Milton Keynes City Centre has become a vibrant outdoor art gallery this summer as Elmer’s Art Parade arrives from Saturday 11 July until Monday 31 August 2026.

The free family-friendly trail will see 12 uniquely designed Elmer sculptures placed across the city centre, inviting visitors of all ages to explore, discover and enjoy a colourful adventure inspired by the much-loved character Elmer the Patchwork Elephant. 

Funded by city centre businesses through MyMiltonKeynes BID, the trail has been created to encourage families, residents and visitors to experience different areas of Milton Keynes while enjoying a fun and creative activity throughout the summer holidays. 

Discover a herd of colourful Elmers

Each sculpture has been transformed by a different artist, creating a collection of individual designs that celebrate creativity, imagination and the message at the heart of the Elmer stories – being proud of who you are and embracing what makes everyone unique. 

Visitors can choose how they want to complete the trail. The route can be enjoyed as two shorter walks, making it ideal for families with younger children, or combined into one bigger adventure taking in all 12 sculptures across Milton Keynes City Centre. 

The full Elmer adventure takes visitors through shopping areas, green spaces and leisure destinations, offering a chance to explore parts of the city centre that they may not normally visit.

How to take part

Taking part is completely free.

Trail booklets can be collected from:

• centre:mk Guest Services

• the MK Gallery Shop

• the Moxy Hotel in The Hub

Visitors can follow the trail, complete the Elmer quiz included in the booklet and collect a special completion certificate once they have found all the sculptures. 

There is also an extra reward for those who complete the trail, with certificate holders able to enjoy a special 2-for-1 entry offer at Gulliver’s Dinosaur & Farm Park, including the chance to meet Elmer and enjoy Elmer’s Jumping Pillows.

A trail designed for everyone

Organisers have designed Elmer’s Art Parade to be as accessible and inclusive as possible.

The sculptures will be positioned close to pathways to make them easier to access, while information plaques will include NFC technology that allows blind and partially sighted visitors to access audio information using the Speechlabel™ app.

Whether visitors are searching for every Elmer, discovering a few sculptures during a shopping trip, or making a full day out of the experience, the trail has been created to be enjoyed at everyone’s own pace.

A summer of colour in Milton Keynes

Elmer’s Art Parade is expected to bring families together, encourage exploration and add a splash of creativity to Milton Keynes City Centre during the school summer holidays.

Visitors are encouraged to take photographs of their favourite sculptures and share their discoveries on social media using:

#ElmerMK #ElmersArtParade #MiltonKeynes #LoveMK #SummerInMK #FamilyFun #DaysOutMK

So grab your trail booklet, gather your family and friends, and get ready to discover a colourful herd of Elmers across Milton Keynes this summer.

Elmer’s Art Parade runs from Saturday 11 July until Monday 31 August 2026 across Milton Keynes City Centre.