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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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

Belhus Woods Wetland Trail for all the Family
Enjoy our FREE trail this May half term with the family, and discover fascinating facts about wetlands along the way!
- Dates: May 27 - June 11, 2023
- Venue: Belhus Woods Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Danbury Wetland Trail for all the Family
Enjoy our FREE trail this May half term with the family, and discover fascinating facts about wetlands along the way!
- Dates: May 27 - June 11, 2023
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Marsh Farm Country Park Wetland Trail
Enjoy our FREE trail this May half term with the family, and discover fascinating facts about wetlands along the way!
- Dates: May 27 - June 11, 2023
- Venue: Marsh Farm Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

Cudmore Grove Wetland Trail for all the Family
Enjoy our FREE trail this May half term with the family, and discover fascinating facts about wetlands along the way!
- Dates: May 27 - June 11, 2023
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Junior Coastal Open 2023
We are now accepting applications for the Junior Coastal Open 2023.
- Dates: June 1 - October 29, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 12:00pm - 12:00pm
- Teenagers
- Price: Free

Volunteer at Weald Country Park
With Spring upon us we are looking for volunteers to help with surveying our wildflower meadows.
- Dates: June 1 - 30, 2023
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 3:00pm
- For adults
- Price: N/A

Jaywick Martello Tower: Coralina Cattrell Memorial Exhibition
A Memorial Exhibition of local artist, the late Coralina 'Tina' Cattrell.
- Dates: June 1 - 4, 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:
- June 3, 2023
- June 4, 2023
- June 17, 2023
- June 18, 2023
- June 24, 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:
- June 3, 2023
- June 4, 2023
- June 24, 2023
- June 25, 2023
- July 1, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Bradwell
- Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £280 for up to seven people

Elevator Arts and Kool Karers present ‘Hidden Voices’
Hidden Voices is a touching and joyful celebration of the experience of young carers in Basildon.
- Dates: June 5 - 14, 2023
- Times: 9:00am - 6:00pm
- Teenagers
- 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:
- 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:
- June 5, 2023
- July 10, 2023
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price:

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (The Hive)
The Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival brings together the community in celebration of the broadcast heritage of the city.
- Dates: June 5, 2023
- Times: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (Chelmsford Escape Rooms)
The Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival brings a special listening session, hearing community produced radio drama in the eerie darkness of Chelmsford Escape Room's Governor game.
- Dates: June 6, 2023
- Times: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

We are Music Jaywick
Free music sessions for young people at Jaywick Martello Tower!
- Dates:
- June 6, 2023
- June 13, 2023
- June 20, 2023
- June 27, 2023
- July 4, 2023
- (continued …)
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 5:00pm - 9:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: FREE

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (Chelmsford Theatre Bar)
The Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival brings together the community in celebration of the broadcast heritage of the city.
- Dates: June 7, 2023
- Times: 12:00pm - 2:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (Club Woodham)
The fourth listening session of the brand new Chelmsford Radio Drama festival. Come and hear some Radio Drama produced by local people.
- Dates: June 8, 2023
- Venue: Baron Road
- Times: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (Chelmsford Library)
The fifth listening session of the brand new Chelmsford Radio Drama festival. Come and hear some Radio Drama produced by local people.
- Dates: June 9, 2023
- Times: 12:00pm - 2:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Listening Session (Essex Record Office)
A special final listening session for the Chelmsford Radio Drama festival featuring a specially written live performance of Haunted!
- Dates: June 9, 2023
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

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:
- June 10, 2023
- July 15, 2023
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 2:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £10

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: Writers Workshop
A radio drama writing workshop with expert Robin Brooks which ends with a recorded performance of the work in front of an audience.
- Dates: June 17, 2023
- Times: 10:00am - 9:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations recevied.

Sabotage Theatre: After the Rain: A Magical Puppet Show (Clacton)
Join fearless six-year-old Ivy on a magical, musical mission to discover who comes out After the Rain.
- Dates:
- June 17, 2023
- Venue: Station Road
- Times: 2:30pm - 3:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: FREE but booking required

Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival: The Last Showcase
A performance of a Radio Drama piece devised by a team of writing workshop participants who have been under the wing of expert Robin Brooks
- Dates: June 17, 2023
- Times: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE but donations received.

Midsummer Madness, Essex Book Festival
A free, one day, mini family festival
- Dates: June 25, 2023
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 11:00am
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free (but some workshops will be bookable in advance)

Helen Rollason Cancer Charity: A Vintage Day Out
The Vintage Day Out is back for 2023, and this year it’s bigger and better than ever before.
- Dates: July 1 - 2, 2023
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:30am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Tickets on the day cost adults £8, concessions (age 65 +) £7, children 16 and under £2.

Sabotage Theatre: After the Rain: A Magical Puppet Show (Harwich)
Join fearless six-year-old Ivy on a magical, musical mission to discover who comes out After the Rain.
- Dates: July 1, 2023
- Venue: Kingsway
- Times: 1:30pm - 2:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: FREE but booking required

Birdlore Children's Workshop at Cudmore Grove
Join arts partnership Daniel and Clara for a creative workshop for children aged six and over about the mythology and folklore of birds
- Dates: July 2, 2023
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 1:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free

43/103: The Remaining Martello Towers of England
103 of these almost identical towers were built in England between 1804 and 1812 to defend against the threat of Napoleon
- Dates: July 20 - August 20, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Workshops
Join us at Jaywick Martello Tower for a summer of crafting!
- Dates:
- July 23, 2023
- July 29, 2023
- August 6, 2023
- August 12, 2023
- August 20, 2023
- August 26, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: FREE

Jaywick Martello Tower: RNLI Summer Talk
Join us at Jaywick Martello Tower for our first talk of the season!
- Dates: July 25, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Tickets are £2.00 per talk.

Jaywick Martello Tower: Summer Talk: The Beauty of the August sky
A “planetarium” show taking the audience through the highlights of the August sky.
- Dates: August 22, 2023
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Tickets are £2.00 per talk
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