Festival of Nature 2024: Full line-up of events and activities for UK's biggest free nature festival

Bristol's Harbourside is to be taken over by a family festival celebrating nature next month. The Wild Weekend will bring two days of family-friendly nature activities to the city centre.

The 'Wild Weekend' on Millennium Square and Anchor Square will take place on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, and will also feature exhibitor stalls, wildlife film screenings, talks and performances and special guest appearances. A mermaid, CBeebies' Andy Day, up-and-coming wildlife presenter Nadeem Perera and BBC Radio One's medical expert Dr Radha Modgil are just a few of the names that will be popping up in Bristol and Bath as part of the 21st annual Festival of Nature.

Organisers said the event is the UK's biggest free celebration of the natural world, adding it will be running from June 1 to June 9 across the two cities. The festival was attended by more than 20,000 people last year, according to organisers.

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In a statement, the Natural History Consortium said: "Aiming to deliver the biggest and most diverse festival to date, organisers have created a packed programme of over 70 events and activities, including wildlife walks, workshops and talks, green crafts, music, and exhibitions, and much more. Highlights include:

• The chance to have an enchanting marine encounter with real-life mermaid Hannahai Pearl, take a 'shellfie' with her and learn more about how to help our oceans on Saturday, June 1.

• CBeebies superstar Andy Day and his interactive family show Dino Raps on Sunday, June 2 with a special meet and greet after the show;

• A series of talks and screenings in the former IMAX theatre at Bristol Aquarium, including Nadeem Perera's family-friendly show I like birds, do you like birds?; Lira Valencia exploring the hidden corners of the cities to find the secret world of city wildlife; and renowned insect expert George McGavin taking audiences into the world of minibeasts.

• The final day, Sun 9 June, brings the festival's first Community Day, celebrating the actions being taken by communities all across the two cities and beyond. A map of activities and locations will be available for people to get out and explore new community groups, gardens and goings-on.

Savita Willmott, chief executive of the Natural History Consortium, said: "We're so excited to reveal this year's festival line-up and it's bigger and better than ever before - the nine days are jam-packed with activities and opportunities to take action for nature.

"As the biggest nature festival in the UK it really does offer something for everyone young, old, visitors, students, residents, businesses and the majority of it is free. We want to see more people than ever come along to be inspired, try something new, visit a place they haven't been to before and get involved with an environmental project."

Most of the events throughout the festival are free, and audiences can tune in from anywhere in the world to any of the events taking place online. To see the full festival line-up, go to www.festivalofnature.org.uk.