Explore our events and activities
Check out amazing activities and exciting events at our unique collection of Essex Country Parks and heritage places. From Forest School to parkrun there are lots of ways to make the most of the amazing places on your doorstep and beyond.
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Jaywick Martello Tower Exhibition: Tower at Twenty
Join us in celebrating twenty years of Jaywick Martello Tower!
- Dates: June 26 - August 3, 2025
- 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:
- July 12, 2025
- July 13, 2025
- July 21, 2025
- July 22, 2025
- July 23, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £210 for up to seven people (minimum age seven)

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:
- July 12, 2025
- July 13, 2025
- July 17, 2025
- July 21, 2025
- July 22, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £280 for up to seven people.

Sky Ropes and Sky Ropes Junior at Great Notley
Your family adventure starts here!
- Dates:
- July 12, 2025
- July 19, 2025
- July 20, 2025
- July 23, 2025
- July 24, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Adult £13.00 Young person (8-17) £13.00, Under 8 £13.00

Essex Outdoors: Harlow High Adventure
- Dates:
- July 12, 2025
- July 13, 2025
- July 19, 2025
- July 20, 2025
- July 26, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Burntmill Lane
- Times: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
- 8-16
- Price: High Ropes Adventure Adult – £15 Young person (aged 8-17) – £12 Under 8 – £12 Climbing Wall Adventure Adult – £12 . Young person (aged 8-17) – £10. Under 8 – £10 All sessions are 90 minutes

Helen Rollason: A Vintage & Makers Day Out
Shoppers and classic vehicle enthusiasts, start your engines as Helen Rollason Cancer Charity invites vintage and retro lovers to roll back the years and dress to impress for the 2025 Vintage and Makers Day Out!
- Dates: July 13, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Adults: £8 per person. Concessions (over 65): £7 per person. Children Under-16: £4 per person. Reduced early bird pricing available until 11th of July.

Alderford Water Mill - Heritage Open Days
Alderford water mill is open on the second Sunday of each month from April through to October.
- Dates:
- July 13, 2025
- August 10, 2025
- September 14, 2025
- October 12, 2025
- Venue: Alderford Street
- Times: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Essex Libraries: Summer Reading Challenge
Join the Essex Libraries for this year's Summer Reading Challenge.
- Dates: July 19 - September 6, 2025
- Times: 8:00am - 5:00pm
- 4 to 14
- Price: Free

Bugs and Butterflies Summer Trail at Hadleigh Country Park
Help our rangers find the animals hiding in the parks this summer holidays . . .
- Dates: July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Thorndon Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates: July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Thorndon Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Belhus Woods Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Belhus Woods Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Great Notley Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Cressing Temple Barns
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Danbury Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Cudmore Grove Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Summer Magic Trail at Weald Country Park
Add a touch of summer magic to the school holidays with our Summer Magic Trails at the Essex Country Parks...
- Dates:
- July 19 - August 31, 2025
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Finchingfield Post Mill: Heritage Open Days
Visit the Grade II listed Finchingfield Post Mill, the oldest windmill in Essex.
- Dates:
- July 20, 2025
- August 17, 2025
- September 21, 2025
- Venue: Finchingfield Post Mill
- Times: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Mountnessing Post Mill: Heritage Open Days
Visit Mountnessing Post Mill, the nearest Essex mill to London.
- Dates:
- July 20, 2025
- August 17, 2025
- September 21, 2025
- Venue: Mountnessing Post Mill
- Times: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Essex Outdoors School Holiday Activity Days: Mersea
Action-packed kids holiday club activity days run at our four Essex Outdoors centres during the school holidays.
- Dates:
- July 21, 2025
- July 22, 2025
- July 23, 2025
- July 24, 2025
- July 28, 2025
- July 29, 2025
- (continued …)
- Times: 9:00am - 5:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: £40.00 per child per day. Buy four days and get the fifth free. To book this offer call the centre on 01206 383226.

Explore Your Writing Potential: Free Writing Workshops
Free writing workshops with award-winning writer Kenny Emson.
- Dates: July 21, 2025
- Times: 10:30am - 6:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Essex Outdoors School Holiday Activity Days: Harlow
Our action-packed activity day experiences run at our Harlow Centre during the school holidays and are the ideal way for young people aged 8-16 to try exciting new experiences in the outdoors.
- Dates:
- July 23, 2025
- July 24, 2025
- July 25, 2025
- July 28, 2025
- July 29, 2025
- July 30, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 9:00am - 5:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: £40.00 for the whole day. Book four days, get a fifth day free. (Individuals and siblings only).

Essex Outdoors: School Holiday Activity Days - Danbury
Action-packed kids holiday club activity days at Essex Outdoors Danbury.
- Dates:
- July 24, 2025
- July 25, 2025
- August 4, 2025
- August 5, 2025
- August 6, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Danbury
- Times: 8:30am - 5:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: £40.00 per child per day.

Festival of Essex Archaeology and Heritage
Place Services at Essex County Council are excited to announce the very first Festival of Essex Archaeology and Heritage
- Dates: July 24, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Towering Defences: A talk from the Essex Record Office
Join Neil Wiffen from the Essex Record Office to learn about the history of the coastal defence of Essex through 1797 – 1810.
- Dates: July 29, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Open the Box - Crafts and memory sharing
Celebrate the Tower at Twenty and become a part of history by contributing your own special memory of Jaywick to the Essex Record Office archives.
- Dates: July 29, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 12:30pm - 3:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price:

Rhiannon Faith Company and Harlow Playhouse Present: Care Weekender
This summer, the Care Weekender is back. Join Rhiannon Faith Company and Harlow Playhouse who bring you a weekend of FREE family friendly activities.
- Dates:
- August 2, 2025
- August 3, 2025
- Times: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Essex Outdoors School Holiday Activity Days: Bradwell
Our action packed activity day experiences run at our Bradwell Centre during the school holidays and are the ideal way for young people aged 8-16 to try exciting new experiences in the outdoors.
- Dates:
- August 4, 2025
- August 5, 2025
- August 6, 2025
- August 7, 2025
- August 8, 2025
- August 18, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- 8-16
- Price: Price: £40.00 per child per day. Buy four days get the fifth free. To book this offer please call the centre on 01621 776256.

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Talk - Rifleman Harris and the Sharpe Series
Join Jaywick Martello Tower for their summer talk series focused on the Napoleonic history of Essex.
- Dates: August 5, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £2.00 entry fee.

Family Wild Wednesdays at Danbury Country Park
Free family fun in the great outdoors this summer
- Dates:
- August 6, 2025
- August 13, 2025
- August 20, 2025
- August 27, 2025
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 2:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free (car parking charges apply)

Exhibition: In Defence of the Realm – The Friends of Jaywick Martello Tower
This special exhibition by the Friends of Jaywick Martello Tower shines a spotlight on the early history of ‘Martello Tower C’, our very own Jaywick Martello Tower!
- Dates: August 7 - 8, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Cressing Temple Barns: An Essex Ways Story Walk
If you want to know more about the history, stories and places in your local area, while getting some quality time in nature - this walk is for you!
- Dates: August 9, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Jaywick Sands: An Essex Ways Story Walk
Discover the stories and secrets of Essex with a guided walk through some of its finest landscapes.
- Dates: August 10, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Talk - Essex and the Napoleonic Wars
Join Jaywick Martello Tower for our summer talk series focused on the Napoleonic history of Essex.
- Dates: August 12, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £2.00 entry fee. Refreshments provided.

Cudmore Grove: An Essex Ways Story Walk
Discover the stories and secrets of Essex with a guided walk through some of its finest landscapes.
- Dates: August 13, 2025
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Mersea Island Festival 2025
The Mersea Island Festival brings together children, young people and adults with or without a physical or learning disability.
- Dates: August 17 - 25, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Mersea
- Times: 6:00pm - 6:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: Week: Adult £350.00, under-18’s £313.00. Weekend: Adult £212.00, under-18’s £188.00. Day visitors: Prices: £42.50 per person per day. Meals (lunch and dinner) available at an additional cost of £12.00.

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Talk - Thames Barges, bringing materials and men to build the Towers
Join Jaywick Martello Tower for their summer talk series focused on the Napoleonic history of Essex.
- Dates: August 19, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £2.00. Refreshments provided.

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Talk - Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me
Join Jaywick Martello Tower for our summer talk series focused on the Napoleonic history of Essex.
- Dates: August 26, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £2.00. Refreshments provided.

Jaywick Martello Tower: Wise Ram Theatre - Sundream: Acting and Theatre Workshop an Introduction
Join lead artists Molly and Sofia at the Jaywick Martello for a fun and interactive drama workshop.
- Dates: September 13, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 2:00pm - 3:30pm
- For adults
- Price: Free

Beeleigh Steam Mill: Heritage Open Days
Visit Beeleigh Steam Mill, one of the most attractive and fascinating in East Anglia.
- Dates:
- September 13, 2025
- September 14, 2025
- September 21, 2025
- Venue: Beeleigh Steam Mill
- Times: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Wise Ram Theatre - Sundream: Celebration Event - Theatre, Music and Mingling
An opportunity to come together to celebrate local creativity and storytelling!
- Dates: September 13, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 5:00pm - 7:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Place Services: Living with Heritage Assets: How to understand and navigate the planning system
This morning course is designed to provide an understanding of the planning system for those who own a listed building or live within a Conservation Area.
- Dates: September 24, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 9:30am - 12:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £45.00

Cressing Temple Barns: Charlie Owen Autumn Shopping Fair
Come along to the extremely popular and well established Autumn Fair at Cressing Temple Barns.
- Dates:
- September 27, 2025
- September 28, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 3:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Adults £6.00, concessions £5.00 and children free

North Essex Astronomical Society at Great Notley
North Essex Astronomical Society is one of the larger astronomical societies in the UK with over 200 members. They are also one of the few providing members with access to a full-sized observatory at a dark-sky location
- Dates:
- September 27, 2025
- October 25, 2025
- November 29, 2025
- December 13, 2025
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 7:00pm - 9:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Cressing Temple Barns: Apple Day
Join The Friends of Cressing Temple for Apple Day!
- Dates: October 12, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £4.00 for adults, children (under 18-years-old) free

Place Services: House History - Researching and Understanding Your Historic Building
This course is aimed at homeowners, heritage consultants, architects and anyone interested in researching the history and development of historic buildings.
- Dates: October 22, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 11:00am - 3:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £60.00
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