Make ready! this year Panto Day is Friday 16 December.
Now in its sixth year, Panto Day continues to go from strength to strength, this year including a Pantomime Study Day at the Victoria and Albert Museum, no less, with one of the UK’s leading Dames making a special appearance. Oh yes she is!
Theatres do a lot to promote pantomime and participate in Panto Day, some offering behind the scenes tours and competitions as well as the usual fun of the panto itself.
As at previous Panto Day performances, crosswords, wordsearches and colouring-in sheets will be handed out in theatres, and this year there is also a make-her-yourself Patricia the Panto Day cow funsheet!
Every year sees activity on social media grow with #pantoday trending for seven hours in 2015 as performers and Pantolovers tweeted (@Panto_Day) across the globe.
There is also lots of activity on Panto Day’s Facebook page: and the YouTube profile is worth a look too.
Panto Day Founder Simon Sladen said, "Panto Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Britain’s favourite art form. It’s unbelievable just how much celebrations have grown over the past five years and how many people from across the world get involved."
On the more serious side (but not too much), the National Database of Pantomime Performance will reveal which pantomime titles are the most popular of 2016, and the expanding Panto Advice Page will have new articles on flying, playing Principal Girl, performing as Principal Boy and the role of Villain.
An in-depth interview with Michael Harrison, MD of Qdos Entertainment which produces 23 regional pantomimes and this year brings pantomime back to the London Palladium, will also be launched on Panto Day.
If you can't make it to a Panto on Friday, your little ones don't have to miss out; Panto Day Activity Sheets can be downloaded.