Description
Ladies In Vans at Mannakin Hall
A two-night campervan gathering in the middle of a mannequin transformation space.
Park up among thousands of rescued mannequins, spend the weekend painting mannequin body parts, meeting like-minded women, exploring one of the strangest places in the UK, and helping bring our monthly Open Day to life.
It’s not a festival.
And it’s definitely not glamorous. But it is memorable!
Set inside the grounds of Mannakin Hall — home to thousands of rescued and reimagined mannequins — Ladies In Vans is a relaxed creative weekend for women with campervans or motorhomes who fancy doing something completely different.
Think:
- campervans parked next to mannequins
- painting sessions with mannequin body parts
- wandering around surreal film sets
- late-night conversations
- slightly uncanny photo opportunities
- and becoming part of the atmosphere during our public Open Day
What actually happens?
You’ll arrive on Friday and settle into life at Mannakin Hall. Within an hour this space becomes normal!
After a tour around the site, you’ll choose a mannequin body part to transform during the weekend. Some people paint legs. Some paint heads. Some create complete artistic chaos. We fully support all of these decisions.
The atmosphere is relaxed, creative and friendly.
On Saturday afternoon, Mannakin Hall opens to the public for our monthly Open Day. As part of the weekend, you’ll help us create the atmosphere by chatting to visitors, showing your creations, helping people feel welcome and generally becoming part of the strange little world we’ve built here.
Nothing formal.
No forced smiles.
No matching polo shirts.
Just real people helping make the place feel alive.
Then you stay for a second night — included in the price.
What’s included
- Two nights at Mannakin Hall
- Campervan parking from Friday to Sunday
- A mannequin body part to paint and keep
- Access to kitchen and toilet facilities
- Friday evening social and night wander
- Helping out at the Mannakin Hall Open Day experience
- Access to our Ladies In Vans community group on Facebook and WhatsApp
- Endless mannequin-related conversations you never expected to have in life
The Open Day bit
On Saturday from 1pm–5pm, Mannakin Hall opens to visitors.
Rather than hiding away in the vans, our Ladies In Vans guests become part of the experience.
Some people help visitors find their way around.
Some sit painting.
Some chat about campervan life.
Some accidentally become tourist attractions themselves.
It’s all very relaxed — and honestly one of the most interesting parts of the weekend.
Facilities
This is a very basic off-grid style setup.
We have:
- toilets
- a functional kitchen
- parking
- lots of strange scenery
Important bits
- £45 per person
- Friday arrival from 12 noon
- Departure Sunday by 12 noon
- Limited spaces available
- No under 16s
- Friendly dogs welcome on leads
- Bring your own food and drinks
- Bring art materials if you’d like specific paints/tools
- Spray painting requires your own PPE
Who is this for?
Women who:
- like unusual places
- enjoy creativity
- don’t mind things being slightly imperfect
- enjoy stories and interesting people
- love campervan life
- secretly want to say they spent a weekend in a mannequin transformation space in rural Lincolnshire
If that sounds like your kind of thing, book in now – places are limited and bookings go fast! If you’d like to organise your own date for perhaps a birthday or special occassion please contact us. There is a minimum of 5 tickets.
juliekirby60 (verified owner) –
Such a brilliant 24 hours with Ladies with vans night full of laughter. The ladies that attended this gathering had never met before. Such fun creating our masterpieces. Absolutely loved it here. Such an interesting and mad crazy place
alison.russell61 (verified owner) –
What a great idea, we had such fun decorating the mannequins and they were all different. Loved the creepy night walk.
Roz and Tim were perfect hosts and we all said we’d be back.
ruannp –
Wow what a fantastic time at Ladies with campervans.
Loved every minute
Great group experience with many laughs.
Will be back soon
Prepare to bring many body parts home with you along with great memories.
Thank you x
Gemma Viles (verified owner) –
24h in a mannequin graveyard seemed like a good idea for a trip away and it most definitely was!
Due to the low numbers in the group it really did feel welcoming. The tour of the yard was brilliant and I learnt a lot about the mannequin industry and how Mannakin recycles items that would otherwise be landfill ♥️
I had such a lovely time, and met some wonderful people. I also may have come home with more mannequins than planned
This is a must do, bucket list item that you never thought you needed.
Unique, fun, friendly and welcoming. I just wish it were closer as I’d visit every week for a new body part!
katdonne (verified owner) –
Well, what an experience! I was made to feel welcome from the moment I arrived and soon got chatting to the other ladies in our group. There’s so much to see, from the tour of all the Mannakins, to the museum and all the stories. Picking our own body part was so much fun and even though I’m the most uncreative person I had so much fun painting, especially with the help and encouragement from the other ladies in the group.
It really is an experience you’ll never forget, you’ll find yourself saying the most random sentences (Oops, his arm just fell off!”), making new friends and probably getting a new addiction!
Thank you to Lord & Lady Mannakin for such a great 24hrs. Will definitely be back!
Julie Bedford (verified owner) –
What a totally bonkers, weird, fabulous event this is. Very unique venue with so much to see. Total sensory overload. We laughed, screamed and once we had chosen our body part from the graveyard discovered our artistic talent. Can’t wait to return. A must do activity
missfranwatson (verified owner) –
Absolutely brilliant experience meeting 4 other unknown ladies and we all got on like a house on fire! Tour of the place was great and learning about the manikin industry was eye opening. Choosing a body part and spending all evening decorating it was great! Great to meet the hosts who are absolutely lovely! Toilets and kitchen on site left open all night so didn’t even need to use the van loo or kettle! No artistic talent needed just turn up with some paint and have a go as I definitely don’t have any talent and it didn’t matter we all just chatted and had fun. Can’t wait to go back
Tracey Cooke (verified owner) –
A wonderful place full of atmosphere and mannequins. Had a fabulous 24 hours with lovely folk. A must for an unusual adventure that will make you want to go back for more. Very welcoming atmosphere, with a small group of like minded ladies. A chance to learn about the history of the place and the mannequins.Then choose your mannequin body part to turn into your own art instillation Would whole heatedly recommend. Hope to return, possibly in warmer times.
rnetherway (verified owner) –
Absolutely LOVED my Ladies in Vans overnight stay and my 15 minute Body Haul the day after.
What a bonkers experience!
Roz and Tim made everyone welcome and it was a lovely relaxed atmosphere.
The mannekin painting wad brilliant fun, yiu don’t have to be artistic at all, just go with the flow. Abd the creepy walk round in the dark was brilliant fun.
An unusual and fun experience, would highly recommend.
guthriejunkmail (verified owner) –
After a lovely warm welcome we had a tour of the site and learned about the fascinating life of Mannakin. A great business that has history, fashion and art at its core. We were a small group, which was very comfortable, with fun, like-minded people and we settled into painting our pieces with gusto. It was an easy atmosphere and I’d definitely return. The room is warm and cozy, with toilets and a kitchen, and even though it was January, it wasn’t difficult. Hot water bottle and welly boots are a camping creature comfort after all. Thank you Roz and Tim for a memorable experience and thank you to my fellow travellers for being so fabulous. I hope to see you all again soon. X
Sally Johnson (verified owner) –
What a fabulous place & Roz &.Tim are great! Guider tour of everything and picked whatever ‘body part’ we wanted to paint/decorate, then a fun evening chatting and making our creations.
Great facilities, open overnight too for those in campervans. I’ll definitely be back for a second go!
debrajenkins507 –
Just back from a weekend with a difference!!
Spent a couple of nights in my van along with a couple of other ladies in vans,new friendships made .
If you’re looking for something a bit different then this is the place to go!!
Roz was very welcoming from the time she opened the gates.
Picking our individual selected body parts to paint was great fun!!
Such a lovely relaxing weekend, chatting laughing and decorating our manakin parts in our individual styles.
Roz and Tim are great hosts, Tim was more than happy to help out with altering our body parts cutting them to our own design, thank you both for a fabulous weekend.
I’ve a feeling it’s going to become addictive
Jacqueline Plant –
Fantastic weekend . Something completely different for me and I thoroughly embraced it and enjoyed every minute. Roz and Tim were fantastic hosts nothing was too much trouble for them. Keep doing what you are doing . It was a great experience Jackie and Joy
Julie Bedford (verified owner) –
Whoops, seem to have found myself back again. Second time around and this place has lost none of the excitement, weirdness and warmth experienced the first time around. Roz and Tim are amazing hosts that create a wonderful, welcoming and fun atmosphere. Through laughs, conversation, shared experiences (and maybe a glass or two of proscecco) everyone becomes friends. Everyone also turns into fantastic artists…how does that happen…? The art work, imagination and variety of themes on the body parts is awe-inspiring and beautiful. Solo, with friends, zero art skills or accomplished creator, Ladies in Vans at Mannakin Hall is a must do
Jill Tivey (verified owner) –
Bonkers good fun last Friday and Saturday. Five of us ladies/ four vans and a great time had by all. It was my birthday and retirement treat along with my friend Kay and it was the perfect way to celebrate. I got my MANakin – the only one to choose a male one ! I painted him neurographic style and bought him home to finish off along with quite a few other body parts including a bum coffee table! Roz was laid back, friendly and interesting. I would definitely recommend the ladies in vans night. We all got on well, I enjoyed wandering around looking at all the mannequins in various poses and dress and we all sat outside in the sunshine on Saturday, no rush. It’s out in the countryside and so peaceful. Quite spooky at night but that was fun too. Enjoy if you decide to go. Jill x
kay.m.beardsley –
To say this is a different & unique experience is an under-statement!
This is something to talk about for years!
I love that it’s mad, wacky & totally different – a bit like me really but who wants normality anyway?!
My friend Jill asked if I’d go with her and yes she’s a bit bonkers too!
We stayed in her campervan a long with 3 other ladies & their vans.
I have never laughed & enjoyed myself so much.
I felt at ease with Roz and Tim; it was a ‘treat our place as your place’ kinda atmosphere.
We arrived on the Friday & were shown around the mannakins, we could then chose a body part to paint at our leisure/into the night and it was great to meet like minded (mad) ladies.
And the following morning with the sun shining we all ate breakfast outside together along with our arms, legs, torso’s, heads, you name it!
Some ladies even chose extra body parts to take home – like you do!
Roz was so laid back & there was no rush for us to leave.
I can’t recommend this experience enough however, what I wouldn’t recommend is standing still for too long because you might get transported to a shop window!
Thanks for a brilliant time xx
Julia Martin (verified owner) –
What a magical experience to wander around thousands of mannakins! As soon as I drove in I was surrounded by mannakins! The night walk was amazing. Had an absolute ball meeting like minded ladies in vans. It was so relaxing painting our chosen body parts in the sun. Roz is a fantastic and fun host and I would recommend this unique experience to anyone. I will remember it always and hope to return.
Alison Brown (verified owner) –
From the moment you arrive it’s clear this is a special, if bonkers place. Where else would you be able to spot the entrance by seeing a pile of body parts? Roz and Tim are great hosts, welcoming and certainly up for a laugh. There is the guided tour, choice of parts that Tim will mutilate to meet your needs, and then a relaxed time decorating while enjoying banter. If you’re nervous don’t worry, there’s no pressure and having a shared activity means comfortable silence among the giggles.
The residents take on a whole new demeanour in the dark for the night walk and your imagination can run wild.
There is access to the kitchen with cooker and bathroom and no rush to leave the next day.
I’m a repeat offender as I love the chilled atmosphere and of course getting to fuss everyone’s dogs.
If like me your creation has to stay in your vehicle they make a great conversation starter. There’s nothing like hearing a child shout “ look, there’s a blue man with no arms”
Yes it’s all a bit crazy and trying to explain it to people is all part of the fun. If you want an unusual experience in a safe, truly welcoming place Mannakin is the place to be ❤️
Iona Walton (verified owner) –
If you’re thinking about it DO IT! I’d been eyeing this event up since last year, saw the dates for this year and could make the first one so booked. As others have said it’s a very unique and absolutely fascinating place. Went with a friend but could easily go by yourself as everyone is so friendly. One lady was back for her fourth visit – so it must be good! Loved seeing everyone’s creations – all completely different. I smiled and laughed my way through the 24 hrs. Thank you Roz for being such a welcoming and brilliant host – I could listen to your stories about your business forever. If I could give you more then 5 stars I would ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️