EXMOOR National Park has announced it will be hosting its very first Exmoor Dark Skies Festival later this year.

Exmoor is Europe's very first International Dark Sky Reserve and is hoping to attract visitors from far and wide to participate.

Running from October 19-27 Exmoor is hoping to bring in several thousand people to the national park with events being developed including a large astro-party, stargazing evenings, specialist talks, guided night walks and rocket workshops.

One of the world's largest mobile planetariums will be travelling around running sessions for both schools and the public.

Experienced astronomer and author Seb Jay has been working with the National Park for many years and will be sharing his expertise with members of the public at several stargazing events during the festival.

“The Exmoor Dark Skies Festival is a great way to celebrate the area’s International Dark Sky Reserve status," he said.

"With some of the darkest skies in Europe, Exmoor is the perfect place to visit to stargaze and discover more about the night sky.”

Another contributor to the Festival will be Jo Richardson from Space Detectives. She will be hosting a family-based Astro and Space Party at Wimbleball Lake. Jo is an ESERO-UK (European Space Educational Resource Office) Space Ambassador and also forms part of the South West BBC Stargazing Live Event Team.

Exmoor National Park’s Katrina Munro who is coordinating the festival said “The world of space and astronomy has mass market appeal as demonstrated in recent years by the endeavours of Tim Peake and his visit to the International Space Station.

"Jo's Space Detective party sessions are loved by everyone and promise to be fun, fully interactive and educational at the same time. This year will also see the introduction of Virtual Reality into the event transporting each participant into a 3D world of space discovery and learning."

Organisers are appealing for businesses, and community organisations to get involved and lay on their own dark sky related events during the festival period. All such events will be promoted alongside the events laid on by the National Park Authority.

Mrs Munro continued: “We have a brilliant opportunity to gain national and international exposure for Exmoor as a top star gazing destination and we’re keen businesses and communities are able to capitalise on this opportunity.

"If you wish to lay on your own event or experience we’d be delighted to help promote that as part of the overall programme.

"In addition we have some valuable sponsorship opportunities for anyone wishing to be associated with this high profile event as well as advertising opportunities in the festival guide which will be distributed from August onwards.”

For more information contact Katrina Munro at KJMunro@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk or call 01398 323665.

Anyone interested in putting on their own event or wishing to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities should email Katrina Munro at

KJMunro@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk or call her on 01398 323665.

For updated festival information visit exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/stargazing.