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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.
Browse our blogs for ideas on what to do and where to go.
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Event search results
JMT: Coastal Open 2026
Step into a celebration of creativity at the Coastal Open 2026!
- Dates: September 12 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
Jaywick Martello Tower: We Are Music
Are you, or someone you know, interested in joining a band? Are you a part of a band and want to improve your musical skills as a group?
- Dates:
- September 30, 2026
- October 1, 2026
- October 2, 2026
- October 3, 2026
- October 4, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 4:30pm - 5:30pm
- Teenagers
- Price: Free
JMT Autumn Talk: An Underground Guide to Historical London
For over 300 years, monuments have been erected across London celebrating events and individuals pivotal to our history.
- Dates: October 2, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £3.00
Essex Archeaology Conference at the Essex Record Office
Essex County Council's Place Services are hosting the conference at the Essex Record Office and are working in partnership with The Essex Society for Archaeology and History.
- Dates: October 3, 2026
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 9:00am - 5:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £40.00 per person.
Parkrun Junior: Great Notley Country Park
Join this free, weekly 2k run aimed specifically at juniors aged 4 to 14 years-old.
- Dates:
- October 4, 2026
- October 11, 2026
- October 18, 2026
- October 25, 2026
- November 1, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 6:00pm
- 4 to 14
- Price: Free
Marsh Farm Country Park: Great Greyhound Walks
Greyhound Walks are for sighthounds, greyhound and lurcher owners who meet on a Sunday morning for an hour's stroll.
- Dates:
- October 4, 2026
- Venue: Marsh Farm Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
Woodland Play under five's Forest School: Danbury Country Park
Join us for woodland play sessions, aimed at the under-5's. Activities include forest crafts and building dens.
- Dates:
- October 5, 2026
- October 12, 2026
- October 19, 2026
- November 2, 2026
- November 9, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
- For under 5s
- Price: £9.00 per child, siblings £5.00
Forest School sessions for Home Ed: 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:
- October 5, 2026
- October 12, 2026
- October 19, 2026
- November 2, 2026
- November 9, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Now booking for the New Year 2026. Sibling discounts available.
JMT Autumn Talk: New Hall, Essex’s unknown Royal Palace
Join Tony Tuckwell for this talk about Henry VIII’s royal palace of Beaulieu.
- Dates: October 9, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £3.00
Family Forest School: 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:
- October 10, 2026
- November 7, 2026
- December 5, 2026
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 2:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £10 for the first child. £6 for siblings. Accompanying adults Free. Under 18 months free.
Sky Ropes and Sky Ropes Junior at Great Notley
Your family adventure starts here!
- Dates:
- October 10, 2026
- October 11, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 18, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 11:00am - 2:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Adult £13.50 Young person (8-17) £13.50, Under 8 £13.50
Cressing Temple Barns: Apple Day
Join The Friends of Cressing Temple for Apple Day!
- Dates: October 11, 2026
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £4.00 for adults, children (under 18-years-old) free
Great Notley Country Park: Great Greyhound Walks
Greyhound Walks are for sighthounds, greyhound and lurcher owners who meet on a Sunday morning for an hour's stroll.
- Dates:
- October 11, 2026
- November 8, 2026
- December 13, 2026
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 10:30am - 11:30am
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
Alderford Water Mill - Heritage Open Days
Alderford water mill is open on the second Sunday of each month from April through to October.
- Dates:
- October 11, 2026
- Venue: Alderford Water Mill
- Times: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
JMT Autumn Talk: The Tudor Blockhouse at East Mersea: Rescue Excavation on an Eroding Coast
Join Adam Wightman for this talk to learn more about the Tudor Blockhouse at east Mersea.
- Dates: October 16, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £3.00
Spooky Magic Trail at Belhus Woods Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Belhus Woods Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Cudmore Grove Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail sheet.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Danbury Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail sheet.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Great Notley Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail sheet.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Thorndon Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail sheet.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Thorndon Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Weald Country Park
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail sheet.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
Spooky Magic Trail at Cressing Temple Barns
Head to an Essex Country Park this October half term and pick up or download a free Spooky Magic Trail.
- Dates: October 17 - November 1, 2026
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Trail is free
ERO Presents: Essex and the French Wars c.1795-1815
Join the ERO for this day conference, held in conjunction with the Waterloo Association, abou the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
- Dates: October 17, 2026
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £25.00
JMT Autumn Talk: A history of mudlarking and the stories hidden beneath our shores and riverbanks
Join Kerrie Masters for this talk on mudlarking.
- Dates: October 23, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £3.00
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:
- October 24, 2026
- November 14, 2026
- December 12, 2026
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 7:00pm - 9:30pm
- 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:
- October 26, 2026
- October 27, 2026
- October 28, 2026
- October 29, 2026
- October 30, 2026
- 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.
Essex Outdoors Danbury: School Holiday Activity Days
Action-packed kids holiday club activity days at Essex Outdoors Danbury.
- Dates:
- October 26, 2026
- October 27, 2026
- October 28, 2026
- October 29, 2026
- October 30, 2026
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Danbury
- Times: 8:30am - 5:00pm
- 8-16
- Price: £40.00 per child per day. Buy four days and get the fifth 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:
- October 26, 2026
- October 27, 2026
- October 28, 2026
- October 29, 2026
- October 30, 2026
- 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).
Spooky Storytime: Skylark Café at Great Notley Country Park
Join Essex Library Service and Explore Essex for spooky story time in the park this Halloween.
- Dates: October 27, 2026
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free
ERO Presents: How to dig up a castle
Join speaker Simon Coxall for this talk about excavating the Anglo-Saxon castle at Clavering.
- Dates: October 27, 2026
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £6.75
Storytime: Thorndon Country Park
Join Essex Library Service and Explore Essex for a special story time featuring beloved tales from Julia Donaldson this half term.
- Dates: October 29, 2026
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:30am - 12:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free
Storytime: Wiggly Bush Cafe at Weald Country Park
Join Essex Library Service and Explore Essex for a special story time featuring beloved tales from Julia Donaldson this half term.
- Dates: October 29, 2026
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free
JMT Autumn Talk: William Gilberd
Join David Grocott for this talk on Colchester born William Gilberd.
- Dates: October 30, 2026
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £3.00
Cressing Temple Barns: Essex Christmas Fair
A very busy and well-established Christmas Fair (by Charlie Owen Events) with over 100 exhibitors spread around the beautiful setting of Cressing Temple Barns.
- Dates:
- November 6 - 8, 2026
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Adults £7.00, Concessions £6.00, children free.
ERO Presents: Coin hoarding in Late Saxon Essex
Join speaker Philip Wise for this talk about the Braintree and Hatfield Peverel hoards, why they might have been buried and what they can tell us about the use of coins by the population of Essex in the 11th century.
- Dates: November 24, 2026
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £6.75
Cressing Temple Barns: One Day Natural Christmas Decorations course with Jo Hammond
Enjoy a relaxing day creating natural decorations in this one day workshop with Jo Hammond.
- Dates: December 5, 2026
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £80.00 or £70.00 (£70.00 price only available to Friends of Cressing Temple)
Hadleigh Legacy 10k
The award-winning Hadleigh Legacy 10k is not your average trail race.
- Dates: February 28, 2027
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 10:30am - 1:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: £23.00 to £25.00
Parkrun: Great Notley Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates:
- October 3, 2026
- October 10, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 24, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free to take part
Parkrun: Cudmore Grove Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates:
- October 3, 2026
- October 10, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 24, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
Parkrun: Hadleigh Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates:
- October 3, 2026
- October 10, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 24, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
Parkrun: Marsh Farm Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates:
- October 3, 2026
- October 10, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 24, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Marsh Farm Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
Parkrun: Weald Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates:
- October 3, 2026
- October 10, 2026
- October 17, 2026
- October 24, 2026
- October 31, 2026
- (continued …)
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
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