Make the most of your summer and join The Parks Trust, the charity caring for MK’s parks, outdoors for exciting activities – including free and low-cost ways to enjoy the city’s green spaces.
There’s a huge choice of free play areas, leisure routes, trim trails and world-class outdoor artworks across nearly 50 different parks! Plus, a jam-packed programme of family friendly events for the community:
Love Nature Day 6 July at Howe Park Wood.
Dragon Boat Festival 6 July at Willen Lake.
African Diaspora Festival 6 July in Campbell Park.
Parks & Run 7 July at Broughton Brook.
Milton Keynes Rose 10th Birthday 7 July at Milton Keynes Rose.
Milton Keynes Gospel Festival 7 July in Campbell Park.
Art in the Park 13 July in Campbell Park.
Accessible Guided Walk14 July, 11am - 12pm in Waterhall Park
An accessible exploratory guided tour for walking and wheeling, with hearing loop and descriptive guidance available. It’ll last roughly 45 minutes and cover about a mile in distance, with plenty of benches to take a rest as needed.
Walk & Talk: Summer Tree ID15 July, 6pm – 8pm in Campbell Park
Led by a Parks Trust Ranger, attendees will learn how to identify trees by their leaf, bark, bud and blossom as well as how and why trees in MK’s parkland are managed through the seasons. Tickets are just £5 per person.
Discovery Stroll16 July, 2pm at Shenley Wood
Unearth the interesting features of the ancient woodland and hopefully some of its wildlife. Suitable for all ages, and free to join, the Parks Trust’s Discovery Stroll series offers a light introduction to the city’s green spaces, giving residents the confidence to explore more of their local parks.
Peartree Bridge Summer Picnic Event 24 July in Ouzel Valley Park.
Fun Fair 25 July until 11 August at Willen Lake.
Woof Walk 27 July in Waterhall Park.
Filipino Festival27 & 28 July, 10am – 8pm in Campbell Park
The annual Juan Phils Barrio Fiesta (AKA the Filipino Festival) celebrates Filipino cultures and traditions with delicious Filipino cuisine, live music, stalls and family entertainment.
Parks & Ride 28 July, 11am at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve
Swap screens for scenes on a two-wheeled guided tour for families to uncover the sights and sounds of MK’s parks.Parks & Ride events take a steady pace along a mixture of leisure routes and Redways, for about an hour, with no road riding or substantial hills. Free to join, but booking is required.
Walk & Talk: The Wildlife of Magna Park7 August, 6pm - 7.45pm at Magna Park
Take an exploratory walk for just £5 per person, to learn about the fascinating flora and fauna living in, on and around the lake. Heading off at a slow to moderate pace, the walk lasts roughly 90 minutes.
Family Litter Pick7 August, 10am at Ashland Lakes
A great way to get the whole family outdoors and help your local environment, with all equipment for a safe litter collection provided (including special pickers for children). This 1-hour session is led by Parks Trust staff, who also take the rubbish away for disposal.
If you’re planning activities to keep your family occupied in the summer holiday, the parks make for great entertainment! Popular weekly events, packed with activities and crafts, include Howe Park Wood Open Mornings on Tuesdays to Thursdays all summer from 30th July, and Parkland Play sessions that pop-up in a different park on Wednesdays throughout August.
There’s also lots of regular events for the whole community to enjoy, including:
Tree Tots every Thursday morning at Howe Park Wood, offers 50-minute nature play sessions for pre-schoolers.
Women’s Walking Network meet on the first Thursday eachmonth at varying locations (1 August at Shenley Wood).
Great Linford Manor Park Guided Walks last 90-minutes and occur twice monthly, the second Friday at 10.30am and the last Sunday at 2pm.
5 Ways Cafe at St. Andrew's Church at Great Linford Manor Park is a dementia friendly community café on the second and fourth Tuesday every month, 11am – 1pm.
Julie Dawes, Events and Community Engagement Manager at The Parks Trust says “MK’s amazing parks really do offer something for everyone, so we’re looking forward to seeing lots of residents spending time outdoors this summer. Our schedule is packed with lots of vibrant events celebrating cultures and communities, and of course helping to keep younger residents entertained during the holidays”.
Head to theparkstrust.com/events to find out more about upcoming parkland events.