The Festival of Nature returns!

The Festival of Nature returns!

Natural History Consortium 

Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, is returning for its 20th Anniversary and it’s got something for everyone!

Between Friday 9 and Sunday 18 June, the festival is delivering a jam-packed programme full of nature-based activities including walks, workshops, talks, performances and film viewings. Whether you’re looking for family events, wanting to learn a new skill, explore a new place, meet new people or be inspired to help nature, you’re bound to find something for you across the 10 day festival!

The Natural History Consortium, who hosts the festival, is a collaboration of 14 organisations including Avon Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Woodland Trust, Bristol Zoo Gardens, the BBC, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and the National Trust. As part of this consortium we are hosting a series of exciting events within the programme for you to get involved with.

Join our Team Wilder community campfire online event on Monday 12 June between 6-7pm to learn  more about making space for nature and hear from gardeners, growers and communities who are already doing inspiring work for wildlife. Come along to get inspired about how we can all play a part in helping nature!

Sign up to the Community Campfire 

Get your under-fives outside with our ‘My Wild Child’ sessions on Wednesday 14 June between 10 – 11:30am. An educational morning of outdoor play and nature fun at the Bommie in Knowle where we will be focusing on all things trees! And in the evening, come and hear all about the beavers living on the Avon, from former Avon Wildlife Trust CEO, Bevis Watts at Better Food’s in St Werburghs. The same evening we’re also running a now sold-out guided walk around Bathampton Meadows, a beautiful site near the city of Bath which can only be visited with one of our guides. This walk will be led by our Nature Recovery Officer, Rob Stephens, who will be telling people all about this important site and its wildlife. Also in Bath, our Communications Officer, George Cook, will be running an ‘Introduction to Wildlife Photography’ session at Bath City Farm. No matter what equipment you have, come along and learn how to take better photographs of local wildlife! 

My Wild Child returns to the programme on Friday 16 June with another fun session of outdoor play and learning  for your little ones, but this time at our Grow Wilder site . Enjoy exploring the site with all the flowers in bloom, see what wildlife you can spot or even buy some flowers of your own from our wildflower nursery!

To finish the festival off with a bang, Millennium Square in Bristol will be transformed for the ‘Wild Weekend’ between 17 and 18 June. Two full days of free nature activities in the city centre with stalls, food and drink, and talks from local and national organisations. Come say hello to staff and volunteers from Avon Wildlife Trust, hear about what we are up to, ask your wildlife and nature based questions to our very own ‘Dr. Nature’  and celebrate the natural world together. We would love to see you there!

For more information about the Festival, see the full programme and to sign up for any of the 60+ events, follow the link below: 

Festival of Nature Website 

Hedgehog Festival of Nature Poster

Natural History Consortium