EMERSONS Green’s Earthfest is bigger than ever this year.
The annual celebration of our relationship with the planet is back for a sixth year, and features 18 different events, including a new “mass-participation story” called Giants Day.
Earthfest is organised by Emersons Green Town Council and the Friends of Emersons Green Park, and includes events led by locally-based naturalists, performers and experts from a wide variety of disciplines.
Among the new events in the month-long festival this year is Giant’s Day in Emersons Green Park on June 20.
It is described as a mass-participation story centred on the Earth as a sleeping giant, who must not be woken up. The giant will be represented by a willow model of the Earth and the story will feature dances and performances involving people who take part in clowning and percussion workshops on the day.
Story author Chris Sunderland, of the Friends of Emersons Green Park, said: “This multimedia, interactive story is a new departure for us and the audience can expect some surprises.
“We’re really keen that local people book a place at the clowning workshop. Clowning is really not what people think it is. There will be no red noses and big feet – more spontaneous, evocative movement and surprise.”
Earthfest includes a range of nature-focused events, which got underway in May with an Eco Day in Emersons Green Park, followed by a wild foraging walk with outdoor educator Steve England and a ‘BioBlitz’ event, using the iNaturalist app to record wildlife living in the area.
June’s events include walks, tours and wellness events, including a walk discovering the birds of Emersons Green Park with naturalist Ed Drewitt on June 2.
The first major event of the month is the Garden Open Day on June 6 from 11am-3pm.
Visitors will be able to see how residents involved in Emersons Green Community Nature Reserve are making their gardens more wildlife-friendly, get inspiration for their own gardens and share tips with other enthusiasts.
For more details see the advert below or visit tinyurl.com/28ejrvyu.
A swift walk on June 9 and an audio tour on the 11th will be followed by the next big event.
Emersons and Lyde Community Energy (ELCoE) are staging their first Home Energy Fair at Emersons Green Village Hall on June 13.
The event includes expert advice on making homes more energy efficient, with local installers of renewable energy and householders who have retrofitted their homes with technology such as heat pumps and solar panels.
Following last year’s popular fine dining event, vegan chef Rachael Mills is putting on a ‘Community Banquet’ on June 18 at St James Church, Mangotsfield, with musical accompaniment from locally-based classical professionals Francisco Correa and Emily Andrews.
The festival concludes with another first, the Emersons and Lyde Green Flower, Produce and Crafts Show, held at Emersons Green Village Hall on June 27 from noon to 4.30pm.
Entry is free, and people are encouraged to enter a range of exhibits from flowers, fruit and veg to jam, cakes and needlework, with special classes for children, family and group entries.
Outside the show visitors will be taken back to the 19th century with music from the Brigstowe Village Band, in Thomas Hardy-themed costume, and there will be picnics and family activities.
There will also be opportunities for local stallholders to get involved.
For information on how to participate, enter exhibits, or book stall spaces, contact Claire Ruggiero at ruggiero.claire@gmail.com or visit tinyurl.com/37uzt5tb.
Founded in 2021 as the Three Greens Festival, the annual celebration of our relationship with the planet attracted nearly 400 attendees last year.
Many smaller events need to be booked in advance, and there is a small fee for some of them.
The full programme can be found online at friendsofemersonsgreenpark.com.