Welcome to National Parks Dark Skies Festivals

National Parks remain some of the darkest places in Great Britain and we celebrate our star-studded skies at Festivals throughout autumn and winter.

Our Dark Skies festivals are all about discovering, learning and enjoying the dark and the stars you can see as a result. This could mean getting out for an activity such as cycling, walking, running or caving at night, attending a stargazing party, or taking part in a daytime event, learning more about star constellations or making a rocket.

There are events for families, first-time stargazers and those wishing to expand their knowledge or astrophotography skills further. We work with local astronomy clubs and other star loving organisations to help you discover the wonder of the night skies above your National Parks.

Dark Skies Festivals 2025

North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales 10th Dark Skies Festival (14 February - 2 March)

Since 2016's inaugural event, the North Yorkshire collaboration has become an unmissable fixture in the calendar, with the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authorities celebrating the jewels of the night sky.

We'll be celebrating our tenth Dark Skies Festival in 2025. Every year it's a pleasure to showcase just how special our dark skies are and welcome back annual favourites, and during 2025 we're extremely excited to be celebrating 10 years of this incredible festival.

Discover activities at night to heighten the senses such as night runs, canoeing and night navigation, astrophotography workshops, stargazing safaris, children's daytime trails, art workshops and mindful experiences.

South Downs (13 - 23 February)

This annual celebration explores the dark skies of the South Downs and the nocturnal wildlife that lives there. In 2024, our Dark Skies Festival offered a wonderful mix of inspiring online content and in-person outdoor events.

The theme for 2025 is 'Glimmers', celebrating the sparkling lights of the stars, planets, meteors and moon in the night sky, the flashes of encounters with nocturnal wildlife, the bioluminescence of glow worms and biofluorescence of other life. It's also about becoming aware of the small, positive moments in our lives that don’t have to be big or dramatic but moments that encourage feelings of happiness, contentment, peace, joy, wonder and awe. Please head to our website for more information.

Welsh Dark Skies Week (February dates tbc)

Welsh Dark Skies Week is returning to a night sky near you. All eight of our protected landscapes in Wales have come together to celebrate what makes our dark skies so unique and special.

Together, the three National Parks (Eryri, Bannau Brycheiniog and Pembrokeshire Coast) and the five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Anglesey, Pen Llŷn, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, Gower and Wye) will be holding events from stargazing and astrophotography workshops with our mobile observatories to special guest lectures on biodiversity and heritage. Not forgetting of course, planetarium shows in our pop-up planetariums! To find out more about events in your area, head over to Discovery in the Dark or look for ‘Prosiect Nos’ on social media.

Exmoor Dark Skies Festival (17 October - 2 November)

Join us to celebrate and explore the wonders of Exmoor after dark... Some of the programme highlights for the 2025 Exmoor Dark Skies Festival will include:

• Dark skies yoga
• Planetarium experiences
• Family stargazing and wildlife walks
• Astronomy suppers and talks

Events are spread all over the National Park, and more details will be available in early summer 2025.

Cumbria Dark Skies Festival (October - November dates tbc)

Light up this autumn with a spectacular array of in-person and online events celebrating the wonders of our night sky. There's a range of exciting events celebrating the wonders of the night sky, from night time canoeing on Coniston Water to starlit swims in Ullswater and bushcraft cooking. Experience guided trail running at night or join an accessible dark skies residential weekend. Keep up to date with latest events and news here.

Where to go stargazing

You don't have to wait for a Festival to admire the night sky in all its stellar glory. Find out where the best places are to go stargazing in our National Parks throughout the year.