Explore our events and activities
Put a spring in your step with our 23 ways to Explore Essex in 2023 and read our Essex Explorer magazine for fascinating features and seasonal inspiration for days out with your family and furry friends.
Check out fun activities and events taking place in our Essex Country Parks and Heritage Places in the listings below. From Forest School to parkrun there are lots of ways to Explore Essex.
We're excited to have supported lots of exciting community activities and programmes through the Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund. Keep an eye on the below for lots of interesting activities to enjoy near you.
Discover our annual Essex Explorer Pass to help you save money on car parking and more and 'get out more' with family and friends this season.
Sign-up to our Explore Essex newsletters to receive regular news and inspiration, discover what's going on around the county direct to your inbox.
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23 ways to Explore Essex in 2023 with family and friends
23 ideas to kick start 2023 from walks to birdwatching, kid's play to family history, there's something for everyone.
- Dates: January 1 - April 30, 2023
- Times: 8:00am - 7:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Mostly free - see feature for more information

Jaywick Martello Tower: Coastal Open 2023
We are now accepting applications for the Coastal Open 2023.
- Dates: March 28 - August 11, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 12:00pm - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: N/A

Jaywick Martello Tower Spring Talk 2023: Raising the curtain on the Aurora Borealis
Join us at Jaywick Martello Tower for the final of our Spring Talks 2023 series about The Northern lights, which provide one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on Earth.
- Dates: March 31, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Tickets are £2.00 per talk or pay for all five talks in advance and get the final talk free.

ERO Presents: Playing to the whistle: The railways of Essex and East Anglia*
For almost the last two centuries, railways, both main- and branch-lines, have dissected the county, taking commuters to the metropolis, goods to market and trippers to the seaside.
- Dates: April 1, 2023
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:00am - 3:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £30-£35

Jaywick Martello Tower: Tides of Tendring
For this special evolving exhibition, we will be reshowing the Friends of Jaywick Martello Tower’s Tides of Tendring exhibition.
- Dates:
- April 1, 2023
- April 2, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Essex Outdoors Bradwell: Sailing Experience Days
Take to the water in a keelboat to experience a day on the River Blackwater with your family.
- Dates:
- April 1, 2023
- April 2, 2023
- April 7, 2023
- April 8, 2023
- April 9, 2023
- April 10, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £190 for up to seven people

Essex Outdoors Bradwell: Family Powerboating Experience Days
Take to the water on a powerboat to experience a day on the River Blackwater with your family.
- Dates:
- April 2, 2023
- April 7, 2023
- April 10, 2023
- April 15, 2023
- April 16, 2023
- April 29, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £280 for up to seven people

Jaywick Martello Tower: Carol Dawson Exhibition
See local artist Carol Dawson's work in this special exhibition.
- Dates:
- April 6 - May 28, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Jaywick Martello Tower: Carol Dawson Portraits
Join local artist Carol Dawson for a free portrait.
- Dates: April 8, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 11:00am
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Harlow High Adventure
Discover weekend fun with high ropes and climbing walls at Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Dates:
- April 8, 2023
- April 9, 2023
- April 15, 2023
- April 16, 2023
- April 23, 2023
- April 29, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: High Ropes Hexagon Adult – £16 Young person (aged 8-17) – £13 Climbing Wall Adventure Adult – £13 Young person (aged 6-17) – £11 All sessions are 90 minutes
Wyrd Flora: Exploring the abundance of the Essex Estuary
Come and walk a section of the Wivenhoe trail and learn about the different edible, remedial, wildcraft suitable estuary plants, herbs and hedgerows just on our doorstep.
- Dates: April 10, 2023
- Venue: Lightship Way
- Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Jaywick Martello Tower: INSTAR ARKADE Arkspace Workshops
Join INSTAR for these creative workshops which takes inspiration from natural, as well as human-made, structures.
- Dates: April 12, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 1:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

INSTAR ARKADE Family Workshop
Join INSTAR for a fun and glowing workshop at Inclusion Ventures.
- Dates: April 13, 2023
- Times: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Charlie Owen Essex Spring Shopping Fair
The Charlie Owens Essex Spring Fair comes to Cressing Temple Barns
- Dates: April 15 - 16, 2023
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- For the whole family
- Price: Adults £5, Concessions £4 and children free

INSTAR 'ARKADE': Shoreline Sketching
Join INSTAR for this fun shoreline sketch and strand line safari event.
- Dates: April 15, 2023
- Venue: Badminton Road
- Times: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Woodland Play at Danbury Country Park
Join us for woodland play sessions, aimed at the under-5's. Activities include forest crafts and building dens.
- Dates:
- April 17, 2023
- May 22, 2023
- June 5, 2023
- July 10, 2023
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
- For under 5s
- Price:

Home education Forest School sessions at Danbury Country Park
Aimed at home educated children, this series of six sessions at Danbury Country Park includes nature activities, forest crafts, imagination, physical play and building things.
- Dates:
- April 17, 2023
- May 22, 2023
- June 5, 2023
- July 10, 2023
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price:

Family Forest School at Danbury Country Park
Don’t let the children have all the fun, connecting with nature is beneficial for everyone. Come and join us at our Family Forest School sessions.
- Dates:
- April 22, 2023
- May 13, 2023
- June 10, 2023
- July 15, 2023
- July 22, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £10
ERO Presents: Hunting for Essex Witches through archives and archaeology
Reconstructing the lives of marginalised Elizabethan women and discovering the beliefs of luck, protection and magical-medicine
- Dates: April 29, 2023
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £11 - £13

Cudmore Grove Country Park Parkrun
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 8:45am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Weald Country Park Parkrun
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 8:45am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Marsh Farm Country Park Parkrun
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Marsh Farm Country Park
- Times: 8:45am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Hadleigh Country Park Parkrun
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 8:45am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Great Notley Country Park Parkrun
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 8:45am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Temple at War
Military and vintage show, with a variety of displays, explosive battles, outstanding shows, RAF flyover, vintage stalls and memorabilia
- Dates: May 13 - 14, 2023
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- For the whole family
- Price:
Event location map

23 ways to Explore Essex in 2023 with family and friends
23 ideas to kick start 2023 from walks to birdwatching, kid's play to family history, there's something for everyone.
- Dates: January 1 - April 30, 2023
- Times: 8:00am - 7:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Mostly free - see feature for more information

Jaywick Martello Tower: Coastal Open 2023
We are now accepting applications for the Coastal Open 2023.
- Dates: March 28 - August 11, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 12:00pm - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: N/A

Jaywick Martello Tower Spring Talk 2023: Raising the curtain on the Aurora Borealis
Join us at Jaywick Martello Tower for the final of our Spring Talks 2023 series about The Northern lights, which provide one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on Earth.
- Dates: March 31, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Tickets are £2.00 per talk or pay for all five talks in advance and get the final talk free.

Temple at War
Military and vintage show, with a variety of displays, explosive battles, outstanding shows, RAF flyover, vintage stalls and memorabilia
- Dates: May 13 - 14, 2023
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- For the whole family
- Price:
Site Hire
Many of our parks and places are available for event and 3rd party hire.
