It’s going to be a beast of an Easter at the National Botanic Garden of Wales this year with meerkats, birds of prey and the world-famous Quack Pack to the fore.

There’s also an Easter Egg Hunt and an Easter Bonnet Parade to look forward too as well as music, magic, balloon modelling and much more besides.

The something-for-all-the-family fun begins on Good Friday when Tropical Inc bring their oh-so-popular Meet a Meerkat exotic animal show to the Garden. Meirion Owen’s Quack Pack will be on Millennium Lawn and Myrddin Chorale will be singing in the Great Glasshouse.

On Saturday, it’s more meerkats and Quack Pack but this time with added magic and music. The Belmont Choir will be providing the musical entertainment while Folly Farm’s resident magician, Luke Jugglestruck, will be wowing the crowds with his comic and magical stylings.

Easter Sunday: and Jugglestruck is back with more marvellous magic and back, too, are the Quack Pack. This time, the tuneful accompaniment is provided by Pibau Planed, purveyors of spell-binding medieval music.

Dyfed Carriage Club takes centre stage on Easter Monday with their annual Easter Bonnet Parade, after they have processed gracefully through the Garden. Meirion’s hard-working Indian runner ducks will be put through their paces once more on Millennium Lawn and there’s a double delight with a dual musical helping from Côr Caerfyrddin and the popular local folk duo Fiddlebox. Meanwhile, traditional Welsh dancing fans should head to the Courtyard near the restaurant, where Llanarthne Dancers will be strutting their stuff.

The fun doesn’t stop there, though, with fun family activities every day of the Easter Hols. The focus is on birds, with sponge painting, birdsong, bird spotting with binoculars, bird craft and Easter baskets on the agenda.

And there’s more animal magic on the menu with the fabulous Pembrokeshire Falconry and their fabulous feathered friends – on Tuesday April 7 and Wednesday April 8.

And remember: admission is just £4 for the Big Easter Antiques Weekend, on Saturday and Sunday April 11-12, when Derwen Fairs bring their show to the Carmarthenshire attraction.

Admission to the Garden is £9.75 (including Gift Aid) for adults and £4.95 for children over 5. Entry is FREE for Garden members and so is parking.

For more information about this or other events, call 01558 667149, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or go to www.gardenofwales.org.uk