Get ready for the Biosphere Festival! The programme has just gone live with over 100 things to do, mostly free or low-cost, all being run by our brilliant local community. Nine days of events all over the Island to celebrate our UNESCO Biosphere Reserve from 27th June to 5th July 2026.
Don’t miss out, lots of events have limited space and require booking. You can see the full programme at on the website.
Guardian-recognised festival gets biggest programme yet
Recently named one of The Guardian’s top 10 UK nature festivals, the Biosphere Festival is a great opportunity to engage with our amazing island nature, creativity and heritage in new and exciting ways.
Many of these events are unique to the festival, you won’t get these experiences anywhere else. In fact, we think that this festival, with so many entirely community organised events, might be unique on the planet!
And this is our biggest Biosphere Festival yet. Over 100 events will be taking place across the island including walks, talks, fashion, art, crafts, storytelling, films, workshops, exhibitions, and more. Loads of family friendly events, as well as more adult options. Be uplifted, challenged, inspired, educated.
This year will kick off on the first weekend with FOCAS Fest, Focus on Conservation and Science at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, involving all sorts of family activities for a low ticket price. Other events are being run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Isle of Wight National Landscape, local Libraries, the Quay Arts Centre, Wight Nature Fund, Ventnor Arts Club, Brading Roman Villa, Naturezones, Together for Mission Zero, parish councils, Grow Gurnard, Calbourne Water Mill and many others.
Something for everyone
Come learn about making Meadow Magic, join in on Ocean Flow Yoga at Compton Bay or uncover the surprising history of trees in the beautiful St Lawrence Undercliff, get on your bike at the Cyclewight family bike ride, enjoy a voice and dance performance inspired by the tides of the River Medina or a talk with Springwatch favourite Lucy Lapwing about our relationship with nature.
See Through the Eyes of Insects with a UV Night Walk, come along to an open day with stars of “Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild” Permaculture Island, celebrate Mill Copse nature reserve in the West Wight and historic landscapes in the east at Brading Roman Villa.
There is a Freediving Safari and Marine Conservation talk, a Nature Fresk workshop, a beach clean at Watershoot Bay, sonic art installation in a church in Calbourne, a wild fermentation workshop with Wight Knuckle Brewery, a series of events in magical Grammar’s Wood.
Mardi Gras and Morris Dancing, a storytelling evening under the trees of Rylstone Gardens, allotment tours and chats, sketching with local artists in the landscape, family crafts at the libraries and so much more. Take your pick between opportunities for relaxation, creativity, learning, interactivity, meeting new people and fun. With events happening across the Island, there is bound to be something near you.
Record turnout from community organisers
Martha Henson, Biosphere Festival Producer, said,
“We have been blown away by the island’s response to our call for Biosphere Festival events, what an incredible and diverse selection of brilliant things to do.
“It just goes to show, when you join it all together like this, what a positive and powerful community we have here on the Island.”
In previous years an entirely volunteer run effort, this year the Biosphere Festival was proud to receive a National Lottery Community Fund “Awards for All” grant as well as Brave Island work placement funding that allowed for the appointment of two new festival coordinators and other project roles.
Key information
- Biosphere Festival takes place from 27th – 5th July, over nine days.
- The Festival website is iwbiosphere.org/biospherefestival
- Sign up to our newsletter on the website for more news, via the website.
- Over 100 events planned across the Island.
The Biosphere Festival and IW Biosphere are hugely grateful for all the community support and love for our Island nature that allows this festival to happen.
Our Biosphere Reserve status is a prestigious UNESCO designation, like World Heritage status, that recognises our unique combination of people, wildlife and landscape.
It celebrates all our local efforts, individual and organisational, to live sustainably within our remarkable environment and to protect, conserve and enhance it for future generations.
News shared by Martha on behalf of Isle of Wight Biosphere Festival. Ed
