Events
The Milton Keynes Rose is used throughout the year for events and gatherings.
Everyone is welcome to come along. You can also visit at any time simply to enjoy the space.
The Milton Keynes Rose is used throughout the year for events and gatherings.
Everyone is welcome to come along. You can also visit at any time simply to enjoy the space.
Next event: Sunday 26 January 2025
Holocaust Memorial Day is a national commemoration day dedicated to the remembrance of those who suffered in the Holocaust under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides. A short service is held at The Milton Keynes Rose annually with readings and performance from a local choir.
Next event is on Sunday 26 January 2025.
*Please note that due to the adverse weather forecast for Sunday 26 January, this event will now take place at 3pm, in the Worship Area, The Church of Christ the Cornerstone, CMK and not at the MK Rose.*
Tuesday 4 March 2025
The City’s Corporate Pancake Day Race was back again this year, for once with teams competing in glorious sunshine! The annual City event which raises money for the MK Rose Trust is organised by partners The Milton Keynes Rose Trust and The Parks Trust. The Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr. Marie Bradburn who was our race starter on the day, presented the winning teams with their inscribed pancake pans. Congratulations to Mercer and Hole, winners of the 2025 Corporate Pancake Race and the team from MK SNAP who won the para-Pancake Race.
Continue reading “Annual event: Corporate Pancake Relay Race”
Saturday 8 March 2025 was International Women’s Day and the theme for 2025 was Accelerate Action. The first International Women’s Day was held in March 1911. It is a day of collective global activism and celebration that belongs to all those committed to forging women’s equality.
Continue reading “Annual Event: International Women’s Day”
15 June every year – Next event will take place at 3pm, Sunday 15 June 2025.
Held on 15 June each year, Albert French Day commemorates Rifleman Albert French who was born in Wolverton and was killed in action in the First World War when he was only 16 years old. The event commemorates the ultimate sacrifice of young people in war and all those who served.
This annual service will include readings, speeches and reflections and all are welcome.
Annual event every July
With welcome and speeches, collaborative art, music and picnic. All welcome.
See the MK Disability Awareness Day website for details for this year’s event.
Everyone is welcome to the annual service at the Milton Keynes Rose for Armistice Day on 11 November with silence at 11am followed by wreath laying. Nearest recommended parking located at centre:mk car parks (John Lewis end) and use the Redway bridge that leads into the park.
What3words location: yelled.pavilions.unleashed
May 2025
On Thursday 8 May 2025 hundreds of people from across Milton Keynes came together at The MK Rose to commemorate VE80 and mark the historic 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Continue reading “New Event – Celebrating VE 80”
April 2025
The Open University, with its main campus in Milton Keynes, gained its Royal Charter 56 years ago on 23 April 1969. To mark its 56th birthday, a ‘Charter Day’ event was held at their pillar at the MK Rose on Wednesday 23 April 2025.
Continue reading “New Event – The OU celebrates their Charter Day”
March 2025
On 9 March 2025, the Milton Keynes Ukrainian Appeal organised a celebratory event at the Milton Keynes Rose to celebrate the birthday of Taras Shevchenko — Ukraine’s great poet, artist and national icon. More than a literary genius, he was a revolutionary voice, a fighter for freedom and a symbol of Ukraine’s unbreakable spirit.
Continue reading “New Event – Celebrating the birthday of Taras Shevchenko”
23 January 2024
The Milton Keynes Rose was delighted to welcome the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Mick Legg on 23 January 2024 to mark the 57th anniversary of the designation of Milton Keynes as a New Town.
22 February 2024
The Milton Keynes Rose was delighted to celebrate World Thinking Day on Thursday, 22 February 2024. On this day 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world connect to shout about the things that they do.
The theme this year was Our World, Our Peaceful Future and the event was celebrated at the MK Rose by representatives of the Guides, Brownies, Rainbows and the Trefoil Guild.
April 2024
On Sunday 21 April 2024 the Milton Keynes District Scouts and Guides gathered at the MK Rose as part of their annual celebrations and parade to mark St George’s Day.
August 2024
*Please note that due to the poor weather forecast for Saturday 24 August, this event will now take place at 10.30am at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, CMK*
On Saturday 24 August, from 10.30am-12 noon The Ukrainian Community in Milton Keynes will be celebrating the Independence Day of Ukraine at the MK Rose. The event will showcase Ukrainian culture, language and tradition with music and songs, and include prayers and speeches to show solidarity for Ukraine and those affected by the ongoing conflict. Everyone is invited to join us at this free event.
24 February 2023
A candle-lit vigil was held at the Milton Keynes Rose on 24 February 2023 at 5pm to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Saturday 3 September 2022 11am to 12.30pm
MK’s iconic Concrete Cows, designed by Liz leyh were first unveiled in 1978. Since then they have become a symbol of the city’s development. While comedians across the country have had cheap laughs with joks about them we have grown to love them, with a replica set at Bancroft, soft toy reproductions, Willen Hospice’s annual ‘Midnight Moo’, the ‘Cowshed’ at Stadium:mk and Donny and Mooie the MK Dons mascots.
Continue reading “Past Event: Concrete Cow Day”
Saturday 10 July 2021 4pm
JEAN ABREU DANCE & MÓTUS YOUTH DANCE present
NEVER LET ME STOP
A collaboration between local young dancers from Milton Keynes and international choreographer Jean Abreu.
Continue reading “Past Event: ‘Never Let Me Stop’ Outdoor Dance Performance”
23 June 2021
Presented by local group covid19families Candlelight 4 Covid is an evening commemoration at the Milton Keynes Rose. There will be a small invite only lantern parade along Redway from Central Milton Keynes to the MK Rose in Campbell Park.
Continue reading “Past Event: Candlelight 4 Covid”
The Milton Keynes Rose Project Team are proud to present to new pillar at the Milton Keynes Rose celebrating volunteering. Engraved at the end of May 2020 ready to be in place for National Volunteers Week 1-7 June.
19 July 2021 7pm
With the end of Lockdown fast approaching, a special Freedom Day Concert is to be held at the Milton Keynes Rose in Campbell Park on Monday 19 July at 7pm. Admission free. There will be a lively programme of local artists.
Continue reading “Past Event: ‘Freedom Day’ Concert”
Friday 16 July – Sunday 18 July and Friday 23 July – Sunday 25 July 2021
Presented by IF: Milton Keynes International Festival view work of 30 large-scale hand-painted flags. Internationally renowned UK company Kinetika is working with over 150 people from community groups in Milton Keynes to create a set of 30 large-scale, hand-painted silk flags for display at The Milton Keynes Rose.
Continue reading “Past Event: MK Mandalas Kinetika Flags”
The first tea bag produced in Britain from Tetley’s factory in Osborne Street, Bletchley. The tea bag was brought to Britain by Tetley, who produced them in the UK for the first time in 1953 in Bletchley. By 1968, Tetley tea bag sales had soared to 5,000 tonnes a year.
Over 100 people celebrated being part of the Commonwealth by sharing food, friendship and flags on HM The Queen’s Birthday, joining in with Commonwealth celebrations that took place right across the globe.
Tues 26th Sept 2017
HRH Prince William (The Duke of Cambridge) enjoyed a lively ‘animated tour’ of the Milton Keynes Rose led by Debbie Brock, Chair of the Cenotaph Trust. He made a speech before unveiling our new pillar celebrating Milton Keynes’ Founders. See pictures of the visit on Getty images. Read about the visit on BBC news.
Milton Keynes’ new Mayor, Cllr David Hopkins, held a short public vigil in honour of those who lost their lives at Manchester Arena. Twenty-two people, including children, died and 59 others were injured after an explosion at an Ariana Grande pop concert at Manchester Arena in a suspected terror attack.