London is known to hold many festivals in the summer months. From musical day events out in the park to week-long food showings, there’s just about any itch to scratch. Insect lovers now even have one, with the first-ever festival dedicated to dragonflies at the WWT London Wetland Centre arriving imminently in the capital.
Running from June 21 – September 22 and part of the general admission tickets, the Dragonfly Festival runs throughout the whole summer holidays and beyond for the whole family to get involved in the fun with the beautifully-coloured thin insects that whizz around the wetlands.
What’s all the buzz about the Dragonfly Festival?
Who knew this many activities could stem from the love of a humble dragonfly? Visitors can pick up a sheet and pop along the specially set up dragonfly safari to see how many they can spot, draw them, or note down their thoughts. Then, there will be a waterplay area to ‘unleash their inner dragonfly’ and splash around the pond – all in the name of gliding like a dragonfly.
There will also be an interactive trail with six stops to find badges along the way, finding out about the dragonfly life cycle at each point. Plus, the learning will continue with plenty of workshops, storytelling sessions, and dragonfly-making workshops to get the creative wings buzzing.
And in August, to top off the dragonfly-themed fun, there will be an event taking place on the bank holiday weekend with stilt walkers sauntering into the premises to kick off the dragonfly circus with performances and face painting.
Speaking on the festival, Alexia Hollinshead, General Manager at WWT London Wetland Centre, said: “Dragonflies play an important role in our wetland ecosystems, so a summer-long festival is a fitting way to celebrate these dazzling creatures of the natural world.
“We have a wonderful line-up of exciting, fun activities and hope that many will take this opportunity to enjoy everything on offer. Our hotly anticipated Splash Pad – a new play area, featuring water tunnels, multiple spurts, fountains, interactive puddles and a rain shower – will be ready for some splashing fun too.”
The Dragonfly Festival lands at the WWT London Wetland Centre on June 21, and runs all summer until September 22. Those attending can access it with general admission tickets to the centre, and you can find out more via the Wetland Centre’s website.
