- Community Festival 2026 welcomed over 1000 guests, a 54% increase since 2025
- Event is designed for those who face barriers to visiting
- Visitors connected to nature through music, crafts, poetry and more
- Upcoming Discovery & Access events include Sow and Grow gardening group, Nature Natters wellbeing walk and Dementia friendly walk
Over 8 and 9 May, Kew Wakehurst hosted the annual Community Festival, an event designed for those who usually face barriers to accessing green spaces. This year, the event broke records with just over 1000 guests over two packed days, an increase of 54% since last year’s event, and selling out within a month. Backdropped by the stunning late spring landscape, Festival-goers could get stuck into crafts such as botanical printing, bio-yarn weaving and nature-inspired art. Taking place during Wakehurst’s ‘year of connecting with nature’, wellbeing was also a priority at the event, with workshops such as Forest Bathing, drumming and a natural soundscape offering ways to tune into senses and feel inspired by the natural world. This year, the Community Festival was developed in collaboration with community groups, codesigning and delivering inclusive platforms for individuals, whilst also creating pathways to volunteering and employment,
The Festival hosted special guests including Brighton-based poet AFLO., who explored the importance of creativity and mental health, as well as local charity Bloomin’ Arts for an enchanting folklore performance. For the first time, the gardens hosted a Mobiloo Changing Places toilet, ensuring a comfortable and accessible visit for all guests.
Helen Woodcroft, Community Events and Membership Producer, commented: “It’s so exciting to see such an interest and enthusiasm for our Community Festival this year. We work hard to ensure the event welcomes as many visitors as possible, giving everyone the chance to explore and experience art in nature. We can’t wait to see what this year has in store for our ongoing Community and Access Programme and look forward to welcoming even more people back for next year’s Community Festival.”
The event offers a taste of Wakehurst’s Community Access Scheme (CAS), a group membership for organisations supporting individuals who face physical, sensory, psychological, or social barriers to visiting independently. CAS members benefit from free entry to the gardens year-round and priority access to community events and workshops, with members coming together at the end of summer to celebrate at the Wakehurst CAS Summer Party.
This year, Wakehurst is celebrating five years of Nature Unlocked, the pioneering research programme that has seen the botanic garden transform into a living laboratory. Scientists are harnessing the power of UK landscapes to generate crucial scientific data to understand how nature can solve environmental and social issues. The Community Festival offered a window into this ground-breaking research, with Trees for Bees citizen science sessions. Taking place until September, visitors of all ages can contribute vital ecological data to scientists by counting the pollinators they see on selected flowering trees.
Upcoming Discovery & Access events
Roots and rhythm | 16, 23 & 30 May, 6 & 13 June
Experience the power of sound and nature at Wakehurst. Each two-hour session includes a gentle walk, a creative music making session and moments of mindfulness in the wild landscapes. These sessions offer a chance for families to spend meaningful time together, connecting with each other and the natural world.
Trees for Bees Engagement Days | 28 May, 9 June, 14 & 17 July, 24 August
Carry out a one-of-a-kind research project finding out which trees pollinators like best and how we can make our cities more pollinator friendly. You don’t need to have any prior experience or be a scientist, Wakehurst’s experts will tell you everything you need to know. Come along and hear from our pollination scientists about their groundbreaking research, then explore our stunning landscapes while you are guided to take part in Trees for Bees – Wakehurst’s citizen science project monitoring pollinator foraging behaviour around the gardens.
Nature Natters wellbeing walks | Last Monday of every month
A one-hour community wellbeing walk providing an opportunity for individuals to enjoy nature in a supportive and welcoming environment. Participants can explore Wakehurst alongside our trained guides, with opportunities to meet new people and chat with friendly volunteers. These walks are ideal for anyone seeking a wellbeing boost in the beautiful setting of Wakehurst’s Gardens, Mansion, and Millennium Seed Bank. Walks are planned with accessibility in mind, including wheelchair-friendly routes and quieter spaces where needed.
Dementia friendly walks | Last Tuesday of every month
Led by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers and guides, these one-hour walks offer time to slow down and connect with nature – taking in the gardens through sight, scent and touch. Along the way, discover the plants, stories and special places that make Wakehurst so unique. Walks start at the Visitor Centre and last around 60 minutes and are supported by the Alzheimer’s Society. Support workers, friends or family are very welcome and will also receive free entry and parking to the gardens.
Crafting for Connection | Fridays, June to December
A welcoming, monthly group routed in wellbeing practices, to explore how art and nature intertwine. Crafting for Connection offers gentle, grounding sessions that invite you to slow down, notice the landscape and get creative with materials gathered and made at Wakehurst.
Glow Wild lantern making | 15 to 20 September
Glow Wild is one of Wakehurst’s most iconic seasonal events, and these sessions offer community groups the chance to play an active role in its creation. Working together in a relaxed, supportive environment, participants can enjoy a shared moment of creativity while helping bring the winter landscape to life.
For more information on the Community and Access Programmes at Wakehurst, visit this page.
Image: Community Festival at Wakehurst, Visual Air © RBG Kew
