Across nine days in mid-October, the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, alongside local island partners, are encouraging everyone to discover the wild side of Scilly. With a festival programme made up of nearly 60 events, there is guaranteed to be something for everyone.

See the full online programme here, download a pdf copy or flick through here. 

Highlights from the programme include:

• Scilly SWISH – the big Scilly clothes swap
  15^th October, 7pm onwards, the Mermaid Inn, St Mary’s
  Come along to Scilly’s first SWISH event. The environmentally friendly and cheap way to refresh your wardrobe, simply bring one or more pieces of clothing that you don’t want anymore and swap them for other clothes, whilst enjoying a drink or two at the bar.
   
• Bird and Wildlife Charity Quiz
  16^th October, 8pm onwards, the Atlantic Inn, St Mary’s
  Form a team (or pop along to join a table) and test your knowledge of local birds and other wildlife, whilst enjoying a drink in the Atlantic Inn. Beware - some of the questions will be fiendish!
   
• Sea Show on St Martin’s, Squashbox Theatre
  18^th October, 1.30-2.30pm, the Island Hall, St Martin’s
  Open to visitors and families, the Sea Show is a quirky and hilarious mix of puppetry, natural history and cabaret.

• Night at the Natural History Museum
  18^th October, 6.30-8pm, Museum on the Move, St Mary’s
  A chance to look behind the scenes and hear the story of the Museum on the Move with Curator Kate Hale, volunteers and trustees. Plus, discuss exciting plans for the new Museum and Cultural Centre.
   
• Wyl Menmuir, book signing and literature evening
  20^th – 21^st October, 4-5pm in St Mary’s Library, 7.30pm onwards, the Mermaid Inn, St Mary’s Booker-nominated Wyl Menmuir’s new book The Draw of the Sea explores communities whose lives revolve around the coasts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. He will be signing books in St Mary’s Library and taking part in a celebration of Cornish literature in the Mermaid Inn.

There are also guided farm tours, local produce markets, artistic workshops from renowned artists including beach painter Ellie Verracchia and watercolour artist Stephen Morris, creative workshops from local crafters Maisie Humphries, Oriel Hicks and Vickie Heaney, wildlife cruises for seabirds and seals, vineyard tours, live music from local musicians and English folk singer Seth Lakeman, wildlife walks and experiences from a variety of local experts, and much more. We hope that this eclectic array of activities, events and guides will inspire more people to take action for nature, and feel empowered to protect wildlife and our natural environment for future generations.

Each event is individually ticketed, with all booking information available online, and many events are free to attend. People traveling to the islands to attend the Festival can also use the booking code FESTNAT22 to receive a 10% discount when travelling with Isles of Scilly Travel from 10^th– 29^th October 2022, on the Scillonian III or on Skybus from Land’s End.

Julian Branscombe, CEO of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s a delight to be able to offer such an eclectic programme of events that shows the many ways we can all connect with and enjoy local nature. From singing to art, exploration to sampling local produce, we hope that this event not only celebrates local nature, but also demonstrates how integral it is to all our lives. It’s an honour to be working with so many partners, local businesses and wildlife enthusiasts across Scilly, as well as the Five Islands Academy, to showcase our unique environments.”

The full programme of events is available online: scillywildlife.org

Or pick up a printed copy of the programme from several venues around Hugh Town, St Mary’s, including the Tourist Information Centre, Porthcressa.

ENDS -

Notes to editors

Images available for one-time use with this story here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/34alhvu1zyy4avki3xpwf/h?dl=0&rlkey=42s2yehq7t71mn1anx2v9gq6q

For more information, contact Lucy McRobert, Communications Manager, Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
07532 344933 lucy@ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk

The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust is a locally-run conservation wildlife charity that champions, values and manages our island landscapes for the benefit of current and future generations. Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust Limited. Reg. Charity No. 1097807 Reg. Company No. 04726698.
ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk

Programme curated in partnership with Creative Islands, funded by Arts Council England to support creative industries, arts development and cultural tourism on Scilly.

Islands’ Partnership The Islands’ Tourism & Business Partnership (IP) provides strategic leadership of Scilly’s visitor economy – an industry that support 80% of all employment across the islands. The IP also leads the marketing of the islands under its Visit Isles of Scilly brand. It is largely funded by private sector members and stakeholders - supporting around 300 businesses by providing them with the resources, energy and focus to grow their individual businesses, and reaches out to all sectors of the business community championing their needs and providing a shared platform to develop and achieve common goals.
visitislesofscilly.com/islands-partnership-industry-and-media