February 2027
The Dark Skies Festival near Thornton-le-Dale
February is when the North York Moors puts its darkness to work. This page is an early planning guide from the village: what is confirmed for 2027, what is not, and how to use Thornton-le-Dale as a base for a night under a genuinely dark sky.
What is confirmed, and what is not
The North York Moors dates for the 2027 Dark Skies Festival have not been published yet. This page names only what the national parks have already put in print, and says plainly where a date is still missing.
Yorkshire Dales 2027: published
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which runs the festival jointly with the North York Moors, gives its 2027 programme as 5 to 21 February 2027.
Taken from the Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival page, checked on 21 September 2026.
North York Moors 2027: not yet published
No 2027 dates were published for the North York Moors programme when this page was written. For reference, the 2026 festival ran 13 February to 1 March.
2026 dates taken from North York Moors National Park festival coverage, checked on 21 September 2026. Check the North York Moors National Park and darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk for the confirmed 2027 programme.
School half-term 2027
North Yorkshire school spring half-term is Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February 2027, which is the week most families will be looking at.
Taken from North Yorkshire Council term dates, checked on 21 September 2026. Individual schools can differ, so confirm with yours.
Why February, and why here
The festival sits in February for a simple reason: the nights are long, the air is often clear, and the sky is at its darkest in the middle of winter. That is the opposite of a summer holiday habit, where darkness arrives too late for children and too briefly for anyone else. In February you can be under a full sky by early evening and home before bedtime.
The North York Moors National Park is an International Dark Sky Reserve, one of a small number of places in the world recognised for the quality of its night sky. Thornton-le-Dale sits on the park's southern edge, which is the useful part for visitors: you can stay in a village with a shop, pubs and a car park, then drive a short distance up into open moorland or forest where the light pollution drops away.
Dark Sky Reserve status and the festival's February timing taken from North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Park festival information, checked on 21 September 2026.
Dalby Forest, the nearest dark-sky venue
Dalby Forest is the closest organised stargazing to the village and the easiest place to start. It is worth separating two things: the festival programme, which changes every year, and Forestry England's own stargazing evenings, which run through the darker months and are ticketed separately.
Stargazing evenings
Stargazing at Dalby runs on various dates from October to February, 7pm to 9pm, ticketed separately from the festival.
Taken from Forestry England's published information, checked on 21 September 2026. Confirm dates and tickets with Forestry England.
Parking is by duration
Dalby Forest parking is charged by duration, not as a flat day rate: £3.50 up to 1 hour, £6.50 up to 2 hours, £9.50 up to 3 hours, £12.50 up to 4 hours, £15.00 over 4 hours. Forestry England members park free.
Taken from Forestry England's published information, checked on 21 September 2026. An evening event can push you into a longer band than you expect, so check the tariff on the day.
Winter opening hours
The forest is open 8am to 8pm every day. The visitor centre runs 9am to 4pm from 1 November, so in February it closes well before a stargazing evening starts.
Taken from Forestry England's published information, checked on 21 September 2026. Plan food, drink and toilets around the earlier closing time.
Other national park venues
Festival events are spread across the national park rather than concentrated in one place, including the national park centres. Expect to drive, and expect popular events to sell out early.
Based on the published pattern of previous festival programmes, checked on 21 September 2026. Check the 2027 programme for venues and booking.
Planning a dark-sky evening from the village
Start with the stargazing guide
The practical detail sits on one page already: getting out after dark, where the light pollution drops away, what to take and how to keep your night vision.
See the Thornton-le-Dale stargazing guide.
Use the daylight first
A February day is short, which suits a slow village morning and one walk before the light goes. The village walks all start from the car park on Maltongate.
See the village walks and a gentle day in the village.
Eat before it gets dark
Winter opening hours are shorter than summer ones, and a stargazing event that starts at 7pm does not leave much room afterwards. Check directly before relying on anywhere.
See eating and drinking.
Consider staying the night
Driving home from open moorland on a cold February night after a late event is the part people underestimate. Staying locally turns it into a much easier evening.
See where to stay and getting here.
What this page does not claim
No 2027 event names, venues, times, ticket prices or booking links appear here, because the North York Moors programme for 2027 had not been published when this page was written. Nothing has been carried over from the 2026 programme and presented as though it will run again. When the 2027 programme is published, this page will be updated with the confirmed dates and a link to the official listings.
Every figure on this page is traced to the source named beside it, all checked on 21 September 2026. Confirm dates, prices and opening times with the operator before travelling.
Common questions
When is the Dark Skies Festival 2027?
The North York Moors dates for 2027 have not been published yet. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which runs the festival jointly with the North York Moors, has published 5 to 21 February 2027 for its own programme. In 2026 the North York Moors festival ran from 13 February to 1 March. Treat February 2027 as the month and check the national park sites for the confirmed North York Moors dates.
When is February half-term in North Yorkshire in 2027?
North Yorkshire school spring half-term is Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February 2027, according to North Yorkshire Council term dates checked on 21 September 2026. Academies and voluntary aided schools can set their own dates, so confirm with your school.
Is Thornton-le-Dale a good base for the Dark Skies Festival?
It is a practical one. The village sits on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park, which is an International Dark Sky Reserve, and Dalby Forest is a short drive away. Festival events are spread across the national park, so expect to drive to most of them.
Can I stargaze at Dalby Forest without a festival ticket?
Forestry England lists stargazing at Dalby on various dates from October to February, 7pm to 9pm, ticketed separately from the festival programme. Parking is charged by duration rather than a flat day rate. Confirm dates, tickets and parking with Forestry England before travelling.