As we welcome in the New Year and a new decade, The Parks Trust have shared all the exciting events and activities they have planned for 2020!

There are overr 500 events and activities each year in their parks. Take a look through their ideas for things to do, events not to miss, activities to take part in and new places to discover below…

20 things to do in 2020

1.    This year Milton Keynes has been awarded European City of Sport for 2020. Take part in a sporting event in one of our parks such as the City Duathlon, Cross Country races, the Cyclo-Cross league race day and the MK Marathon.  

2.    Join one of our 20 walks for this year’s MK Walking Festival in May.

3.    2020 welcomes back IF: Milton Keynes International Festival and this year the Festival Central will be located in Campbell Park.

4.    Discover Willen Lake, Milton Keynes’ most popular park. With activities for all the family on and off the water. From our Treetop Extreme high ropes course to our Wakeboarding course, there’s something for everyone!  

5.    After a successful first year in 2019, we see the return of events such as Pride:MK, Green Fest & India Day MK.
 
6.    Grab your trainers and take part in our monthly free fun runs. Parks and Run is suitable for all ages and abilities and is made up of routes ranging from 2km to 10km.

7.    Bring along your four-legged friends to our annual two-day doggie fiesta, the Big Doggie Do on 23 & 24 May at Willen Lake.

8.    The Milton Keynes Rose located in Campbell Park is the central space of commemoration and celebration, events are held at the Rose throughout the year.

9.    Learn about local nature at the MK Festival of Nature on 25 June to 5 July. Over these 10 days we’ll have lots of nature events & activities to get involved in.

10.    Come along and help your community be a better, cleaner place. Throughout the year we have a series of community litter picks across Milton Keynes.

11.    Join a youth group and take part in conservation challenges, gain skills in environmental work and learn about our wildlife in MK.

12.    Enjoy a picnic in the park, celebrate music, dance and food from around the world at our annual World Picnic on 26 July.

13.    Explore new areas of Milton Keynes by downloading one of our self-guided walks. We have plenty of walks to choose from all ranging in distance.

14.    Attend the biggest day of play with MK Play Partnership. Explore different zones, take part in activities, play games and enjoy live entertainment on the big stage, not to be missed on 5 August.

15.    Be beside the Seaside in the City, try free taster sessions of the activities available at Willen Lake and join in with games and activities with our rangers.

16.    Explore over 30 public art pieces throughout our parks from the Triceratops at Peartree bridge to the concrete cows at Bancroft.

17.    Shenley Wood is a fantastic place to see wildlife. You’ll be able to see bluebells, celandines and wood anemones flower in spring, in autumn an amazing array of fungi and at any time of year the wood is full of wild birds.

18.     Calling all bird watchers! Since its opening in 2016 Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve has gained a reputation as one of the best sites for bird watching and natural history in Buckinghamshire, definitely one to visit.

19.    Meet up weekly at Howe Park Wood for our Tree Tots outdoor nature play sessions which are designed for pre-school children and their parents.

20.    We have been awarded funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to 'Restore, Reveal and Revive’' the important heritage at Great Linford Manor Park, stroll around the park to find out more.

You can find a full calendar of events in the Parks Trust 2020 What’s On guide. This handy, pocket sized booklet details all  events and activities that will take place across the city in 2020, with everything from smaller, regular events like Parks and Run and led walks through to bigger events including MK Festival of Nature and MK Walking Festival.

The 2020 What’s On Guide can be picked up from The Parks Trust’s office in Campbell Park or at the education centres at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve and Howe Park Wood. Guides can also be picked up at MK Central library and Milton Keynes Visitor Information Centre. If you would like copies for your local group or organisation, please contact The Parks Trust on 01908 233600 or [email protected].

You can also find out more about what they have on offer and ideas for getting active in 2020 on our website www.theparkstrust.com