Marvel at the Massive Minotaur Beetle this Sunday!

Heathland Festival at Avon Heath Country Park

On Sunday (20 September), Avon Heath Country Park in East Dorset will welcome thousands of visitors to join in celebrating the county’s thriving heaths at the park’s Heathland Festival.

The festival promises an extravaganza of things to see and do in celebration of the heathland.  The free family fun on offer will include kids’ workshops, instant theatre, live reptiles, tree climbing, guided walks, music, horse and cart rides and much more.

Families can come along and marvel at the Massive Minotaur Beetle sculpture and maybe get involved in creating it, admire the wheelbarrow carnival procession, or be transported to the heathland of the past by stepping inside a Bronze Age hut.

So, why should you be celebrating? Dorset’s heaths are internationally important and renowned as the finest examples of this habitat anywhere in the UK.

Kate Martin, Heathland Festival organiser, said: “We are so lucky to have this amazing habitat, with reptiles, insectivorous plants and rare birds. So let’s show our appreciation and celebrate the heath and ensure we can protect it for the future.”

The park’s exciting new Heathland Discovery Centre will be officially unveiled, with new and vibrant displays installed specifically for the opening event.

There will be opportunities at the festival to see heathland conservation in action, from large machines to simple tools, and a chance to talk to the people who look after Dorset’s beautiful heaths and their wildlife.