Botanic Garden Festival
Sunday 31 August 2025, 11.00am onwards
Botanic Garden Festival
Join us at this year’s Botanic Garden Festival on Sunday 31 August 2025, from 11.00am onwards, to celebrate the start of autumn at our free community festival, set against the backdrop of our beautiful Botanic Garden.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is highly recommended to ensure access to the festival – please . Please contact the University’s Events Team at events@le.ac.uk if you have any issues with registration.
We’ve lined up some fantastic activities, workshops, food and entertainment for all ages:
- Tickle your taste buds with food and drink from local vendors: , , , , , , and an ice cream van!
- Unleash your creativity with arts and crafts and autumn-themed workshops, hosted by our very own and local community organisation . We also have local arts businesses and .
- Keep the little ones entertained with a scavenger hunt, face painting, bouncy castle and outdoor games.
- Enjoy live music throughout the day:
- (from 11.15am to 12.00pm, and 12.45pm to 1.30pm)
- (from 12.00pm to 12.45pm, and 1.30pm to 2.15pm)
- (from 2.30pm to 4.00pm)
- Plus DJ sets from our festival sponsor,
Be sure to join our Alumni and Supporter Relations team at Beaumont House, within the Botanic Garden, for a range of informal learning activities in the Dining Hall as well as a series of talks including:
- Mini Change Maker sessions for kids – learn the science behind pizza; how archaeologists use the human skeleton to learn about the past; number games; and how DNA works!
- Change Maker talks – learn about the collision on neutron stars; how to make mathematics enjoyable for children; what medical literature says about Ramadan fasting for those with digestive conditions; scientific ocean drilling; the eco-activism of WH Hudson; and how University research is leading the way in transforming responses to hate, prejudice and injustice.
Please note that all Change Maker sessions are free of charge, but ticketed - .
New for 2025! We’ve added two very exciting events to the festival, featuring the University’s very own Nick Bailey, BBC Gardeners' World presenter and Director of our Botanic Garden, and Dr Josh Smalley, Bake Off finalist and Â鶹ÊÓƵ chemist.
Both events will be held as part of the festival in the Village Hub, opposite the Botanic Garden, and :
- Nick Bailey’s 'Unusual and Delicious Edibles Anyone Can Grow' talk takes place from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.
- Josh Smalley’s 'Culinary Chemistry: Out of the Lab and into the Tent' takes place from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Tickets for both sessions are priced at £10/person, including a 45-minute talk from Nick/Josh, Q&A session, plus complimentary tea, coffee and cakes.
Location and parking
The Botanic Garden is situated about three miles south-east of Leicester city centre, opposite Leicester Racecourse. There are two entrances to the festival – Entrance 1 is at and Entrance 2 is on .
Parking at the festival is limited, so we strongly encourage you consider using public transport, or walking/cycling to get to the event - public transport routes can be found online.
If arriving by car, please use the free, designated university car parks (listed below) and refer to the map for their locations. To respect our garden’s neighbours, please avoid parking on nearby residential streets, ensure driveways remain clear, keep noise to a minimum and take all litter home with you.
University car parks:
- Lasdun (near Rosenfels) -
- Bowder Court/Southmeade Court -
- The Coppice -
- Stamford Court -
- The Pavilions/John Foster -
- Disabled parking can be found at the
For further information about the festival, please contact the University’s Events Team at events@le.ac.uk.