place across eight locations in Rotherham from 11.00am to 3.00pm, Thursday 31st October to Saturday 2nd November.
Designed by Sheffield’s National Videogame Museum in collaboration with Children’s Capital of Culture, Plug In and Play is a free action-packed trail of playable digital and analogue games inspired by nature that will pop up across Rotherham over three days of live action fun.
Aimed at families, Rotherham’s first ever videogame festival will enable players to go beyond the screen to reimagine classic videogames in real life – from boarding the ultimate gaming bus at RUFC, to saving the queen bee at Forge Island.
The game titles and locations are:
- ‘Radiant Vines’ at All Saints Square, Rotherham, S60 1PW
Play the flowing LED vines in All Saints Square. Water them to see how high they climb the pillars. Find out all about the trail and how to collect stickers along the way!
- ‘Rotherham United E-Sports Gaming Bus’ at Rotherham United FC, New York Stadium, New York Way, Rotherham S60 1FJ
Have a play in the ultimate gaming bus. With a range of videogame activities, you will be spoilt for choice!
- ‘Frog Tipping’ at Rotherham Minster, Church St, Rotherham S60 1PD
A certain Frog wants more things to jump on, and has been fly-tipping stuff into the River Don! Help Robin Rex to clean it up.
- ‘Narrative Games Toolbox’ at Grimm & Co, Ship Hill, Rotherham S60 2HG
Design and create your own videogame narrative. In this spectacularly decorated venue, there are a selection of accessible narrative game tools, with example games made specifically for the festival. Get excited about ways to make and mess around with stories, but any running and screaming should stay on the page!
- ‘Tales & Terrain’ at Riverside House, Main St, Rotherham S60 1AE
A durational, analogue game by Jim Thompson. A crafty and hands on experience for people regardless of artistic ability. Help create a large-scale map packed with small stories, navigated by your own terrain.
- ‘Runner Bees’ at Forge Island, Market St, Rotherham S60 1QE
Can you help the queen bee? Join in with a fun and interactive experience collecting and delivering pollen for the queen bee before time runs out.
- ‘Joust’ at Forge Island, Market St, Rotherham S60 1QE
Can you be the last player remaining? Eliminate other players by jostling their colourful control whilst protecting your own. Play to the music to change the pace in an exciting multiplayer game. Will you keep up?
- ‘Shutterbug’ at Flux Gathering Space, 34 High Street, S60 1PP
A peaceful photography videogame about the joy of going out into the woods and discovering pleasant little critters. Made by Rianna Suen, Dan Emmerson, and Dan Pugsley commissioned to make an exclusive version of this for the festival, incorporating backgrounds and sights from Rotherham.
Players can collect their trail map from the Plug In and Play hub at All Saints Square between 11.00am and 3.00pm each day. Collect stickers at each location and take part in fun activities and creative videogame-inspired arts and crafts activities as you go along.
The event is a taster of the exciting activities planned for children and young people throughout 2025 when the borough becomes the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture. Rotherham Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Neighbourhood Working, Cllr David Sheppard said: “This is going to be a fantastic event for families in Rotherham to enjoy together, with videogames imagined in a whole new way. We’re excited to work with partners like the National Videogame Museum to bring amazing events like this to life.”
John O’Shea, Creative Director and co-CEO of the National Videogame Museum, said “Videogames are for everyone. Through Plug In and Play, families and individuals visiting the different sites across Rotherham will be able to try out new things for free, experiment, and most importantly have fun with new technology without getting in a tangle!”
Working in collaboration with Flux Rotherham and Rotherham’s Museums, Arts and Heritage service, there will be even more free family fun popping up in community venues during October half-term as part of the festival. Head to ‘Joust’ at Boston Castle Ampitheatre, Rotherham S60 2BD, on Tuesday 29th October between 11am and 3pm, or ‘Without Walls Actual Reality Arcade’ at Catcliffe Glass Kiln, Tristford Close, Catcliffe, Rotherham, S60 5JG on Wednesday 30th October between 11am and 3pm.
To stay up-to-date about every event planned, visit www.childrenscapitalofculture.co.uk.