Enjoy all the fun of a summer festival experience – at home – with The Wildlife Trusts’ first virtual Big Wild Weekend from Friday 19th June to Sunday 21st June.
The Wildlife Trusts are hosting a new virtual three-day summer extravaganza – with an impressive line-up of nature-loving celebrities giving their support including: DJ Cel Spellman, musicians such as Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Jack Savoretti and David Gray, wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin and BBC Springwatch’s Gillian Burke, plus environmentalist and actor David Oakes and zoologist Sophie Pavelle.
The Big Wild Weekend is part of The Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild challenge to do something wild every day in June. It looks set to enjoy a huge potential online audience for its selection of artists’ music videos, a live quiz and more, after a record-breaking 650,000 people signed up to take part in 30 Days Wild this year. The weekend comprises:
· FRIDAY 19TH AT 7PM: WILD EVENING OF MUSIC
· SATURDAY 20TH ALL EVENING, FROM 7PM: SUMMER SOLSTICE CAMP-OUT
· SUNDAY 21ST AT 7PM: BIG WILD QUIZ
FRIDAY 19th JUNE AT 7PM
Popular BBC Radio 1 DJ, Cel Spellman, will be the virtual host, introducing an evening of classic upbeat pop, rock and soulful music inspired by the wild. On Friday night – on YouTube – the acts so far, with more to be announced, include:
Catch a pre-recorded set by singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, including Forever Wild and Murder on the Dancefloor, as she shares her popular lockdown kitchen disco for The Wildlife Trusts.
British singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti, whose songs have been on shows including One Tree Hill, The Vampire Diaries and Grey’s Anatomy, is also set to showcase his music with a film clip at the event.
David Gray showcases his Skomer Live performances made for The Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales. The Babylon singer has written a new song called Running with the waves inspired by childhood holidays on the Welsh island.
SATURDAY 20TH JUNE FROM 7PM
Make like a moth on the Saturday and stay up really late for a wild Camp-out night, hosted on Facebook, timed to coincide with the summer solstice and encourage a special connection with nature. Thousands of Big Wild Weekenders will join in a huge back garden nature party, supported with fun social media posts on Twitter and Facebook. There’ll be an easy ice cream recipe to keep the festival spirit alive, birdsong at the press of a button, plus The Wildlife Trusts’ beautiful moth identification sheets for those feeling adventurous. Wild Weekenders are also in with a chance to win a fabulous 5-berth family tent from Cotswold Outdoors*. Get creative with a wild festival camp set-up, or an indoor nature-themed den inspired by nature! Additional prizes from Jordans Cereals and Learning Resources UK.
SUNDAY 21ST JUNE AT 7PM
On Sunday it’s the Wild Quiz via Facebook Live, hosted by actor and environmentalist David Oakes and zoologist and The Wildlife Trusts’ ambassador Sophie Pavelle. Special guests will pose science and natural history questions – they include environmental broadcaster Liz Bonnin and BBC Springwatch presenter Gillian Burke. For the full weekend programme and to get involved visit: www.wildlifetrusts.org/big-wild-weekend. Join in on social media with #30DaysWild. Follow @WildlifeTrusts on Twitter and Instagram. The evening of music will be premiered on YouTube, while the Camp-out and Quiz will be hosted over on Facebook.
The Big Wild Weekend invites thousands of The Wildlife Trust supporters, volunteers and newfound friends to pitch a tent in their back garden – or create a fun nature-themed den indoors – and enjoy dazzling music performances, fun quizzes, nature themed-treats, wild activities and more. Music, camping and nature are a traditional part of many UK families’ summer plans. So this year The Wildlife Trust's are offering a wild weekend with a festival theme – a virtual holiday at home – and everyone’s invited. They are delighted that so many amazing musicians and other celebrities with a passion for nature and wildlife want to get involved with The Big Wild Weekend and support The Wildlife Trusts with their talent and voices. The line-up is still being added to and we’re hoping this free online event will remind everyone how much they've valued nature during lockdown and how vital The Wildlife Trusts are in protecting and restoring the natural world. As with many charities, The Wildlife Trusts are facing huge financial pressure due to coronavirus and our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone involved in supporting them.
