SEND Fest 2026: Save the Dates!

Summary

A day, or three, where families can breathe and have fun. A space built entirely with SEND families at its heart.

A celebration built entirely with SEND families at its heart is returning… and this year, it’s shaping up to be even more magical. SEND Fest is more than a day out. It’s a space where every child can belong, every parent can breathe, and every family can feel understood.

Last year’s event at Marsh Farm created memories that families are still talking about, a full‑venue SEND takeover where the pressure lifted, the pace slowed, and the community came alive. Now, it’s time to save the dates for what’s ahead.

Where SEND Fest Began

SEND Fest was created because so many families shared the same story: “inclusive sessions” that didn’t feel inclusive at all. Short, awkwardly timed, overstimulating, or under‑prepared, and often leaving families feeling more isolated, not less.

One of the voices that helped shape SEND Fest from the very beginning is Charlotte, a SEND mum, advocate, and co‑host of the SEND‑focused mum podcast Let’s Talk Unplugged. She is also part of the team behind Stories About Autism Clothing, who are collaborating with IP Essex to bring SEND Fest to life. Through her advocacy on Instagram and her podcast, she has become a powerful voice for families navigating a world that isn’t always built with them in mind.

Her words resonated deeply with families across the UK and helped shape the heart of what SEND Fest needed to become:

“SEND sessions are usually a one or two hour slot tucked awkwardly at the start or the end of a day, carved out for families like mine. Families who define the normal, oversold, overlit, overloud sessions impossible to survive. They’re quieter, shorter, and often at times no one else wants. Somehow that makes me feel more different than ever. It’s the leftover slot, the afterthought hour, the space created because we cannot cope with the space that’s created for everyone else.” 

Charlotte continues, highlighting the constant letdowns families face:

“Sometimes the staff don’t even know what SEND means. That’s not their fault, but when you’re walking in carrying the invisible weight of meltdowns, anxieties, nappies, stimming, unpredictability, you need more than good intentions. You need understanding. You need someone who knows what a meltdown looks like before it explodes. The pressure doesn’t disappear in those sessions, if anything, it sharpens. I’ve often shied away from them, because if I’m honest they don’t make me included, they make me feel sad. Yes, there are places that get it right, truly right, but there are also ones that don’t. The cancellations, the misunderstandings, turning up, already braced. Only to find it’s been called off. That kind of unpredictability creates a whole new layer of anxiety, the kind that sits in your chest for days.”

SEND Fest was created as the answer:

“That’s where SEND Fest was born. Not another inclusive hour. Not another quiet slot at the edges of the day. A takeover. A whole venue, a whole day, shut down for us. Parents, children, carers, adults with SEN, not squeezed in, not tolerated, not accommodated, but centred on us, the ones who fight for inclusion every single day.”

Last Year at Marsh Farm

Last year’s SEND Fest at Marsh Farm was a turning point for many families. A day where no one stared, no one judged, and no one apologised for their child simply being themselves.

Charlotte described the impact beautifully:

“The first SEND Fest last year healed something in me and I didn’t even know it was still raw. After so many failed family days out, so many almosts, so many ‘let’s just go home’. I watched families arrive guarded and leave lighter. I watched siblings included, not sidelined. I watched parents exhale.”

Families enjoyed:

• Full private access to Marsh Farm
• Animal encounters with goats, alpacas, rabbits, and more
• Tractor rides without queues
• Soft play and sensory zones, such as the foam tent
• Calm corners for regulation
• Outdoor play, from bouncing pillows to sand pits
• Crafts and workshops for all abilities
• A community atmosphere built on understanding

As Charlotte put it:

“A place where no one stares, where stimming is normal, where meltdowns are met with nods, not judgement. Where nappies and noise and unpredictability are just part of the soundtrack.”

What’s Coming for SEND Fest 2026

SEND Fest isn’t just returning, it’s expanding into its biggest year yet. With three major events across Essex, plus more venues currently in discussion, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for SEND‑centred celebration.

Each event is a full SEND takeover: the whole venue, the whole day (or evening), designed entirely around the needs, rhythms, and joy of SEND families.

Let’s take a look at what’s in store this summer:

Saturday 30th May: An Evening at Colchester Zoo (6–9pm)

Colchester Zoo, Essex

SEND Fest begins with something truly special: an exclusive evening takeover of Colchester Zoo. The evening comes with an incredible Animal Encounters programme.

Families will be able to choose their favourite animals to visit for talks or feeds, including:

• Giraffes
• Rhinos
• Elephants
• Warthogs
• Tigers
• Sun bears
• …and more!

Even better, selected encounters will be BSL‑interpreted, making the experience more inclusive and accessible for Deaf families and children who use sign language.

Families can expect:

• A calmer, cooler after‑hours experience
• The chance to explore the zoo at a gentler pace
• Reduced crowds and sensory‑aware planning
• Animal viewing areas without queues or pressure
• Quiet zones and regulation spaces
• Staff and volunteers who understand SEND needs

There’s something magical about being in the zoo as the sun goes down, and this evening is designed so families can enjoy that magic without overwhelm.

🎟️ Tickets available now  

Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st July: SEND Fest at Marsh Farm

Marsh Farm, Essex

After the success of last year, Marsh Farm returns as a two‑day SEND Fest destination, giving families more flexibility and more space to enjoy everything the venue has to offer.

Across both days, families can look forward to all the much‑loved activities from last year, plus exciting new additions for 2026, including:

• Funfair‑style games
• Music and movement spaces with sensory‑friendly sound levels
• Expanded creative areas for art, building, and imaginative play
• Face painting
• Mini golf
• An exciting timetable of live performances, including a magician act! 

Saturday 22nd August: SEND Fest at Wyvernwood

Wyvernwood, Colchester

To close out the summer, SEND Fest arrives at Wyvernwood, a magical adventure park filled with storytelling, imaginative play, and immersive experiences.

This SEND‑only day will include:

• Exclusive access to Wyvernwood’s enchanted worlds
• Character meet‑and‑greets designed with SEND needs in mind
• Adventure play areas with space to move, climb, and explore
• Sensory‑aware performances and activities
• Quiet zones and calm spaces woven throughout the venue
• A welcoming environment where every child can be themselves

Wyvernwood is already a favourite among SEND families, and a full SEND takeover makes it even more extraordinary.

There’s More…

SEND Fest is still in active discussions with additional venues, exploring even more opportunities to bring SEND‑centred events to families across the region.

More announcements are coming, and if the current plans are anything to go by, 2026 is going to be a year of unforgettable experiences.

Keep watching this space.

Why Events Like SEND Fest Matter

SEND Fest isn’t just a fun day out, it’s a space where families don’t have to shrink themselves, apologise for themselves, or brace for misunderstanding.

Charlotte captured that feeling perfectly:

“It wasn’t about inclusion. Inclusion suggests that we’re stepping into someone else’s world. This was ours. A world that already exists. A world of fierce love, constant advocacy, exhaustion, resilience. A world where our children are not too much. They are just themselves, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like I was borrowing space. I felt like I belonged, less alone, less different, less like the family holding the smaller prize. It was freedom, it was community, and it was magic.”

This is exactly why SEND Tutoring is proud to support SEND Fest by amplifying their mission, because belonging shouldn’t be rare. For so many of the families we work with, the world can feel like a series of battles: fighting for understanding, for adjustments, for patience, for space. Days out often come with caveats, compromises, or the quiet hope that “maybe this time it will go smoothly.” 

SEND Fest flips that script.

Save the Dates And Get Ready!

SEND Fest creates a world where SEND families don’t have to explain themselves, apologise for themselves, or brace for the next misunderstanding. A world where children are celebrated exactly as they are, where parents can finally exhale, and where siblings feel included rather than sidelined. It’s the kind of environment we wish existed everywhere, and the kind we work toward every day in our tutoring spaces.

SEND Tutoring stands with a community that deserves joy without conditions. We believe inclusion should never be an afterthought, and that every family should have access to spaces where they feel safe, understood, and genuinely welcomed.

SEND Fest 2026 is coming. 

A day, or three, where families can breathe and have fun.

A space built entirely with SEND families at its heart.

More details, updates, and venue announcements are on the way. Follow SEND Fest on Instagram to stay up to date.

Support for Every Learner
Discover how SEND Tutoring supports students with a wide range of needs, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, PDA, SEMH, epilepsy, and more. 

Resources and Insights 

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Ella Jones

If you’re looking for support for a child or young person with special educational needs or a disability, book a free call with us today and find out how we can help.