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.
Read our Essex Explorer magazine for fascinating features, more listings and seasonal inspiration for days out with your family and furry friends.
Sign-up to our Explore Essex newsletters to receive regular news and inspiration direct to your inbox.
When are you visiting?
Or search between two dates
Or choose from the places listed below:
What events are you interested in?
Event search results

Man about Country: An Essex Ways story walks
Discover the stories and secrets of Essex with a guided walk through some of its finest landscapes.
- Dates: June 13 - July 10, 2025
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

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

Jaywick Martello Tower: Wise Ram Theatre - 'Sundream: A Summer of Creativity'
A friendly coffee morning with tea, coffee, cakes and enjoyable creative activities for all ages, to launch “Sundream: A Summer of Creativity”.
- Dates: June 30, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 12:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

ERO Presents: Raising Steam
Join speaker Graham Rowlands as he talks about the Holden F5 project.
- Dates: July 1, 2025
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £6.50

Wise Ram Theatre: Sundream: Monologue Writing Workshop
Want to learn how to write plays? Want have a chance to hear your work performed by professional actors? Join this short course!
- Dates: July 1, 2025
- Venue: Brooklands Gardens
- Times: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
- For adults
- 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 5, 2025
- July 6, 2025
- July 12, 2025
- July 13, 2025
- July 21, 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)

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:
- July 5, 2025
- 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.

Essex Outdoors: Harlow High Adventure
- Dates:
- July 5, 2025
- July 6, 2025
- July 12, 2025
- July 13, 2025
- July 19, 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

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: July 5, 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: July 6, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- Price: Free

Jaywick Martello Tower: Drawing Workshop - Drawing the Human Figure
Join Jaywick Martello Tower artist Colin McAllister to discover essential techniques that will boost your confidence
- Dates: July 9, 2025
- Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
- Times: 11:00am - 1:00pm
- For adults
- Price: Free

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: July 9, 2025
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free

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.

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

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

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:

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

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.

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

Parkrun: Great Notley Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free to take part

Parkrun: Hadleigh Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Parkrun: Marsh Farm Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Marsh Farm Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free

Parkrun: Weald Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
Event location map

Site Hire
Many of our parks and places are available for event and 3rd party hire.
