Botanic Gardens in Southport is hosting a free family fun day to celebrate its 150th birthday

The historic Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport is celebrating its 150th birthday with a special family event this summer – and you’re all invited! 

The Botanic Gardens Fun Day 150 event sponsored by The Settle Inn will take place at the park, on Botanic Road, between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 15th June 2025 (Father’s Day) with thousands of visitors once again expected.  

Admission is free, with donations welcome to support the ongoing upkeep of the gardens. The event is organised by Jess Rickers and the Botanic Gardens Community Association. The park has been welcoming generations of families ever since 1875. 

There will be lots on offer for families to enjoy including fairground rides, dance groups, stalls, giant bubbles, donkey rides, live music, birds of prey, and more. 

This year Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service will be out in numbers, with a police van, police dogs, a fire engine, mounted police, and other things for families to enjoy. 

Sefton Council is putting together a bid for Heritage Lottery funding to make improvements to the Botanic Gardens, and there will be an opportunity to learn more about how you can support their bid. 

Over the past 15 years the park has been maintained and improved by an incredible group of Botanic Gardens Community Association volunteers led by David and Ann Cobham, now both 83 years old. The couple won the Sefton Community Impact Award at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards for their work. 

New volunteers are urgently needed to care for the park, and people will be able to chat with members of the BCGA to find out how they can help. 

Jess Rickers said:

“The 150th birthday of the Botanic Gardens is an amazing milestone to celebrate! This is going to be a magical event with plenty to offer the entire family.

“So many generations have enjoyed this amazing space since it was opened during the Victorian era. We want to give the Botanic Gardens the celebration it deserves and we’d love to see as many people coming to enjoy the day as possible. Admission is free but we would always welcome any donations to the Botanic Gardens Community Association to support the ongoing upkeep and improvements at the park. 

“This our fourth event and these fun days keep getting bigger and better. There will be so much to do! We have more stalls than ever, with a mix of local businesses and local charities. 

“Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue have been so supportive of the Southport community over the past year. We are looking forward to seeing them coming with so much that children will love, including their police van, fire engine, police dogs, and police horses. 

“You can see local dance schools performing throughout the day. That part of the event is being organised and run by Funky Monkees, with Katy Hibbert leading that for us.  Southport Hesketh Round Table will be working with them, providing a DJ.  Dance groups performing will include DBA, Babyballet, Wright’s Performing Arts, Rhythm Time Southport and Express Performing Arts.  Children from Express Performing Arts will also be making and selling bracelets to raise money for the new Bebe’s Hive charity. 

“Our popular bubbleologists from Paris Bubbles are making a welcome return, their huge bubbles are always very popular. We’ll have face painting; birds of prey; donkey rides; StarKidz will be doing a silent disco. The Settle Inn, which is sponsoring the event, will be hosting a BBQ; selling food, drinks and ice cream; and will be selling plants. 

“People will be able to enjoy free popcorn courtesy of Hickory’s in Southport. We’ll have live music with a jazz band, a ukulele band, and the sea cadets band. The Botanic Gardens is right next to the beautiful Churchtown Village, which is full of fantastic local independent restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. It’s a perfect opportunity to enjoy a full day in Churchtown and enjoy everything that the Village has to offer.

“This event is always busy so please come on foot or by public transport if you are able. Please take any rubbish home with you; it’s always handy to bring cash, as not all of the stalls have card machines. Sefton Council has been really supportive. They are providing funds for bins and portable toilets and are also sending two Green Sefton employees along to help. This year’s event has been a real team effort by the whole community. There are so many local groups working together to make this special 150th birthday event happen.” 

The Botanic Gardens really is a park run by the community for the local community. There is so much time, effort and passion put in by volunteers in all weathers.

The Southport and Churchtown Botanic Gardens and Museum Company was set up by Mayor Walter Smith in 1875.

The company went about raising £18,000 to build a botanical garden, museum, tea rooms and a conservatory.

The company bought 20 acres from the Heskeths at Meols Hall and built the gardens.

On 15th May 1875 the Botanic Gardens opened. The following year the Conservatory and Museum were completed, and opened in April.

Phineas T Barnum – the inspiration behind ‘The Greatest Showman’ movie – was on the Advisory Committee. He donated his iconic ‘ringmaster’ hat as an exhibit.

The Fernery opened in 1876 and contains one of the finest collections of ferns in the UK.

The Botanic Gardens looks immaculate; and it’s all thanks to the volunteers who keep it looking that way, throughout the year. 

Jess Rickers said: “What David and Ann Cobham and the other volunteers have achieved at the Botanic Gardens over the past 15 years is remarkable. They really are pillars of our community. We owe them so much. 

“Over the past 15 years they have gone into that park every day, except Christmas Day, to put in new plants, raise funds, do the weeding, clear the rubbish, maintain the fernery and the aviary – it’s a huge job. 

“They urgently need new volunteers, and they’d appreciate any support from anyone who is happy to give some time to help create a bright future for the park for the years ahead.”

If anyone would like any more details about the Botanic Gardens Fun Day 150 event  please email Jess Rickers here.

Find out more going on in Southport here.

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