Our free-to-enter Wildlife Connections Festival, in association with Darwin Escapes, is now in its fifth year! It will take place at our 14 acre Nature Reserve on the weekend of 18 & 19 September.
Popular children’s TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson is also starring at our wildlife connections festival, celebrating precious UK wildlife at the zoo this September.
Organisers at the zoo say the two-day event will fuse family fun with serious conservation and put a much-needed spotlight on the UK’s wonderful wildlife, with 50% of UK native species now in decline.
Much-loved TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson, star of CBBC shows including Live and Deadly, Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature and Wild and Weird, will deliver an interactive stage show created especially for the festival, based on her adventures around the world and her love of UK species.
Festivalgoers will also be able to get up-close-and-personal with a wide range of wildlife through an array of hands-on activities, including bug hunting, bird spotting and pond dipping, as part of the jam-packed line up.
There is no need to book, just turn up and enjoy the day!
PSSSTT
“This year our wonderful Wildlife Connections Festival is going to be bigger and better than ever and we’re thrilled to have CBBC star Naomi Wilkinson headlining across both days. Naomi will be sharing some fascinating stories about the weird and wonderful wildlife she’s seen on her travels around the world and will also be talking about her passion for the UK’s native species.”
Hannah Brooks, Community and Engagement Manager
“Our jam-packed line-up also includes loads of activities that the whole family can get involved with, from bug hunting to willow weaving and, for the first time this year, we have a brand new space called the creative corner where festivalgoers can participate in dance and music workshops.
“The festival is fun, it’s celebratory but it also champions a very important message. Right now, we’re living through a biodiversity crisis, with many species facing extinction. However, we can all make a difference and there’s lots we can do to help the wildlife on our doorstep. We’ll therefore be giving our festivalgoers lots of ideas and inspiration on what they can do.
“This interactive festival is great for all the family. You can become a mammal detective, transform into a beautiful butterfly or just sit back, relax and enjoy some live music. Whatever you choose to do it’s going to a fun, wildlife-inspired day!”
When: 18 & 19 September, 11.30am – 4.30pm, both days
Where: Chester Zoo’s Nature Reserve
Cost: Free (does not include entry to the zoo)
The zoo’s Wildlife Connections Festival is in association with Darwin Escapes and is part of our wider Wildlife Connections campaign – helping to prevent the extinction of UK wildlife by creating new areas of high quality habitat in gardens, parklands and community spaces.
At the festival the zoo’s conservationists will also be looking for volunteers to take part in its new Hedgehog Watch project, where people in Chester can become citizen scientists and help to monitor wildlife in their gardens using special camera traps.
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS WORK IN SIX REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE – REPRESENTING SOME OF THE PLANET’S MOST BIODIVERSE HABITATS. Discover more about our SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION work.
You’re never too old to have FUN! We’ve got plenty of FANTABULOUS games and activities for you to take part in! Every day is a PLAY DAY at Chester Zoo.