The Yorkshire Rewilding Network’s Yorkshire Rewilding Festival aims to create an opportunity for a wider audience to explore rewilding – through the arts, community gatherings, debate and discussion.
The Festival’s events include the creation of a live, collaborative artwork that reimagines a Yorkshire city with a wilder future; a day of learning and connection for rewilders; a specially commissioned story and musical performance set in beautiful woodland; and a day of wild family fun in a forest park. Then the Festival also goes out on tour, with Wild Workshops taking place in some of Yorkshire’s most inspiring rewilding sites.
Samantha Mennell, Yorkshire Rewilding Festival Director: “We’re so excited to be launching our first Festival, and for us, it’s all about connection. Rewilding is always at it strongest when links are being made, whether that’s within landscapes or between people. This Festival is only possible because of the new partnerships we’ve made around the region and we’re excited about the amazing chance it gives us to reach out to more diverse audiences and get more people rewilding!”
Thursday 13 June in York
The opening event will be a collaboration with the York Festival of Ideas 2023 – Reimagining a Rewilded York; an evening of open discussion and artistic creation where a panel of experts encourages the audience to imagine how urban rewilding could transform York. Artist James McKay will interpret the ideas and suggestions, capturing them in a unique painting – an alternative future vision of the city.
Friday 23 June at Farnley Hall
In woodland north of Leeds at Farnley Hall, the next Festival event, WildSong, explores rewilding through music and spoken word. This unique, intimate evening will start in a meadow, where participants can enjoy drinks before being led into the woods for a night of story and music. This event is supported with funding from Leeds Inspired, part of Leeds City Council.
Saturday 24 June at Farnley Hall
Yorkshire Rewilders Day, in partnership with nature charity, Wildlife Friendly Otley. This is a day for connection with fellow rewilders, to share knowledge and experience, inspire each other, and learn something new. There will be panel discussions, walks and activities (both creative and practical), and plenty of time to chat, ask questions and make new connections.
Sunday 25 June at Chevin Forest Park
Yorkshire Rewilding Festival joins Otley Nature Network’s Chevin Discovery Day – a free, family-friendly event hosted by Friends of Chevin Forest Park. YRN will collaborate with SunUp Festival to provide an immersive workshop concentrating on our connection with nature. A local artist will encourage people of all ages to help ‘rewild’ and transform a blank piece of canvas into a wild and abundant landscape, and there’ll be an interactive ‘rewilding world’ specially designed to inspire young minds and hands!
Over the summer Yorkshire Rewilding Network will be taking the Festival on Tour with Wild Workshops at a range of rewilding sites They will be hosting workshops and activities, from natural mindfulness and forest bathing to art and drawing, to forest school and family nature connection days.
Sara King, Rewilding Manager at Rewilding Britain: “We are delighted to be supporting Yorkshire’s first ever Rewilding Festival through our Rewilding Innovation Fund. The Yorkshire Rewilding Network does amazing work educating and inspiring people across Yorkshire on the myriad of benefits of rewilding, and this Festival will be a brilliant way to share the joy of rewilding to new audiences in Yorkshire.”
TICKETS All Festival and Wild Workshops tickets can be booked via Eventbrite, here.
The Yorkshire Rewilding Network is a small but fast-growing charity, established in August 2020 to connect, inspire and enable rewilding throughout Yorkshire. Everyone is welcome. To get involved go to:
www.yorkshirerewildingnetwork.org.uk.
Events Times and Places
Tues 13 June 2023- Reimagining a Rewilded York at York Festival of Ideas. An informative, imaginative vision of the part York could play in the future of rewilding in Yorkshire. Time: Doors Open at 6pm. Event 7pm – 9pm Venue: St Saviourgate York, CMC, St Saviourgate, York, YO1 8NQ Cost: Free, but booking essential
Friday 23 June 2023, WildSong, An evening of words and song in nature. Time: Two performances starting at 5.30pm and at 7.30pm Venue: Farnley Hall, Farnley Park, North Yorkshire, LS21 2QF Cost: £5-£20, booking essential
Saturday 24 June 2023, – Yorkshire Rewilders Day, connecting, informing and inspiring rewilders. Time: 10am-4pm
Venue: Farnley Hall, Farnley Park, North Yorkshire LS21 2QF Cost: £30-£50, booking essential
Sunday 25 June 2023, 11am-4pm – Chevin Discovery Day: Family-Friendly fun and engagement Time: 11am-4pm Venue: Chevin Forest Country Park, Otley, West Yorkshire Cost: Free, just turn up on the day
www.chevinforest.co.uk/events/chevin-discovery-day-2023
Various dates and times through the summer – Yorkshire Rewilding Festival on Tour 2023: Wild Workshops
For more information go to YRN’s website www.yorkshirerewildlingnetwork.org.uk/festival or follow YRN on Twitter (@rewildyorkshire) or Facebook (@YorkshireRewildingNetwork).
Yorkshire Rewilding Festival sponsors include Rewilding Britain and Clarion Solicitors – sponsorship opportunities are still available for interested organisations who wish to support rewilding in the region.
Feature photograph: Artist James McKay.
