Free family festival at Chester Zoo this September

The zoo’s Wildlife Connections Festival will be taking place at the zoo's nature reserve on September 16-17, from 11.30am-4.30pm with a jam-packed line-up, headlined by one of the UK’s best-known children’s TV presenters, Naomi Wilkinson.

Hosted in the zoo’s six-hectare nature reserve, the event aims to connect festivalgoers with nature and raise awareness of precious UK wildlife. Scientists say that more than half of all UK species are now in decline, including hedgehogs, butterflies and wildflowers.

A fun-filled line-up awaits families at the free festival's return to Chester Zoo.

TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson will deliver an interactive stage show created especially for the festival, focused on how everyone can play their part in helping beautiful British wildlife to survive and thrive. She’ll also be appearing at a meet and greet during both days.

Those in attendance will be able to get up-close-and-personal with a wide range of wildlife through an array of hands-on activities, including bug hunting and bird spotting, while there’ll also be live music, workshops and a parade.

No pre-booking is required, with guests encouraged to turn up across the weekend.

Hannah Brooks, the zoo’s community engagement manager, said: “Our fabulous Wildlife Connections Festival will be bigger and better than ever before this year and we’re over the moon to have one of the UK’s best known children’s TV presenters, Naomi Wilkinson, headlining across both days.

Children's TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson will be headlining Chester Zoo's Wildlife Connections Festival.

"Naomi very much shares our passion for protecting all of the wonderful species found right here in the UK and she’ll be delivering a very special interactive stage show highlighting how each and every one of us can do our bit to help ensure a future where these species can survive and thrive.

“It promises to be a fun-filled weekend, packed with a whole host of activities. As well as all of the amazing speakers and stage shows, there’ll be live music, wild workshops, parades, facepainting, nature activities such as bug bungalow building and bird spotting and much more besides.

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“While this is a free-to-enter festival that’s all about having fun and celebrating UK wildlife, there’s a really important message behind it too.

"We’re in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis with species everywhere becoming ever more at risk of extinction, including here on our doorstep.

Chester Zoo conservationists collect data as part of a 10-year dormouse study, in woodland in Bontuchel, North Wales. Picture by Dave Thompson/Chester Zoo

"It’s not too late though to do something about it. There’s still hope and we can all make a difference.

"We’ll therefore be giving our festivalgoers lots of ideas and inspiration on what they can do to help turn things around for nature. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to what’s sure to be a fantastic, wildlife-inspired weekend.”

Education specialists from the zoo plan to use the festival to launch a new scheme aiming to encourage people to take conservation action.

The zoo’s Champions in Conservation Awards is an innovative new online platform that allows people to earn certificates when they make an effort to conserve wildlife. Certificates can be achieved by learning more about wildlife, doing something physical such as building a bird box, and inspiring or influencing others to get involved in protecting nature.