Carlisle is set to stage a nine-day programme of free events in the city’s parks and green spaces.

Organised to coincide with national Love Parks Week, Carlisle City Council has drawn together a series of activities between Saturday, 24 July and Sunday, 1 August.

Open to all local residents and visitors to the city, the first event will be held this Saturday (24 July) at 10am with the official opening of the nine-day programme by the Mayor of Carlisle, Cllr Mary Styth. She will be guest of honour at a new ‘English Street Park’. Carlisle’s city centre pedestrianised area will be transformed, for one day only, with support from Homebase and Brampton Woodworks Limited.

Highlights of this year’s programme include:

‘Flicks in Bitts’ - Sunday, 1 August, between 12.30pm and 6pm - Bitts Park

An open-air performance of two blockbusting films. With support from Filmbank, Eddie Stobart and the University of Cumbria, the Oscar-winning Disney/Pixar animation ‘Up’ will be screened at 1.30pm, followed by family favourite ‘Mamma Mia’ at 4pm. Bring along a picnic, buy refreshments from our on-site caterers and a enjoy a great, free, family day out.

Get Active For Free

Free sports activities for youngsters will be available in the sports cages in Melbourne Park on Monday, 26 July, Dale End Road Park on Tuesday, 27 July, Beck Field in Raffles on Wednesday, 28 July, Hammond’s Pond on Thursday, 29 July and Old Trinity Church in Caldewgate on Friday 30 July. Each event will be held between 1pm and 3pm.

A Junior Anglers Day will be held at Rickerby Park on Friday, 30 July, between 10am and 4pm. It’s aimed at young people up to 16 years old, who must be accompanied by an adult. For more information or register, please contact Chris Bowman on 01228 674519.

Relax at lunchtime with Tai Chi on Monday, 26 July in Chance’s Park between 3.30pm and 4pm; Wednesday, 28 July in Bitts Park and in Portland Square on Friday, 30 July, both between 12noon and 2pm.

Join a health walk around Chance’s Park on Monday, 26 July from 2.30pm and around Hammond’s Pond on Wednesday, 28 July. A one-hour guided tour around Carlisle Cemetery’s grounds, discovering their extraordinary collection of trees on Friday. 30 July at 2pm. Get ‘On Yer Bike’ for some pedal power action around St James’ Park in Denton Holme on Tuesday, 27 July and in Bitts Park on Wednesday, 28 July. Both taster sessions start at 1pm.

All That Jazz

City centre shoppers and workers can take a breath of lunchtime fresh-air in the Cathedral’s beautiful grounds, enjoying live music from ‘Esk Valley Jazz’ between 12noon and 2pm on Tuesday 27 July and a poetry picnic with renowned writers Grevel Lindop and Angela Locke on Thursday 29 July, between 12.30pm and 2pm.

Kid’s stuff

The chance to take part in a wonderful physical, theatre games and hear and play fantastic musical contraptions, is on offer at Hammond’s Pond on Monday, 26 July between 11am and 3pm.

Children of all ages are invited to find about local wildlife at ‘Nature in the Park’ on Tuesday, 27 July between 11am and 3pm. Held in Bitts Park, there will be lots of hands-on activities from, amongst others, RSPB, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Eden Rivers Trust and Solway AONB, alongside story-telling, children’s face painting, our Green Spaces team and face2face playscheme.

Have fun with the City Council’s face2face playscheme in Hartley Avenue Playing Fields on Wednesday, 28 July, Thursday, 29 July and Friday, 30 July, between 10.30am and 3pm on each day. An event will also be held at Bitts Park on Friday, 30 July. Bushcraft, adventure and outdoor activities will also be offer at Chance’s Park on Thursday, 29 July, between 11am and 3pm.

Tullie events

A garden trail around Tullie House’s gardens is on offer Tuesday, 27 and Thursday 29 July between 10am and 1pm. On Wednesday 28 July storyteller Michell Russell will be entertaining visitors during two sessions at 10.30am and 11.30am.

Grow It, Cook It, Eat It

The benefits of growing your own fruit and vegetables will be on show at a food demonstration with a difference. Local celebrity chef, John Crouch, will be showing how to make the most of your home-grown food as part of a cookery masterclass at Adelaide Street allotments on Saturday, 31 July, between 11.30am and 1.30pm. Family activities will also be available throughout the event. Support has been provided by Adelaide Street Allotment Association and Barnado’s.

Learn more about the city’s allotments on a two-hour guided walk on Sunday, 25 July, starting outside Upperby Cemetery at 2.30pm.

Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Environment, said:

“Our parks and green spaces are important parts of our city’s heritage and environment. Love Parks Week provides a focus to what is on offer on our residents’ doorsteps throughout the year. The packed programme includes activities to suit all ages and is a chance to get healthy, find out the history of local parks or take part in open-air sports and nature trails.”

Love Parks Week is organised by parks charity GreenSpace to raise awareness of the importance of parks, and this year the focus will be on encouraging people to get into parks to join the campaign for continued investment and support for these valuable community assets.

Last year, around 600 park events took place across the country to celebrate Love Parks Week, attracting over 400,000 people. This year looks set to be even bigger, with even more fun and exciting events taking place nationally. Carlisle is joining the campaign for the second time and hopes to be able to develop the programme further in future years.