Festival of Nature

The UK’s biggest free nature festival returns this June, with a powerful new theme – all about water – designed to take audiences beyond the typical green spaces and discover the importance of an often overlooked vital life force.

To really make a splash, the centrepiece of the packed nine-day festival will be a living, breathing 8x8m wetland brought to life in Bristol’s Harbourside, being constructed in the middle of Millennium Square. Running across Bristol and Bath, the festival features more than 80 events, most of them free. The theme of water literally runs through the heart of the festival, with the River Avon connecting events in Bristol Harbourside and along Bath’s waterfront, from wildlife boat trips and outdoor exhibitions to paddleboarding taster sessions and screenings with a river view. Highlights include a wildlife boat trip with expert zoologist and TV personality Ed Drewitt on 10 June, exploring how Bristol’s waterways support life from the Severn Estuary to the city’s Harbourside; ex-BBC presenter Ali Vowles’ environmental chat show aboard a boat on 11 June, with guests including environmentalist Natalie Fée and artist Bandele; and the festival’s first ever nature-themed club night, Club SOL, presents Listen to Your Mother, at the Old Market Assembly on 13 June, featuring local DJs, good vibes and summer sounds.

For more information, visit bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature