New year 2023: Creative workshops and fun activities to try this January in Blackpool, St Annes and Fleetwood

Painting classes in Lytham St Annes. Photo credit: Unsplash

Here’s a round-up of creative classes and fun workshops in Blackpool and St Annes to try in the new year.

Whether you’re looking for ways to live greener, get in shape or make new friends, here are some of the activities available on the Fylde coast in January 2023.

Make your own silver jewellery

Learn how to make your own sterling silver accessories in a one-off silversmithing workshop. The relaxed and social classes are held at the Lynx Roux studio in St Annes and taught by professional jeweller, Nina Rambelli.

Make a trio of stacked rings, customised bracelets or learn enamelling techniques. Materials and tools are all provided, along with tea and biscuits. Learn more at https://www.craftcourses.com/providers/iasthai-original

Live greener

Fed up of fast fashion? Crafty House is a fashion sustainability project that will teach you to redesign, rework and rewear old garments, giving them a fresh lease of life. It runs on Monday nights at House Of Wingz on Back Reads Road.

Wash Your Words library and laundry room at Mereside are also holding weekly workshops, often themed around up-cycling and sustainablity projects.

The first ones for 2023 are planned on Jan 11th & 18th, where you can learn to create a collage using scrap fabric with your own photos and memorabilia.

Past workshops have included creating a seedpaper calendar, upcycling clothing, and jewellery making – and they are all free.

Workshops are every Wednesday from 1pm to 4.30pm at Wash Your Words, Langdale Place, FY4 4TR.

Learn to crochet

Thornton Library are running a 5 week crochet beginners course starting Jan 10, from 2 to 4pm. Wool provided and needles can be purchased at the class, £3 a session and booking required.

Draw or paint

Learn to draw and paint at a twelve week art course starting at Fairhaven Methodist Church. The classes, on Woodlands Road, cover a range of techniques and mediums, including charcoal, inks, pastels and watercolours, and they said: “the social aspect of art class compliments the tuition to create the perfect environment for creativity and friendship.”

Evening and afternoon classes are available, from Jan 10, 2023. Contact Carly on 01253 384856 or visit Colourwheel for more details.

Or you can learn to paint in acrylics in weekly sessions at Ansdell Unitarian Church Hall. All abilities are welcome and there’s disabled access at the classes which run every Tuesday morning from 10 - 12. Contact [email protected] or call 07412285322 to book a place.

Write a ghost story

See yourself as the next Stephen King? Whatever your writing level, the Seminar Macabre workshop will take your horrifying ideas from the haunted hallways of your mind and help you find them a home in the pages of a story. Whether you are writing a script for screen, stage, or radio; composing a short story or spooky poem; or planning your great horror novel, discover your inner Master of Horror on Jan 11 from 5 - 6:30pm at The Old Electric.

Find your voice

Got something to say? Learn to express yourself in a spoken word and poetry workshop for women. Called The Queens Speech, their goal is to empower each other to talk about things that matter. Sessions are every Tuesday from 5 – 6pm by House of Wingz at The Old Electric.

Sing for fun

Join a fun rock/pop choir where the focus is on building confidence and friendships. The Women’s Rockin’ Harmony Choir is for anyone, and all that's needed is a willingness to learn. Practices are held every Wednesday night at Scream Theatre School in Bispham, with a new members night on Weds 11 January 2023. Email [email protected] for info.

Get in the groove

Dancing is a fun way to get fit and meet new people and if you’re looking to burn off the Christmas calories to some old school tunes, Clubbercise starts at Old Electric from 12 January 2023 at 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Glowsticks optional.

Street dance school, House Of Wingz, are also running beginner classes that teach swing dance, hip hop and voguing.

Co-owner, Ashley Bell-Docherty, said: “The classes are supportive and full of love and laughter. Our focus is on grooving confidence and body positivity.”

Sessions are held Mondays and Wednesdays at 7.45 at House of Wingz, with another session on Tuesdays 8-9 at the Old Electric.

Ballroom blitz

If Strictly’s inspired you to waltz and cha cha, Crown Ballroom have a range of courses and workshops ranging from adult beginners to advanced.

They have a brand new beginners class starting on Sunday January 08, 2023 at 7pm and you can book by emailing [email protected] .

They also run a free session called Let's Dance - a new class that’s all about boosting mental health through ballroom and latin dance and no partner is required.

Alison Slinger, owner of Crown Ballroom, said: “This is a safe space, with no judgement. There’s no yelling, no jumping about, and it’s fine if you get the steps wrong.

“We won’t stand here and say you’ll burn loads of calories and lose loads of weight. What we can guarantee is that you will leave feeling better than when you came in.”

All classes are held at the Crown Ballroom, Farmer Parrs in Fleetwood.