Celebrate Love Parks Week in your favourite green space in the borough

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Love Parks Week

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council will be supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s national initiative ‘Love Parks Week’ by offering a packed programme of free activities at many of the borough’s most stunning sparks and green spaces.

The aim of the initiative is to inspire children and adults to get outdoors, enjoy the benefits of reconnecting with nature and appreciate the beauty of local parks.

Starting on Sunday 24 July and running until Friday 29 July, children, adults and families will be able to participate in a wide range of activities designed to appeal to all ages and interests.

These include multi sports, bushcraft activities, forest school taster sessions, a foraging tour, chi me sessions, a historical walk, a tour of Tannaghmore Farm, information sessions by the RSPB, a folklore tour, tree study and activities, recycling information sessions, traditional playground games and scavenger hunts.

Many of the activities on offer need to be booked as spaces are limited.

Kicking off on Sunday 24 July, the RSPB will be running information sessions from 11am to 4pm at Tannaghmore Gardens. Drop by, meet RSPB volunteers and take part in some fun activities.

There’s much more to choose from on Monday 25 July, starting with a tour of Tannaghmore Farm at 10am for children aged 3+ who must be accompanied by an adult. Booking is required.

There will be recycling information sessions and bushcraft activities such as the whittling and safe fire building in Portadown People’s Park for children aged 3+ from 10am to 12pm.

Alternatively, take part in tree studies and activities from 10am to 12pm in Woodlands Park, Gilford. Find out about bark rubbing, seed collection and the life cycle of trees and discover how to identify the majestic giants of our countryside. Booking is required and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Dromore Town Park will be running multi sport activities for children aged 5 to 12 from 2pm to 4pm, enabling them to learn new skills under the supervision of our talented coaches. Booking is required.

On Tuesday 26 July, children aged 6 to 10 can take part in a forest school taster session at Tannaghmore Farm at 9.30am. The ethos of forest school is about allowing children to evaluate their own risks while playing on rope bridges and swings, building dens and making fairy houses. Booking is essential.

Adults can try chi me at Lurgan Park at 9.30am followed by a light breakfast. Booking is essential.

From 2pm to 4pm, children aged 4 to 8 can enjoy traditional playground games such as skipping, hula hoops and hop scotch, school room and scavenger hunts at the Palace Stables, Armagh. Booking is required and children must be accompanied by an adult.

There will also be a foraging tour for families in Lurgan Park at 7pm. Join a tour and learn about hyperlocal, super seasonal foods and the local area’s environment, history and traditions. Booking is required.

On Wednesday 27 July, there will be another opportunity to learn about recycling information and bushcraft activities in Dromore Park from 10am to 12pm.

Later that day at 7pm, there will be a historical walk for families in Lurgan Park. Join a local historian and learn about the history of the park and how it links with the town and Brownlow House. Booking is required.

On Thursday 28 July, there will be a further chi me exercise session and a light breakfast for adults at 9.30am at Brownstown Park. Booking is essential.

Portadown People’s Park will offer multi sports from 10am to 12pm for children aged 5 to 12. Booking is required.

At 2pm that day, there will be another tour of Tannaghmore Farm for children over 3. Booking is essential and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Then at 7pm, families are invited to take a walk around Lurgan Park and listen to some of the old folklore stories connected to the trees and plants. Learn how some of the plants had medicinal healing powers in years gone by. Booking is required.

On Friday 29 July, there will be a final chi me session for adults at 9.30am at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. Booking is required.

From 10am to 12pm, families can join in the tree studies and activities at Armagh Demesne. Booking is essential and children should be accompanied by an adult.

This will be followed with multi sport activities for 5 to 12-year-olds at the same location from 2pm-4pm.

Places are available on a first come, first served basis. For activities that need to be booked, it is recommended that you book early to register your place by emailing

For further information, visit getactiveabc.com/loveparksweekabc