New Forest Thrive festival

A festival celebrating people, wildlife, and the future

The first New Forest Thrive festival will take place in Ringwood this summer highlighting the unique and special place that is the National Park.

Led by the New Forest National Park Authority, the event looks to the future to celebrate the Forest’s communities, as well as its wildlife, landscapes, and so much more.

New Forest Thrive will have four zones from Creative and Discovery to Chill Out and Sustainable Transport with interactive displays, activities, and performances on offer throughout the day to inspire people of all ages and to promote positive climate and nature-based actions.

The New Forest Thrive festival is supported as part of the YouCAN (Youth for Climate and Nature) scheme through a Climate Action Fund grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The YouCAN scheme is made possible thanks to National Lottery players and is aimed at 11- to 30-year-olds to encourage more community-led action to tackle the nature and climate emergencies.

Find out more about the scheme at: newforestnpa.gov.uk/YouCAN.

Details of the day:

• When – Sunday 6 July, 10am to 3pm
• Where – Carvers Recreation Ground, Ringwood

Who will be at New Forest Thrive?

Sustainable Transport zone:

• PEDALL New Forest Inclusive Cycling with cycling tasters and bike maintenance
• Ringwood Riders with skateboarding activities
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police with bike security marking

Chill Out zone:

• New Forest Marque member, Brock Ice, with ice creams
• New Forest Marque member, Coffee Wagen, with coffee and cakes
• Ringwood Town Council with food and drink at Carvers Clubhouse
• Idelica with pizzas
• Ringwood Academy with a school uniform and outdoor kit swap shop – bring what you can along to get involved

Creative zone:

• Theatre for Life with performances from Bringing the Outside In
• CODA Music and Arts Trust
• African Activities with the Nightjar Project, drums, crafts, and storytelling
• New Forest NPA with a video booth
• Wessex Rivers Trust

Discovery zone:

• Round Table with a minibeast estate activity
• The Parks Foundation with swifts information and activity
• New Forest NPA with Wild Play activities and Junior Rangers
• New Forest NPA with the ranger’s mobile unit
• Members from the New Forest Youth Board
• Freshwater Habitats Trust with wetland activities
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust with a Solent Seascape activity
• RACE
• Greening Ringwood with a Repair Cafe and Tick Trail
• Flourish in Nature