Celebrate and explore nature at this year’s Cambridge Nature Festival

After a successful first year, the Cambridge Nature Festival 2023 is now under way, officially launching today (Monday, May 29) and running until July 2.

More than 80 events and activities are planned with something for all ages, abilities and interests. There will be sonic pond dipping, wild(ish) camping, BioBlitzes, bat punt safaris, live music, nature boat trips, guided nature walks, wildlife ID workshops, hands-on creative activities such as making seed bombs, and much more.

Most of the events are free or low-cost, and will take place in Cambridge and the surrounding countryside. The festival is being organised by local charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future, in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust BCN, the National Trust, RSPB, Cambridge City Council, Cambridge Sports Lake Trust, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Magog Trust and Cambridge University Botanic Garden, as part of the Cambridge Nature Network.

Festival organiser Natalie Lambert said: “The idea is to provide fun activities that encourage people to find out more about their local nature. Research shows that spending time in nature helps improve people’s emotional as well as physical wellbeing, so we hope lots of people will come along and get involved.”

The festival kicks off today with a wildlife day drop-in event at Wandlebury Country Park, with free activities for all the family. Activities include sonic pond dipping to hear the mysterious underwater world, learning about beetles and butterflies and discovering how to catch them with sweep netting, and guided wildlife walks.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden is to host a fact-finding day out with something for everyone to enjoy at their Festival of Plants, while the National Trust will be holding craft activities and family trails at Wicken Fen, starting with Mucky Pups nature activities and a fen flowers walk.

For older children, teenagers and adults, the RSPB will be hosting wildlife walks and an event where you will see bird ringing in action. Experts will show you the beautiful wild birds as they are examined, measured and weighed.

If you are more of an evening person, then there will be bat detecting at Milton Country Park and Wandlebury Country Park, moth trapping, and a nature-themed live music event at the Tall Trees music venue.

There will also be online talks and interviews with wildlife experts from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Amphibian and Reptile Group and the Museum of Zoology.

Natalie continued: “There is something for everyone and we are delighted to showcase and celebrate nature, as well as the wonderful people and organisations that work tirelessly for the natural world.

“We’re excited to bring the city a great mix of in-person and online events and activities from sonic pond dipping, guided nature walks and live music, to online interviews with wildlife experts and the screening of wildlife films.

“With the increasing pressures on our environment, it’s so important to enthuse people to learn about the wildlife and greenspaces on their doorstep, and this is a great opportunity to do that.”

The festival is being funded by the Cambridge BID, crowdfunding and the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund, delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

For more information on the Cambridge Nature Festival, go to cambridgeppf.org/event/cambridge-nature-festival.