Explore our events and activities
Keep your family busy this season at the Explore Essex unique collection of Essex Country Parks, heritage places and Essex Outdoors centres.
Check out amazing activities and exciting events. 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.
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Event search results
Stick Man Sculpture Trail and Colouring Competition at Weald Country Park
Come and enjoy the The Stick Man sculpture trail this winter at Weald Country Park.
- Dates: November 18, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 8:00am - 4:30pm
- For the whole family
- Price: Free*
Christmas Colouring
Spread some seasonal cheer with our cute colouring sheet
- Dates: November 18 - December 31, 2024
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free. Print at home.
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Belhus Woods
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Belhus Woods Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Cudmore Grove
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Great Notley
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Hadleigh
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Thorndon Country Park
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Thorndon Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Weald Country Park
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Cressing Temple Barns
Enjoy this festive trail funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Animal Mysteries Festive Trail at Danbury Country Park
Enjoy this festive trail at the Essex Country Parks funded by the Year of Numbers.
- Dates: December 2, 2024 - January 5, 2025
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Free*
Parkrun Junior: Great Notley Country Park
Join this free, weekly 2k run aimed specifically at juniors aged 4 to 14 years-old.
- Dates:
- December 22, 2024
- December 29, 2024
- January 5, 2025
- January 12, 2025
- January 19, 2025
- (continued …)
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 6:00pm
- 4 to 14
- Price: Free
Christmas Day parkrun: Hadleigh Country Park
Free parkrun on Christmas Day.
- Dates: December 25, 2024
- Venue: Hadleigh Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- 14+
- Price: Free
Christmas and New Year's Day parkrun: Weald Country Park
Free Parkrun on Christmas and New Year's Day.
- Dates:
- December 25, 2024
- January 1, 2025
- Venue: Weald Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
Christmas and New Year's Day parkrun: Great Notley Country Park
Free parkrun on Christmas and New Year's Day.
- Dates:
- December 25, 2024
- January 1, 2025
- Venue: Great Notley Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For the whole family
- Price: Free
ERO Presents: Brigade-Major Hope and Major Reynolds and the defence of Essex
Join Neil Wiffen as he speaks about Brigade-Major Alexander Hope of Luffness and Major Thomas Vincent Reynolds of Great Baddow and the defence of Essex, 1797-8.
- Dates: January 7, 2025
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £6.25
The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb (Two evenings)
This course is recommended for those who want to learn the fundamentals of climbing and how to stay safe in a climbing wall. The course covers all the basics you will need to be able to climb unsupervised in an indoor climbing wall.
- Dates:
- January 9, 2025
- January 16, 2025
- February 6, 2025
- February 13, 2025
- March 6, 2025
- March 13, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £75.00 course fee includes all tuition and kit hire plus wall membership (approx. £20.00) to make climbing at The Lock even easier.
The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb - One Day
This course is recommended for those who want to learn the basics of climbing and how to stay safe on a climbing wall. The course covers all of the basics you will need to be able to climb unsupervised in an indoor climbing wall.
- Dates:
- January 19, 2025
- February 2, 2025
- February 16, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £75.00 course fee includes all tuition and kit hire plus wall membership (Approx. £20.00) to make climbing at The Lock even easier.
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:
- January 20, 2025
- February 24, 2025
- April 28, 2025
- June 2, 2025
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
- For under 5s
- Price: Now booking for 2025. Price £34.00 for four weeks 20 January to 10 February.
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:
- January 20, 2025
- February 24, 2025
- April 28, 2025
- June 2, 2025
- Venue: Danbury Country Park
- Times: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
- Primary School aged children
- Price: Now booking for January 2025. Sibling discounts available.
The Lock Climbing Wall: Climbing Refresher
Climbed before? Had a lengthy break from climbing? Want to build on a previous experience? This is the course for you.
- Dates:
- January 23, 2025
- March 20, 2025
- May 15, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £35.00 course fee includes all tuition and equipment hire.
The Lock Climbing Wall: Give it a go sessions (Adults)
If you want to see what all the fuss is about and want to try climbing for the first time, then this is the course for you. No experience required, just a desire to give it a go!
- Dates:
- January 30, 2025
- February 27, 2025
- March 27, 2025
- April 24, 2025
- May 22, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £22.00 (course fee includes all tuition and kit hire).
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:
- February 1, 2025
- March 1, 2025
- April 5, 2025
- May 10, 2025
- June 7, 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.
ERO Presents Lady Anne Bacon: A woman of learning at the Tudor Court
Join speaker Deborah Spring as she talks about an intelligent and astute woman who lived through the great political and religious transitions of five reigns.
- Dates: February 4, 2025
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
- For adults
- Price: £6.25
ERO Presents Special: Fanny, Stella and Fred Spalding
Join speakers Neil McKenna and Chris Lambert and discover more about the young men who shocked Victorian Britain and their photographer.
- Dates: March 1, 2025
- Venue: Essex Record Office
- Times: 2:00pm - 3:30pm
- For adults
- Price: £7.00
The Lock Climbing Wall: Youth Learn to Climb
An intensive introduction to indoor climbing for students aged 14 to 17-years-old.
- Dates: March 23, 2025
- Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
- Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
- Teenagers
- Price: £60.00 (with a valid NUS card)
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: Cudmore Grove Country Park
Free, weekly 5km timed runs.
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Venue: Cudmore Grove Country Park
- Times: 9:00am - 10:00am
- For adults
- Price: Free
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
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Many of our parks and places are available for event and 3rd party hire.