News & Events
Find out what's happening at and around Gillespie Park. Scroll down for upcoming events, regular weekly activities and more. Please email us if you would like us to add an event to this page.
Gillespie Park Summer Celebration 2025
1 June 2025, 12 - 4pm, Islington Ecology Centre, 191 Drayton Park N5 1PH
Put the first of June in your diary and make sure to bring all your friends and the whole family to our big summer celebration. We'll have nature arts and crafts, live music from local bands, stalls selling local wares and bee hive visits. Entry and activities are all free but you will need cash to buy from the stalls or the cafe. Don't forget to bring you wheels for a checkup with Dr Bike!
Green Movie Afternoons at Islington Ecology Centre!
Wednesday 28 May 2 - 4pm
Wednesday 25 June 2 - 4pm
Wednesday 30 July 2-4pm
Wednesday 27 August 2 - 4pm
Islington Ecology Centre, 191 Drayton Park N5 1PH
Join us this Summer on the last Wednesday of the month from 2 - 4pm to enjoy short films about the beauty of the natural world.
Islington In Bloom 2025
Islington in Bloom 2025 opens Friday May 2nd! Islington’s favourite gardening competition is back for another year, enabling gardeners of all abilities to get growing to help create a cleaner, greener, healthier borough. The competition will be open for entries from Friday May 2nd until Friday 6th June – check out their website here for more info on how to get involved.
Parkland Walk Biodiversity Survey
Help us document the incredible biodiversity of Parkland Walk, London's longest linear nature reserve! This project records all wildlife observations (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) along the entire Parkland Walk, building a comprehensive picture of its ecology. Join us in exploring and contributing to this valuable urban nature reserve! This citizen science project complements the formal flora survey and welcomes observations from everyone, from casual walkers to experienced naturalists.
Here is where you can contribute to the Parkland Walk Biodiversity Survey via the iNaturalist website/app:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/parkland-walk-biodiversity-survey
Weekly activities
At Islington Ecology Centre, 191 Drayton Park, N5 1PH
Mondays
4:45 - 5:15pm: Ballet with Nightingale School of Dance. For ages 3 and up. Contact details: nightingaleschoolofdance@gmail.com
Tuesdays
On the first Tuesday of every month, 10 - 11:30am: Nappy Swap. Contact details: alice@wen.org.uk
Wednesdays
On the last Wednesday of the month in May, June, July & August, 2 - 4pm: Green Movie Afternoons. Contact details: elena.kulla@islington.gov.uk
Thursdays
10 - 11:30am: Stay and Play with Bright Start. For under 5's. Contact details: brightstartcentral@islington.gov.uk
10am - 3:15pm: Volunteering Day with the Nature Conservation Team. You can do part of the day, all welcome, just please contact the Ecology Centre team first. More information here.
10:30 am - 12pm: Qigong with Ariyananda. Everyone welcome. Sessions cost £10 and three free places available for low-income participants. More information: www.ariyananda.com
Fridays
10 - 11am, On the first Friday of every month: Health and Nature Walk. Everyone welcome but those living with Dementia are especially welcome. More details in the poster below:
Hiring the Ecology Centre
You can hire the Ecology Centre at the weekends for kids parties or during the week for meetings, conferences and training courses. You can also hire the centre on weekday evenings for regular classes like yoga.
Costs:
10am - 1:30pm for £168
2 - 6pm for £192
For more information about this contact Islington Ecology Centre:
ecologycentre@islington.gov.uk
Previous events
Islington Ecology Centre run many events throughout the year. In past years they have pond dipped, searched for creatures in the meadows, held numerous guided walks for different groups, ran a cyanotype printing workshop and much much more. They advertise their events on posters around the park and in the Ecology Centre. We also share information about their events on this page. Please get in touch with them to find out about upcoming events.
2022 saw the return of Apple Day, a fantastic yearly community event we run with Islington Ecology Centre. We juiced hundreds of delicious apples grown in Kent, enjoyed live music from brilliant local bands and invited local artists to sell their homemade products. And the mayor came along to join the fun too! Here are a few photos from that day.
Hopefully we'll see you at Apple Day in the coming years!
