The Manchester Festival of Nature (MFoN) returns to Heaton Park on Sunday, June 28, with organizers expecting thousands to attend the free community event. Last year's festival drew between 9,000 and 10,000 visitors, and this year's edition promises a buzzing day of music, natural crafts, and wildlife encounters.
Pollinator Parade and Nature Costumes
Visitors are encouraged to dress as insects and birds for the Legendary Pollinator Parade, a highlight of the festival. Alan Wright, chair of the Manchester Nature Consortium, said: "There will be a buzz in the air in the Heaton Park garden, we really love to see so many people coming along to MFoN and getting involved in nature. We also get a lot of people coming back so we must be doing something right. We have created bucket hats recently and they will be on show during the Legendary Pollinator Parade - it would be great to see some lovely pollinators costumes. In the past we have had bees, butterflies, dragonflies, birds and a wasp."
Exhibitors and Activities
The festival will feature stalls from Manchester Nature Consortium partners including the Youth Panel, Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside (with its peat team), Manchester Museum, Action for Conservation, Mersey Rivers Trust, City of Trees, Manchester Friends of the Earth, Chester Zoo, Manchester and Salford Ramblers, Sow the City, Blackley Forest Orchard Project, Croal-Irwell Group, CommuniTree Outdoor, Greater Manchester Environment Trust, and the Heaton Park team. Supporters RRG Toyota (promoting Beyond Net Zero) and Spriggs Apparel will also be present.
Activities include studying aquatic insects, squeezing sphagnum moss, bat introductions, clay nature pressing, Hapezome paper pressing, guided walks, seed sowing, paper plant pot making, rock painting, bug hotel construction, quizzes, bird identification, and apple arts.
Music and Performances
Live music will be provided by Prestwich Community Choir and the Flat Cap Three, with additional artistic contributions from Manchester Metropolitan University and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Impact and Vision
Wright emphasized the festival's role in nature conservation: "This is our favourite time of the year and it is interesting to see the work our colleagues are doing across the region. If we can persuade one in four people to get involved in nature in a meaningful way it will help to halt the decline of nature locally. MFoN can be the beginning of a movement to restore and protect nature across the country."
Practical Information
The festival runs from noon to 4pm on Sunday, June 28 at Heaton Park, Manchester. Park toilets and a café are nearby, and first aid is available from BMS Events Medics. Entry is free.
