The Twixmas period – the days between Christmas and early January – will begin with the Eden Project opening to the public on Boxing Day for the first time since 2019.
The project’s popular parkrun - a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate - is hosting three Twixmas runs on December 28, January 1 and January 4. The New Year’s Day event is a special addition to the calendar to welcome in 2025 in active style. The events provide a friendly and inclusive atmosphere for everyone who wants to take part, regardless of ability.
Parkrun is free to everyone and participants get free entry to the Eden Project on the day they take part. The five-kilometre course takes a winding and picturesque route through the Eden Project gardens, including on routes not normally open to the public, finishing in front of the famous Biomes.
Nearly 70,000 finishes have been recorded at the Eden Project parkrun since it began in 2017 and there are volunteering opportunities available for those who don’t want to take part.
Activity of a more wintery nature can be found on the Eden Project’s ice rink, which is open until February. General skating sessions are available throughout the season, alongside dedicated family sessions for parents and children under 12, with penguin- and snowman-shaped aids for less confident skaters.
Alongside the Eden Project’s vast outdoor gardens, which are dog-friendly and are spread across more than 20 acres, visitors can also explore the project’s rich outer estate.
This is the wild perimeter that surrounds the Eden Project and is connected to the Clay Trails, a network of short walking, cycling and horseriding trails through the nearby China Clay Country. The Clay Trails provide picturesque, active routes to the Eden Project from St Austell, St Blazey, Par and Bugle.
A healthy post-exercise boost can be found in the Eden Project’s famous baobab smoothie, available in the Rainforest Biome from Saturday (December 21). Baobab is a superfruit originating from southern Africa and is rich in calcium and has more than 100 times the anti-oxidant activity of oranges. It grows on a tree sometimes known as the “upside down tree”, one of which grows in the Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome.
Simon Townsend, the Eden Project’s general manager, said: “The period between Christmas and New Year is a great time for people to start thinking about getting more active and maybe putting some of those new year’s resolutions into action. Our range of fun activities provide options for people of all abilities in a friendly and picturesque setting. This is a great time of year to make some positive new habits.”
For those wanting to enjoy an enchanting evening out, the Eden Project's festive lights and soundscape experience will continue to take place between 5pm and 8pm on December 27 to 30 and January 2 to 5 and is free with a Locals' Pass or other Eden Project entry ticket.
With more lights than ever before, visitors can explore the Biomes as they are transformed into a night-time wonderland, with surprises around every corner, as well as a new interactive outdoor experience.
During the Twixmas period, from December 26 to January 5 inclusive, Locals' Pass holders can bring a guest for free and enjoy a 10% discount across the Eden Project's hospitality and retail venues. Meanwhile, Eden Project Members can bring an additional guest for free alongside their regular guests and will receive an increased discount of 15% off food, drink and retail items.
For more information on what to see and do at the Eden Project and to pre-book online for the best price see www.edenproject.com.
For more details on the Eden Project parkrun and to register see www.parkrun.org.uk/edenproject.
