Stanwick Lakes Family Fun Day & Summer Craft Fair 2026

If you’re stuck for something to do this coming Sunday, I think I’ve found it. Stanwick Lakes is throwing open its gates for its Family Fun Day and Summer Craft Fair on the 19th of July, and honestly, it looks like the kind of day that ticks every box — free to get into, plenty of space to run about in, and enough going on that you could easily fill a whole afternoon without spending much at all.

When and where

Date: Sunday 19th July 2026
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Stanwick Lakes, Stanwick, Northants, NN9 6GY

General entry is free, though the usual parking charges apply, and a few of the activities on the day carry a small fee — all of which goes towards a really good cause (more on that below).

What’s on

Alongside the Summer Craft Fair, where local makers and small businesses line the paths with jewellery, artwork, textiles, candles and homewares, there’s a proper family fun day happening too. Expect:

• Face painting
• Inflatables and bouncy castles
• Axe throwing (11+)
• A performance from Ranger Rita of Laugh Out Loud Theatre
• A live re-enactment from The Bifrost Guard
• The café, if you fancy a coffee and a sit down between all the browsing

The craft fair itself is a lovely mix of stalls — think handmade jewellery, resin gifts, personalised items, artwork and bakes — with makers like Wright’s Diamond Designs, Bella Lou Vintage & Woodcraft, Made By Maddocks, Urchin Artwork and Posh Prezzies among those confirmed, alongside plenty more small businesses and crafters. It’s a great chance to pick up something a bit different while supporting local talent.

Why it matters

This isn’t just a fun day out — it’s a fundraiser too. Money raised on the day goes towards improving and adding to Stanwick Lakes’ play area and water play, building on previous Family Fun Days that helped fund the site’s accessible play tower campaign. So as well as a brilliant family day, you’re putting money towards something that benefits every family who visits afterwards.

If you’ve got little ones who love being outdoors, it’s also worth grabbing my free Nature Scavenger Hunt before you go — Stanwick Lakes’ trails are a great spot to put it to use once you’ve had your fill of the stalls and activities.

Good to know before you go

• Usual parking charges apply — free parking for Stanwick Lakes members
• Some activities, including axe throwing, carry a small additional fee
• Axe throwing is for ages 11 and up
• The café will be open if you want refreshments

As always, event details are correct at the time of writing based on information from Stanwick Lakes’ own website and social channels, but it’s worth double-checking their page before you set off, just in case anything changes at short notice.

Looking for more ways to fill the summer holidays? Have a browse of my Things To Do In Northamptonshire For Families guide, or sign up to my weekly What’s On newsletter so you never miss what’s happening on your doorstep.

The events listed in this guide are run by third-party organisers, and all details were correct at the time of publication, based on information from their official websites. However, changes or cancellations can happen at short notice. To avoid any disappointment, we recommend double-checking the event information on the official websites before making plans.