Design a Dark Skies Park Protector for Exmoor!

Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) is calling all young creatives to design a Dark Skies Park Protector for Exmoor! ENPA invites children to take part in a stellar creative challenge, as part of the upcoming Exmoor Dark Skies Festival, running from Friday 17 October to Sunday 2 November 2025.

The Dark Skies Park Protector Competition encourages young minds to design their own character who helps protect Exmoor’s internationally recognised Dark Sky Reserve. Entrants are asked to imagine a hero who travels the night skies, keeping light pollution at bay and ensuring the stars shine brightly for all to enjoy.

Whether it’s a cosmic creature, a magical guardian, or a futuristic robot, the character should reflect the importance of preserving natural darkness and celebrating the wonders of the night sky.

Key Details:

* Who can enter? Children aged 11 and under.

* What to do? Create and send in a drawing of your Dark Skies Protector, along with a short description.

* Deadline: Entries must be submitted by Sunday 6 October 2025.

* Prizes: The overall winner will receive a Celestron Telescope.

Winning designs will be showcased during the festival and featured on Exmoor National Park’s website and social media channels.

The competition is part of a wider celebration of Exmoor’s designation as Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. The festival features over 70 events including stargazing walks, planetarium sessions, nocturnal wildlife experiences, and creative workshops.

Julie Colman, Rural Enterprise Coordinator for Exmoor National Park Authority, who is organising the festival said:

"This competition is a wonderful way to engage children with the magic of the night sky and the importance of protecting it. You can create your Protector through a painting or drawing, computer graphics,  lego, clay or even through Minecraft. We are looking for imagination and creativity. Our judges will be looking for more than just a creative design—they’ll also consider: Your protector’s name, any special powers it possesses, where it lives and whether there are any stories or legends surrounding it. We can’t wait to see the imaginative creations that come in!"

Enter and find full details here

Sponsored by BMW Vertu, Bridgwater, the Exmoor Dark Skies Festival promises a packed programme. The full event listing and programme is available now from Exmoor National Park centres and to download from our website. Booking now is advised, as places are filling up.

More details about stargazing on Exmoor and this year’s festival can be found here