The school summer holidays are here so you are probably looking for great events and activities to enjoy with the family, that don’t cost a lot.

Follow the Pride public art trail is well and truly under way and will run until 19 September. Visit the Pride of Portsmouth website and plan your safari!

The government is cutting VAT on family days out, including free bus travel for under 15’s, cinema and theatre tickets, attractions and children’s meals out. That means less to pay during the school holidays (25 June to 1 September 2026). Use this easy search to find savings in your area.

The Pompey Reading Challenge (for over 16s) and the Summer Reading Challenge (for 4 to 11s) have both begun and there are prizes up for grabs, start reading now for a chance to win!

• Find out how you can take part in the Summer Reading Challenge for kids aged 4 to 11
• Find out more about the 16 plus Pompey Reading Challenge

Throughout August

Summer at Fort Nelson

Fort Nelson is a great place for a FREE day out for all the family, with acres of ramparts and tunnels to explore, plus the amazing collection of artillery and big guns to discover. Kids can take a junior assault course, weekdays from 10am to 4.30pm (£3.50 per child) Visit the Royal Armouries website to find out more. There’s also a crossbow challenge which costs £8.

Summer fun at Cascades, Commercial Road

Free Lego building sessions, back to school to school colouring competitions and a chance to win prizes! Find out more about summer fun at Cascades

Weekday activities

Wednesdays - Stretch and Relax

Stretch and Relax is open to all Portsmouth residents and offers a calming opportunity to unwind, breathe deeply, and enjoy the peaceful setting of Victoria Park. It’s an introduction to movement, relaxation, and connecting with the natural surroundings of the park. All abilities are welcome.

This is a pay as you can afford class, cash donations are accepted on the day. Take your own mat or towel.

Wednesday 19 and 26 August – Vintage bus tours

Take a vintage bus ride across the city this summer, as the City of Portsmouth Preserved Transport Depot hosts a number of services across lots of different routes. Read more about vintage bus tours at Visit Portsmouth.

Wednesday 19 August – Buzz about the place

Join Mathilde from Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery and Hannah from Parks and Gardens in your local park. Join them for some art and wildlife activities and become a nature champion. There’ll be landscape drawing and colouring, making nature bracelets and badges, a wildlife scavenger hunt and bird watching. All drawing and wildlife spotting equipment provided.

• Paulsgrove Park (Allaway Avenue, Paulsgrove, PO6 4AS) – 10.30am to 12.30pm
• Milton Park (Milton, PO4 8PR – Entrance closest to Beddow Library) – 13.30pm to 15.30pm

Wednesday 19 August – Meccano Day

The Solent Meccano Club is back at Portsmouth Museum with all the Meccano pieces you could possibly need to make anything and everything. Learn more about this fun hobby, chat with the experts, or learn how to get started on your very own building projects. Visit the museum website for more information.

Wednesday 26 August – Greetings from creepy Portsmouth

What if everything in Portsmouth was designed to be creepy? Travel to Portsmouth 2126 and imagine a future where unsettling technology has become part of everyday life. A free speculative design workshop imagining a future where unsettling technology has become part of everyday life. Find out more and book your free ticket on Eventbrite.

Thursday 27 August – Kids Club; Mill Cottage Farm Experience

Perfect for animal lovers of all ages, this interactive event gives children the chance to meet a variety of friendly farm animals and learn more about life on the farm in a fun, hands-on way.

Thursday 20 August – Kids Club; Silly Scott and the Creation Station

Get ready for lots of silly fun at Port Solent’s free Kids Club event. See the Port Solent website for show times.

Thursdays - Nature Watch walks in Portsmouth

Looking to get outdoors, enjoy some fresh air, and connect with others? Join us for our friendly weekly wellbeing walks this August. Everyone is welcome!

• 13 August – Baffins Pond (PO3 6HU) Join the Countryside Ranger for a guided walk. Meet outside Alderman Lacy Library (next to the pond), Tangier Road, Copnor. Route has mostly flat surfaces. Some walking on grass. Public toilets next to the library
• 20 August – Cosham Park (PO6 3BD) Meet at the front of Cosham Train Station.
• 27 August – Milton Park (PO4 8PR) Meet outside Milton Village Hall. Route has flat surfaces. Toilets available in the hall

For more info give us a call 0n 023 9284 1763 or email us at iwt@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Thursday 13 August – Kids Club; The lovely bubbly show

Get ready for a bubble-filled spectacle at Port Solent’s free Kids Club event. See the Port Solent website for show times

Weekend activities

Love Southsea market, Palmerston Road Precinct, Southsea

Diverse traders offer everything from beautiful artwork must-haves for your home, to vintage clothing, candles to make your house smell divine, screen-printed T-shirts and bags, incredible photography featuring the wonderful surroundings of Portsmouth and Southsea, gorgeous gifts, homewares, jewellery, and more. Love Southsea Markets have got the lot!

Saturday 15 August – Portsmouth Record Fair

For all you vinyl lovers, browse 1000’s of records and CDs at the Portsmouth Record Fair (Playland, 1-6 City Buildings, Commercial Road). Free entry.

Sunday 16 August – Adding your voices to Portsmouth’s future

As part of Portsmouth 100, marking 100 years of Portsmouth being a city, this creative workshop explores how archives can be brought to life through creativity, collaboration and collective memory. Come along and add your voice to Portsmouth’s future. Book your free ticket at Eventbrite.

Saturday 22 August – Portsmouth 100 wonders

Part of Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery Portsmouth100 festivities. Join the team for a morning filled with fascinating facts, stories and anecdotes about the city’s iconic or hidden landmarks. Then let your creativity flow through collage, sketching, drawing, storytelling or photography with a local artist. Each venue offering its own unique art form and in August it’s Photography with Paul Gonella at Hilsea Lido. See more art club sessions at Portsmouth Museums website.

Sunday 23 August – Gathering the Future, a speculative workshop

Join artist Kuch Bhogal for a creative workshop exploring possible futures for our city through conversation, writing and drawing. The workshop invites you to imagine futures shaped by community, care and the ordinary things that help us survive. Find out more and book your free ticket

More events and activities are added every day – so check back soon. 

See a selection of fantastic low cost or free events and activities for families all year-round.

Around the World in 20 Trees – take a tree walk in Victoria Park and enjoy the 46 different types of tree there. Download or print out a factsheet and discover the stories of 20 of the most outstanding trees in the park

Adventure playgrounds – Adventure awaits 6-13 year olds at our six free adventure playgrounds. Every playground has a huge climbing structure designed to test agility, balance and imagination. Kids can also enjoy: splash pools, sports, sand pits, arts and crafts, cookery, games areas, wood workshops and more.

Eastney Beam Engine Houses – Free admission to both engine houses on the last Sunday of every month from 10am to 4pm (apart from August and December), and the Gas Engine House every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm. Get up close to these marvels of Victorian engineering.

Family Saturdays at Aspex Gallery – Free creative workshops suitable for the whole family. Explore a different creative activity each week, such as painting, model making, print making, and inventing in relaxed sessions suitable for all ages, interests and abilities. Drop in and take part any time from 11am to 1pm every Saturday!

Free swimming for under 12s in Portsmouth.

Goodgym – Get fit and do good at the same time by joining a group of local residents who run, walk, or cycle to help out community projects and older people in Portsmouth. Find out how you can get involved

Home-Start Portsmouth – Run free ‘Stay and Play’ groups for children (aged 0-5) and their families in family hubs. There are 12 sessions a week and spaces can be booked online.

Parkruns – Free, fun, and friendly, weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or just watch – it’s up to you! There are three to choose from in Portsmouth.

• Parkrun Lakeside
• Parkrun Great Salterns
• Parkrun Southsea

Pompey Tots at Portsmouth Cathedral – A free, fun session for 0-4-year-olds every Wednesday at 2pm.

Portsmouth Libraries – Free events throughout the week for children and adults all year round and this October Half-Term, there’s a bumper program of free, drop-in activities for the youngsters. Local libraries are also welcoming spaces to go and read books, get online with free WiFi and stay warm.

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery – Free entry, take a walk through Portsmouth’s heritage, discover the world of Sherlock Holmes, see fascinating works of art, trace the history of Portsmouth FC and more.

Portsmouth Natural History Museum – Free entry to Cumberland House where you can take a walk through the A-Z of Natural History, get up close with a huge dinosaur, and visit the wonderful Butterfly House. Open Tuesday to Sunday.

Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson – Free entry, but it’s £3 to park. There’s normally events on during the school holidays.

Find opening times and details of events and activities at all Portsmouth museums

Rambler’s Wellbeing Walks. Walking is free and can have a positive impact on physical and mental health. Join one of our volunteer-led walks in Portsmouth. They are a great way to meet people and improve wellbeing. There are some great incentives too, including a Wellbeing Walks water bottle, 15% Discount at Millets and more.

Ship-spotting is a great free activity to do throughout the year, with lots of different ferries, cruise ships and cargo ships sailing to and from Portsmouth International Port. Check out the arrivals and departures on the port website to see what is coming and going. You can also look at the cruise schedule and the Portico vessel planner to check what’s happening in the future.

Southsea Castle – This historical attraction is free of charge and is open between April and October each year. The courtyard is open year-round. Visitors can explore the keep, enjoy panoramic views to the Isle of Wight and Solent, and enjoy a bite to eat in The Courtyard.

The Parenting Network run a variety of free groups for families, including stay and play social groups for parents and their children.

Social activities and groups for adults – Are you looking to join a new activity, make friends and explore your area? The council runs a variety of social activities and groups for adults across the city. There’s something for everyone – including walking, reading, knitting, gardening cookery, and culture and faith groups. As well as taking part, there are also opportunities to volunteer and help run the sessions.

Community centres in Portsmouth. Your local community centre might surprise you. Find a range of activities from fitness to fine art.

Gardening clubs – Grow your own food and make friends with like-minded people in the fresh air:

• Milton Piece Community Allotment – off Locksway Road, Milton (opposite entrance to The Orchards)
  • Adult learning disabilities gardening group – Mondays 10am to 12pm
  • Community gardening club – Mondays 12:30pm to 2:30pm. Wednesdays 9:30am to 2:30pm
     
• Treadgolds – Bishop Street, Portsea
  • Community gardening club – Fridays 9.30am to 12pm
     
• Landport Grow Zone (Ethnic Growing Group) – Fyning Street, Landport
  • Community gardening club drop-in session – Mondays 12.30pm to 2:30pm

For more information about gardening clubs:

• email iwt@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• phone 023 9284 1762
• phone 07984 154 466