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.

Upcoming Dark Skies Festivals 2021

Exmoor (22 October - 7 November)

Join the celebrations of Exmoor’s dark skies at our annual festival, with stargazing events all over the National Park. The programme is likely to include:

• Ranger Guided Night Walk
• Stargazing Guides
• Outdoor Adventures in the Dark
• Well-being Retreats under the Stars
• Dark Skies Adventure by Boat
• Stargazing Suppers
• Dusk Safaris
• Expert Astronomy Talks
• Star & Nature Evenings

North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales Fringe Festival (22-31 October)

Come and celebrate our second ever Dark Skies Fringe Festival. An opportunity to marvel at the skies above, twice in one year! You can expect much of the same sparkle and celestial fun of February's festival.

It's also the first Fringe Festival as a designated International Dark Sky Reserve. Our combined area of the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales represents the largest protected area in the UK and one of the biggest in Europe. Now that's got to be something to celebrate!

This year's line up is as varied as ever, with a chance to appreciate the night in many ways. Spend some time in both National Parks to get a flavour of just how special North Yorkshire's dark skies are. Take a look at what's happening in the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales.

2022 Festivals

North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales (18 February-6 March 2022)

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.

Cumbria Dark Skies Festival (February TBC)

Light up February with a spectacular array of online events celebrating the wonders of our night sky. Explore our dark skies with talks from astronomers, astrophotographers, authors, filmmakers, lighting and design professionals, performers, poets and outdoor adventurers. Check out the line-up, we think it's out of this world!

Northumberland Dark Skies Festival (February TBC)

As England’s first and largest International Dark Sky Park, Northumberland is now home to its very own Dark Skies Festival.

The first festival in 2021 was hosted on the Northumberland National Park website and led by four regional observatories: Battlesteads, Kielder, Stonehaugh and Twice Brewed. The line-up included a wide variety of things to see and do – from fireside chats with Northumberland’s astronomers, to night sky guides to help people stargaze from the comfort of their homes.

South Downs (February TBC)

In 2021, our Dark Skies Festival was all about the personal experience of the night skies where you live, learning about the constellations, the history and folklore that goes with them, and the nocturnal wildlife that depends on them. We found out why looking at the stars is so good for our mental well-being and what we can all do to protect them into the future.

Details of next year's Festival will be available closer to the time. Please head to our website for all the details.

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.