Dinosaurs will take centre stage at Festival of Nature

Dinosaurs will take centre stage at Festival of Nature

The Festival returns to the West of England: June 8 – 25

The Festival of Nature will take on a prehistoric twist this year with a host of dinosaur fossils and skeletons making a special trip to Bristol as part of the two-week long event.

The Bristol Dinosaur Project will be at the festival to tell the story of the city’s very own dinosaur, which was the fourth species of dinosaur to have ever been discovered. Called Thecodontosaurus, or Theco, its remains were uncovered in a quarry in Durdham Down in 1834 and it offers an important insight into the evolution of early dinosaurs into giant plant-consuming creatures.

Bristol Zoo will also be at the festival with a wide range of hands-on dinosaur activities.

The National Trust is a long standing partner of the Bristol Natural History Consortium (BNHC), which organises the festival every year.

Dame Helen Ghosh said: “Connecting people with nature is vital if we are to restore a healthy, beautiful natural environment. By working together, the members of the BNHC can engage even more people in the natural world and the National Trust is proud to be a partner in the 2017 Festival of Nature.”

Bristol and Bath’s waterscapes are an important feature of the Festival of Nature and visitors will be able to learn all about stories of the River Avon via a ‘cinema in a campervan’ which will follow the festival down the River Avon. Fondly known as Lionel, the VW T25 campervan is decorated as an imaginary spaceship and festival-goers are invited to step on board and enjoy this unique cinema-going experience.

Savita Custead, festival director, said: “The Festival of Nature is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to see our city and waterscapes in a different way and better understand the natural world which surrounds us. It’s about informing and educating, inspiring people to take action for nature and, most importantly, having fun.

“People can get practical ideas on how they can get more involved in looking after our region’s wildlife, whether that’s protecting water voles in Lawrence Weston or having their say on tackling air pollution in Bristol.

“There are so many interactive activities to take part in and we are particularly excited to be able to bring dinosaur exhibits to the festival which will attract any budding palaeontologists out there.”

Other festival highlights to have been confirmed is an appearance from the Bristol Astronomical Society who will have a range of specialist solar telescopes which allow people to safely view the sun on a clear day. People may be able to see sun spots, dark patches that appear from time to time on the sun’s surface, and even small solar flares.

A project to promote the Severn Beach Line will also be there, showing visitors how this scenic railway line offers an easy way to get out of the city into nature. There will be family-friendly activities along the line and on the train itself to inspire everyone to get outside and explore.

The festival’s first Bath-based BioBlitz will take place at the National Trust’s Bushey Norwood site on June 23 and 24 and it is hoped that 1,000 different species can be found in 24 hours.

The BBC Natural History Unit celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2017 and will be at the festival offering visitors the chance to try out camera equipment, meet wildlife presenters and find out about the history and technology changes in the industry.

“We have already lined up some great activities and exhibitors, with much more to come,” said Savita.

“We are looking forward to offering a packed programme which will appeal to everyone from pre-schoolers to grandparents.”

The main Bristol celebration will be over the weekend of June 10 and 11 followed by a Keynsham event on June 17 and 18 before culminating in Bath for the festival finale on June 24 and 25.

A full festival programme will be released later this month and people are encouraged to sign up to the Festival of Nature newsletter to keep up to date with all of the festival news and updates.

All events are free to enter, but some may require advance booking so visit www.festivalofnature.org.uk for a full listing and more information. You can also follow the festival on Twitter: @FestofNature and on Facebook: @BristolFON.

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