News / Festival of Nature

Festival of Nature returns to Bristol for its 20th year

By Ursula Billington  Thursday Jun 8, 2023

People in Bristol should prepare to get wild as nature-based events take over the city at the beginning of June.

The Festival of Nature, now in its 20th year, is set to return with workshops, walks and family activities taking place in green pockets and urban settings.

Savita Willmott, chief executive of festival organisers, the Natural History Consortium, said: “We’re so excited to be celebrating our 20th anniversary with audiences across the West of England.

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“We’ve pulled together our biggest ever programme and can’t wait to bring together a huge range of organisations to inspire everyone to take action for nature this summer.”

The festival culminates in a Wild Weekend showcasing the wonders of the natural world across Millennium and Anchor Square over June 17 to 18.

Special guest BAFTA award-winning presenter Maddie Moate will answer science and environment questions posed by the audience.

The Walking Forest, a sensory walkabout performance, will invite audiences to explore the forest floor, undergrowth and canopy, listen to tree stories and take home a fruit tree to plant.

The act is designed to enable visitors to imagine the streets with more tree cover, in reference to Bristol’s target to double the city’s tree canopy and wildlife by 2050.

The Walking Forest is a “sensory woodland experience” travelling through Broadmead, Old City and King Street

The programme also features a green career walk in Leigh Woods, wildlife drawing workshops, Aardman’s new production Lloyd of the Flies, and practical sessions on bats, bees, butterflies and mini beasties.

Culture fans can enjoy an evening with wildlife film score composer William Goodchild, a behind-the-scenes look at David Attenborough’s Wild Isles, and local artist Luke Jerram’s Oil Fountain, a new installation at Bristol Cathedral.

Those interested in environmental decision-making can attend the West of England Nature Recovery Strategy webinar, the Minerva lecture on sustainable construction, or the ‘Hey, what would nature say?’ debate with the University of Bristol and Faith in Nature.

For families, there are My Wild Child outdoor play sessions, family nature parties in Bath and Barton Hill, and a chance to meet the Wild Place Project giraffes.

 

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For more information, view the full programme here

This piece of independent journalism is supported by The Extra Mile and Bristol24/7 public and business membership

All photos: Festival of Nature

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