Redcliffe & Temple BID
01/06/2024 10:00 am

Festival of Nature 2024

Various Locations Across Bristol City Centre

The UK's largest free celebration of the natural world.

Festival Programme

Festival of Nature is the UK’s largest celebration of the natural world, taking place 1 – 9 June across Bristol. Running for over 20 years, Festival of Nature offers people the chance to connect with local wildlife, learn about the natural world, and take positive action for nature.

This year’s Festival of Nature includes 9 jam-packed days of outdoor city-centre takeovers, wildlife walks, talks and workshops, arts and crafts, exclusive film screenings, books and storytelling, music and performances, photography, nature filmmaking, community action and more. There will be something for everyone, with a host of exciting national and local organisations getting involved.

Festival Programme

Dates & Information

Date & Time

1-9 June 2024

Location

Various locations in Bristol City Centre.

Additional Information

Book now to avoid disappointment!

Festival Programme

Festival of Nature’s Wild Weekend

Head to Millennium Square and Anchor Square on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June for Festival of Nature's Wild Weekend! Two spectacular days of free family-friendly nature activities, exhibitor stalls, wildlife film screenings, talks and performances, special guest appearances and much more, down at Bristol's harbourside. Make your way around the site and meet the festival exhibitors! All tents are free and drop-in, with hands-on activities throughout the day. Family-friendly event, suitable for all ages.

Come meet a real mermaid!

Saturday 1 June, 11am - 12pm come and meet Mermaid Hannahai Pearl on Millennium Square for an enchanting marine encounter and underwater fun. Take a shellfie, blow bubbles, and find out what you can do to help our oceans. Suitable for children under 10.

Andy Day is coming to Wild Weekend!

Sunday 2 June, 2- 3pm TV presenter and actor Andy Day will be on Millennium Square with his family show Andy’s Dino Raps - an interactive, fun and catchy show with raps and songs about everyone’s favourite prehistoric creatures. After the show, come say hello to Andy at a special meet and greet.

Talks & Screenings: It’s only water…

Saturday 1 June, 10.15-11am at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. Featuring David Price from Science Made Simple, we are all familiar with water; we see it every day. In this interactive show we help you dive a little deeper, to think about what water is made from and all the amazing things it can do. From absorbing water effectively, to dissolving chemicals in it, you can squash, freeze and heat water to do all sorts of things. Its properties really are extraordinary! Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: I like birds, do you like birds?

Saturday 1 June 11.45am - 12.30pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. Featuring Nadeem Perera, Wildlife TV presenter and co-founder of Flock Together. Join in the fun at this family-friendly show: our panel of nature experts and bird lovers will battle it out to try to win the audience’s vote for their favourite bird. Funny and fast-paced, this will be a flying start to your day at Festival of Nature! All ages welcome, brilliant for those 5+ and their grown-ups. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: Choose your next adventure

Saturday 1 June 1-1.45pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. Featuring Dr. Radha Modgil, medical expert for BBC Radio 1. Are you ready to get out and try something new this summer? Our panel will inspire you to open your front door and build your confidence to plan adventures with friends and family. Get ready to feel good in nature and build some amazing memories - let’s make it a summer of wildlife! All ages welcome, brilliant for those 10+ Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: The secret world of city wildlife

Saturday 1 June 2.15 - 3pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. Featuring Lira Valencia, documenting wildlife on Instagram at @outsidewithlira In the hidden corners of our cities, nature is thriving! Join a panel of wildlife experts as they unveil some of the fascinating creatures that live alongside us in this family friendly show. You’ll leave eager to spot the hidden wonders of the natural world living on your street! Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: Fantastic Minibeasts and where to find them

Saturday 1 June 3.45 - 4.30pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. Featuring George McGavin: Zoologist, entomologist and broadcaster. Did you know that butterflies smell with their feet or that grasshoppers existed before dinosaurs?! Prepare to be amazed as renowned insect expert and presenter George McGavin takes you on a journey into the fascinating world of minibeasts in this family friendly show. Alongside George, local experts will try to win your vote for their fantastic minibeast. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: BBC Earth Antarctica: BBC Studios Natural History Unit

Sunday 2 June 11.30-12.15pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. In this film, Benedict Cumberbatch explores the mysterious and wild continent of Antarctica. With never-before-seen footage and the latest underwater filming techniques, this epic documentary transports you to the farthest reaches of this majestic land and reveals that what happens there affects every single one of us. BBC Earth, the filmmakers of Planet Earth II, capture the weird and wonderful creatures that thrive in abundance in the coldest and windiest place on the planet. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Talks & Screenings: Earthsounds: Hear our planet like never before

Sunday 2 June 1 - 1.45pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium. The natural world is alive with sound, but our ears pick up just a fraction of the chatter. From the secret high-pitched warbles of dolphins to spiders that pluck their webs like musical instruments and elephants that communicate over one hundred square miles through hidden channels of sound, we have missed much of nature’s conversation. Until now. Join us for a special screening of one of the episodes from the landmark series with Offspring Films and hear special insights from the team behind the sounds. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Behind-the-scenes talk: Life on Our Planet with Silverback Films

Sunday 2 June 3 - 4 pm at IMAX Bristol, Bristol Aquarium Featuring show producers Sophie Lanfear and Barny Revill Discover the filmmaking magic behind Life on Our Planet, the acclaimed 8-part Netflix series which combines ground-breaking natural history with innovative VFX. Today there are 20 million species on our planet, yet what we see is just a snapshot in time. From recreating Earth’s greatest extinction events, to bringing back pre-historic creatures like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, join the producers as they share special making-of clips and reveal how they approached telling the story of life on our planet as never before. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Lunchtime Wildlife Drawing Workshop

Tuesday 4 June, 12.30 -1.15pm, meeting outside Left Handed Giant. A lunchtime expert-led drawing workshop to sketch the wildlife that can be found in Bristol's City Centre. Take a break from the office over lunch to get outside and connect with nature and your creativity during this guided drawing session. This workshop is open to everyone, from beginners to experienced artists, and will be led by local wildlife artist Alicia Hayden. Promo code: NatureBID24

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Lunchtime Wildlife Photography Workshop

Wednesday 5 June, 12.30 - 1.15pm, meeting outside Left Handed Giant. Join a lunchtime photography walk of the wildlife that can be found in Bristol City Centre. Take a break from the office over lunch to get outside and connect with nature and your creativity during this guided photography session led by Boys in Bristol Photography. This walk is open to everyone, from beginners to experienced photographers! Promo code: NatureBID24

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Bristol Distinguished Address Series: Danielle Mulder

Wednesday 5 June, 6.30- 7pm at Watershed, followed by a drinks reception. Danielle Mulder is Director of Sustainability for BBC Group and was awarded UK Green Business Leader of the Year in 2023. She has spearheaded the BBC’s “Nature Positive” programme and will share insights on leadership, environmental sustainability, and the business case for biodiversity.

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Bristol Library Lunchtime Lecture - Nature: Playing Our Part

Thursday 6 June, 12.30- 1.20 pm at Bristol Central Library. Take a look behind the scenes of National Trust’s work with nature at the places they care for, and the Trust’s priorities and role in the restoration of a healthier and more beautiful natural environment. Simon Lawrence OBE will discuss the National Trust’s cross-cutting strategic objective on climate change and commitment to environment management, giving examples from across the Bristol portfolio.

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Lunchtime Guided Wildlife Walk

Thursday 6 June, 12.30 - 1.15 pm, meeting outside the Left Handed Giant Brewpub. Led by wildlife expert Ed Drewitt, take a lunchtime break and tour the nature thriving in and around Bristol City Centre, from the wildflowers flourishing in pavement cracks, to the peregrines that call Castle Park their home. Promo code: NatureBID24

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BBC Studios Natural History Unit Screening: MAMMALS + Q&A

Thursday 6 June, 6 - 7.30 pm at BBC Studios, Counterslip. Twenty years after Life of Mammals, Sir David Attenborough revisits this extraordinary group of animals in a major new series for BBC One: Mammals. BBC Studios Natural History Unit is delighted to host a screening from Mammals. Full of new, never-before-seen behaviours, this series offers fascinating insights into the most successful animal group in the world. Mammals will reveal the secrets of their success, and how their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence, and unique sociability have all contributed to their remarkable rise. Followed by a Q&A with the programme makers, including series producer, Scott Alexander. Promo code: NatureBID24

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