News Love your Maidstone Parks

As part of ‘Love Parks Week’ Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is inviting everyone to get out and enjoy all that local parks have to offer.

Led by Keep Britain Tidy, the 2023 Love Parks Week runs from this Friday 28 July to Sunday 6 August.  The annual campaign celebrates parks and green spaces and acknowledges the dedicated volunteers and workers who look after them all year round.

MBC would like to see as many of us that can, young and old, to spend time enjoying the great outdoors and take advantage of their local park.

Councillor Patrik Garten, MBC Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said:

Love Parks Week is a fantastic initiative which the Council is delighted to support.  We would love to see as many people as possible going out to enjoy all of our parks across the borough. These vibrant, living spaces bring communities together and give us the opportunity to connect with nature.

The Council has 60 parks and open spaces across Maidstone with a variety of activities and events taking place during Love Parks Week. These start with a free live concert in Brenchley Gardens this Sunday (30 July), with traditional jazz and big band sounds from the Invicta Jazz Orchestra.

Patrik continued:

Not only does Maidstone have some of the best parks in the country, four of them have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award last week, but we have some great events scheduled to take place throughout the summer; our parks and open spaces are excellent places to get some fresh air and boost your mental health.

The Brenchley Gardens Band Stand will play host to a series of free events again throughout the summer when visitors can enjoy an afternoon of great music in the beautiful surroundings with line ups including everything from traditional jazz, big band, brass, soul and disco – dates for the diary during Love Parks Week are:

• 28 July – Art in the Park – watercolour workshops (Brenchley Gardens)
• 30 July – Bandstand Concert (Brenchley Gardens) – 3pm – 5pm Invicta Jazz Orchestra
• 2 August – Design workshop for skate park (Whatman Park) 9am – 11am
• 4 August – Art in the Park – inks workshops (Brenchley Gardens)
• 5 August – Bandstand Concert (Brenchley Gardens) – 1pm – 5pm The Paper Castles; Mr E & The Clues; Debdepan; Dead Kites
• 5 & 6 August – Rock the Mote – Mote Park

More details available on the Visit Maidstone website: Visit Maidstone What’s On

Other activities available for park goers in Maidstone include:

Mote Park Outdoor Adventure with a Sky Trail, high ropes, climbing wall, Segways and Dino golf: https://www.moteparkadventure.com/

For a calmer trip, you can hire a boat and soak up the stunning views on Mote Park Lake, book here: https://moteparkwatersports.com/

For those who would like to volunteer they can join the Mote Park Fellowship which meets every Wednesday: https://www.moteparkfellowship.org.uk/

For those looking for more activity there are many sports available in the Borough’s parks from fitness providers, a tennis academy at Penenden Heath, to Maidstone Lawn tennis club in Clare Park.

To see what is happening in and around Maidstone go to the Visit Maidstone website: https://www.visitmaidstone.com/whats-on

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