News / Festival of Nature
Festival of Nature unveils biggest programme yet
A new ‘nature at night’ strand is part of the expanded range of activities making up the 23rd edition of the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world.
The 2026 Festival of Nature, running over a fortnight from June 6-14, this year centres trees and woodlands at the heart of its programme which also includes citizen science workshops, queer ecology walks, foraging and eco-poetry.
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At the opening event a woodland art installation will be unveiled at SouthGate Bath shopping centre, where 500 tree saplings will be given away for free to passersby.
Millennium Square will once again play host to the festival’s culminating Wild Weekend, where a new ‘how to’ tent will provide an opportunity to get stuck into practical activities to support nature.
Representatives of organisations including the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and Avon Wildlife Trust will show visitors how to create wildlife-friendly gardens, build mini wetlands and identify birds and mammals in the wild.
Last year’s Festival of Nature was themed around water – photo: Ania Shrimpton
On this year’s theme, sessions will introduce the hidden life of trees, explore the role they play in supporting climate, wildlife and human health, and provide an opportunity to learn more about the new Western Forest spanning Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Somerset that is hoped will comprise 2,500 hectares of woodland and 20 million trees by 2050.
The 2026 festival coincides with the launch of the West of England’s latest State of Nature report, which the region’s mayor Helen Godwin said will be a key milestone in monitoring regional environmental progress.
“As the new Western Forest is planted and as people take part in our Wildlife Index to count regional wildlife, nature, climate resilience, and clean energy are at the heart of our ambitious ten-year Growth Strategy,” she added.
New additions for this year include a nature at night strand that features a nighttime nature safari at Redcatch Community centre, after-dark photography and UV wildlife exploration; and a ‘pride in nature’ event at Slimbridge that includes a queer ecology walk, drag show and silent disco – photo: Guy Manchester
The Festival of Nature has grown from a single-site event in Bristol to a major cultural moment that attracts more than 30,000 visitors each year and has inspired similar events in cities like Manchester and Oxford.
All events are free and accessible to all, with advance booking recommended. Find the full programme festivalofnature.org.uk
Main image: Ania Shrimpton
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